Encountered in the wilds

Although I am a great advocate of public transport as you can see from one of my other blogs, I admit there are some things you can't do on a bus. Recently my daughter and her partner came to stay and he expertly drove on a precipitous back route from Hay-on-Wye to visit Llanthony Abbey. By the side of this one-track road we saw five of these Highland Cattle peacefully gazing and grazing. This one is in full winter glory but will shed hair naturally for the summer. Despite the ferocious-looking horns, they seemed friendly, though no-one was allowed out of the car to find out and she/he was photographed through the open window: I love the way the knees are neatly tucked under.
Photo courtesy of Martin Mulligan-McArthur

Trumpets

Spring has come when the daffodils sound out. They do not peep or shrink but brazenly trumpet to the world whether they are in a single clump or in groups. Wordsworth found them soothing as they danced across his inward eye but I find them challenging and noisy. Yet the smaller version, popular with locals councils, just do not have the same charisma as they sit meekly in their pots and planters.

Cohort study

I have just caught up with the facts about the March 1946 study of all babies born in one cold week.  Health visitors went out to every woman who had given birth in that week and asked questions about the free extra pint of milk, who managed the house during her confinement, how much was spent on clothes for the infant (anyone else remember matinee jackets?) and for the mother herself, for example. The results shocked the nation since it revealed how much worse the experiences of working class women were compared to the better off and its findings were in time to be incorporated into the new NHS with free maternity care and other benefits. Since then the babies have been followed throughout their lives (they are now in their late sixties and most have enjoyed taking part) and similar studies have been undertaken. I think that is a brilliant and original scheme, carried out at a time of need and deprivation: do we have the imagination now to think up anything similar?

A modern habit

I have noticed recently that, when someone is interviewed on the radio, they begin their answer with: "So". To me this is a joiner if not a true conjunction and perhaps this is its function here. It does sound rather strange though.
Interviewer: Where were you brought up, Mrs Blundell?"
Mrs B: "So ... I was raised in Lancashire ..."
Has anyone else been stuck by this? Better than Mmmm perhaps.

Mindfulness meditation

I use an app on my tablet to do this each morning. Today, when the soothing voice mentioned the activities of daily life, I jumped up before the little bell rang. Memo: it isn't over till the thin lady pings.

Community Speed Watch

These jolly and dedicated people are checking the speeds of vehicles which could cause accidents near our small town. I have an irrational impulse to slow my walking pace when passing them but they assure me it doesn't matter. 

Website needed

I went into a bookshop in Monmouth yesterday and asked for a little guide entitled: "Walks from Monmouth bus station of less than five miles with no stiles or steep inclines but including a castle visit, a pub lunch and some brief retail therapy." To my grave disappointment none was available and so I request that one of my attentive readers starts a website with this information. See you all in the pub!