The New Year has brought more dismal, drizzly weather to
Stanhope, in the foothills of the North Pennines. The fells are
clarty in places, though the peat bog ismuch drained, along with the
grazing land. The river here rises very fast, even though it is close
to the source(s) … the capacity of the high land to absorb water
considered less important than the creation of habitat for rearing
pheasants and grouse as sport for wealthy psychopaths … and
employment for local folks as gamekeepers to protect the birds until
their dying time and beaters to persuade the reluctant targets to fly
high enough to give the killers a clear shot ….
In the future, these fells revert to forest and Nature
re-establishes balance (with or without humans).
The weather is not unusual, being part of the grey
climate of Britain, though locals recall long cold winters, with snow
lying deep for months … the damp climate is, of course, linked to
the “green and pleasant landscape” and probably to the phlegmatic
character of the sterotypical Brit.
This Brit, having studied stereotypes, is thinking again
about Spain and Portugal and recalling this time last year, walking
along the Algarve from Ayamonte to Cape St Vincent … mostly in
T-shirt and sun hat … increasingly aware at the ecological horror
wrought by fellow Brits, cheerfully watering golf courses and filling
swimming pools in a near desert …. mostly avoiding integration with
local folks …
On social media, a random post arrives this morning,
from a Portuguese led eco-village project near Braga, in the North ….
interesting … let's see ….
This winter break is also interesting … two weeks rest
and relaxation, with a Christian Festival superimposed on the pagan
solstice celebration … though mammon has also jumped on the
bandwagon and spending, eating, drinking frenzy takes hold … after
a childhood of traditional Yuletide, an early sense that this charade
was not resonating, experiments with the Therevadans and the solitude
an opportunity for a novel Community Christmas Lunch, the suggestion
of a local teenager, concerned about the sad and lonely …. and
whilst not identifying entirely with that story, happy to help with
transport and the day was heartwarming … possibly the first of many
such events in Stanhope …
As for family, elder daughter, recently accepted with
partner as the youngest foster carers in Northumberland, was asked to
take in two brothers the day before Christmas Eve as well as
announcing their engagement; younger daughter on working holiday in
Sydney, wangled 10 days holiday and spent the season at the beach …
which leads to the question: Is this a good time of year, in the
Northern Hemisphere, for three whole Public Holidays (and four in
Scotland, where they take New Year rather more seriously)?
Not that this is a major issue for retired folks who may
do as they please and still receive sufficient money to live simply …
assisted by this being paid into an account automatically and which
can be drawn anywhere in the world where there is a cashpoint.
Freedom calls again!
To revisit role play for awhile … having flirted with
“writer”, flattered by some “readers”, declined to dramatise
the rest from writing as “writer's block” …. just not inspired
and no need to stick in any particular role … although the social
activist role has been happily played since returning in April and
very rewarding it has been, albeit with challenging moments from
project funders demanding increasingly detailed feedback for their
small investment … and some lingering social responsibility, not so
much to the project as to the dear co-co-ordinator, left with it last
winter and wanting some support so that her voluntary effort does not
drift into a full-time unpaid job.
One of the features of the winter, as “writer”
developed “reader” disappeared … a deficit more than remedied
since April, with novels as well as philosophy and lay versions of
new science devoured enthusiastically … Rupert Sheldrake and his
morphic fields resonationg strongly, along with Fritjof Capra and
David Bohm … and J. Krishnamurti a constant companion …
Not sure if “walker” is a role – perhaps the
“pilgrim” or “saunterer” element is the role and walking is
walking …. anyway the Stanhope based settled life includes a daily
dawn walk for 50 minutes, usually on the same route …. keeping the
body fit for another longer outing … and enjoyable in its own
right, of course.
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