Amazingly the morning has shone brightly several days running now. Today I trundled the rusty bike with my rusty knees along the way to see if I could catch it somewhere. Indeed this old path with aged oak trees to one side (an aged map shows them there over a hundred years ago, how long can an oak tree last I wonder) offered a pleasant view at the top. Beside me birds sang in the trees, young squirrels frantically looked for the way home and a proper forest, six foot wide, ran alongside the path. This contrasts to the huge school field the other side of the fence justly hidden behind a stout fence and much vegetation.
Only one early morning dog walker met my greeting and he was more concerned with his mobile phone and the many secrets therein to notice me. The fact that he knows me and was too occupied to recognise me I let slide and passed on. I suspect if we were able to read the messages contained on his phone we would not in the least find them interesting yet he stood head down ignoring the bored dog that wanted something to sniff while he perused his phone, he might still be there.
When they laid out the housing estate the clever people allowed much of the copse that existed to remain. If you choose to ignore the old crisp packets and plastic bottles lying around from the scruffy unkempt types who wander through it does give a brief indication of a wood. The more we build houses the more we require such small glimpses of green to enable us to breathe freely. The mind can only comprehend so much stone and brick, it requires trees and green grass with areas of sky to let the mind relax. The Victorians knew this only too well. The rise in suburbs expanding out from town and city centres, slums all too often left behind, caused a longing for a romantic and unrealistic country life. The song lines 'You could see to 'ackney Marshes, if it wasn't for the 'ouses in between' comes to mind. The romantic vision ignored the damp country shacks, the poor life of the villagers, hard toil in fields and the disease that was just as prevalent as in town. However from a crowded slum tenement after a 96 hour week it could be made to look attractive.
Life is always better over there.
This strange colour has been hanging all over the country today.
I think the sky is broken!
4 comments:
"Under ideal conditions, oak trees live an average of 150 years."
That sounds about right to me!
Do you know what the acorn said when it saw the mighty oak?
Gee, I'm a tree! (We told this to our teacher in Geometry class!)
Glad you have a blue sky!
Its also very hot here in Cardiff, but we never get the chance to acclimatise
weather wise. Its interesting what you say about greeting people when you walk past, I think that today its something thats not done generally by youngsters.
Older generations would nearly always say good morning or whatever when passing someone.
I just don't understand people when they're out and about - you see them all around with their phones stuck to their ears, or their eyes clued to the screens. I find it very annoying, indeed. Stay home, if that's the intention!
That's my opinion, anyway...and it's probably worth little.
Kay, Oaks are great solid trees, once owned by governments for shipbuilding.
Dave, It is done here in this town but not in those that are 'London overspill.'
Lee, Your opinion is always worth something to me.
Post a Comment