New paintings and regular art updates.
Soon we may only see Elephants as symbols in pictures or on textiles. They are one of the terribly endangered species in the world that coukd soon be extinct. The problem isn’t just hunting or poaching, but also the threat of climate change. As the land dries up through to drought, or is flooded by seas rising their habitat will be displaced. Only if we really try to do something about the situation do we stand to change things.
I’ve been watching the news about the bush fires in Australia an it is awful and devastating. Not only are there hundreds of fires, but they have spread over a huge area. The started around Sidney which has been smothered in smoke for weeks. But then more have started in the West and South of the continent. The Southern hemisphere is moving into summer and the temperatures are rising. They have measured the highest ever temperature there in the last couple of days. Over 40°C and rising. The fires are being fanned by 40 mile an hour winds. They are burning out of control in some places, and the drought affected land is so parched there isn’t the water to put them out. I have friends out there and I worry for them. Meanwhile their prime minister went away on holiday to Hawaii and is only coming home because of the outcry from its population.
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Walking round Trentham Gardens yesterday I saw a banana plant in flower, in this country, in mid September?! It is usually 5 or 10 degrees Celsius cooler than this.
The last four years have been the hottest in Britain (and the world?) ever. Climate change is a massive problem, its complex, but people are coming out on strike. Children have been showing today how much it means to them. Everyone needs to push the people in power to take action. To share technologies that reduce the need for power in the form of fossil fuels and nuclear energy. Sustainable engineering like wind and wave power need integrating into the worlds power grids. Solar energy should also be exploited. We have got to solve global warming fast if we can.
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Water is a wonderful compound, and having rain from the sky is great. The only problem is that with the effects of climate change, rain isn’t always easy to live with.
Into each life a little rain must fall is a quote from a song I think . But in this world it falls either too much, or too little in some cases. There are floods in some countries, while others see no rain for years and deserts expand. Micro bursts of rain dump a mass of rain rapidly in a limited area while the surrounding area remain dry causing havock. We have thunderstorms here that are much larger and more violent than in the past and the same is happening all over the world. And rain also causes erosion which destroys cliffs and washes away soil. When man cuts down forests the ability of trees and plants to store water and allow it to be slowly released is diminished. Rain falls in places like the Amazon which help to regulate the weather systems of the world. Now that the goverment of the country is allowing more deforestation the concern is that the weather and rain patterns will be seriously or even catastrophically affected.
Man (and woman) need to take responsibility and keep this world safe for future generations. Rain gives and takes life.
We haven’t had much rain lately but today it bucketed down, rain was falling so heavily it overwhelmed the gutters of the house and was pouring so fast it filled up two empty milk bottles outside the front door. There was hail mixed in with it. Small lumps of ice hitting your windows and bouncing over my tomato plants outside.
Rain storms seem fiercer than the gentle rain of heaven from Portia’s speech in Shakespeareof yesteryear. Now we have cloudbursts, like a sponge being wrung out. All the water dumped like being under a waterfall.
I don’t know about “singing in the rain” more like swimming in the rain!
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Before sleep spins me into unconsciousness, before dreams tangle my hair and twist my body. Before dark night closes in on me. One last thought. We need more kindness and care. We need to look after the poorest and those with the least resources. We need to see this world as a whole, not in parts. Why should luck determine where we are in the world. Why are people so selfish and unkind?
Dreams could be made real if we cared. Damage to life and the environment is our choice. With climate change we need to change our perspectives. I think we should all consider the future and work to make a better planet. Perhaps then we can all sleep a bit more peacefully in our beds if we have them. At least I hope so and that equality is our future goal. I know I’m naive but I still can dream.
One of my favourite sayings, even though it comes from a Sci fi series. When I was a child I learnt to do the sign that Spock uses, fingers seperate between middle and ring finger. Spock was my favourite character because of his logic. I also likes Sherlock Holmes for the same reason. I don’t know why logic appeals to me but I do.
Logic and science is denigrated too much these days. Instead of seeing how important it is people turn their backs on it. For instance the turning against vaccination by people and the consequent increase in cases of measles. Or the fake news and lies used to stop people realising that climate change is really happening. Logic tells us that if we see evidence of something we must take account of it. People’s lives are at stake.
Live long and prosper, bur stay safe and care for each other too.
It’s still blowing a gale out there as the partygoers shout and swear and slam their car doors shut and head off into the night.
There’s been flooding in the Conwy valley in Wales and in the north west of England. Scotland and Northern Ireland have also had their fair share. The situation is relatively normal for this time of year, but the number of floods we get most years seems to be increasing.
In the meantime on Friday young people from across the world went on strike again from school to protest about the state of the climate and how it is getting close to more than a 1.5 centigrade rise in average temperatures. If this happens the world climate may not recover and it is the young who will have to live with the consequences. Scientists have said that if things don’t get better in the next 12 years the world will reach a tipping point into climatic chaos.
It is interesting to reflect the differences in attitude of the partygoers tonight and young people across the world. It seems a tenuous link, but I think it may be valid. The difference between bad behaviour, fighting, swearing and a peaceful protest.
I leave you to decide.
Mallaband-Brown