It has been a while since I published a post here. And I am sure my presence has been sorely missed. So, with that in mind, I thought that I would take a little look back over my summer 2022 so far.
Perhaps the first thing to note of this year's summer, from a nature lover's perspective, as compared with the summers of the last two years, is that Covid-19 and lockdowns are not quite so present here, in the UK, as they were. There are pros and cons to this.
When lockdowns came into effect, and everyday activities had to adapt to an extraordinary situation, people found a great appreciation for the nature and wildlife they perhaps hadn't noticed before. Suddenly, mountain goats and deer were going viral, and everyone was taking to footpaths and waters for a little release.
There were, unfortunately, facemasks and latex gloves discarded in the grasses and rivers, amongst the usual rubbish. This never made a whole lot of sense to me; why go so far as to use the PPE but then discard it so carelessly? Do you have any understanding of how viruses spread?
Don't get it, never will. But then, I don't understand littering in general. Why is it that takeaway containers become too much to bear after they are empty? You can carry them down to the park when they're full of food? But it's too much to deal with, too far to the nearest bin, once you've filled your belly?
Bless.
Rubbish in the fields. I'm torn. Sometimes I wish there were more people out on the countryside footpaths. Then, I see this, and I think there's more than enough people out there. (Photo from personal collection)
Whenever I am able to do so, I pick up litter. It's not always possible. Out in the middle of nowhere, without gloves or a picker, or just an empty bag in which to place rubbish, it can be unwise, or even unsafe, to go picking up the rubbish.
To be honest, it is such a problem that any good hearted person must pick and choose which pieces of rubbish they pick up – otherwise you could spend your whole day picking up rubbish, never get where you're going, and not make a dent in the problem.
Bless those groups that volunteer their time for coordinated litter picks!
I fully support the move towards a circular economy for this reason, and others. In particular, government plans to roll out a recycling scheme that would see consumers get money back on purchases when they recycle containers might go some way towards improving the problem of littering.
Customers, at the point of purchase, would pay a small deposit which would be returned when containers are recycled. For this reason, schemes like this are referred to as a DRS (Deposit Return Scheme). This does, of course, rely on collections and the recycling being done efficiently and effectively once consumers have done their part. Another concern is the speed at which the UK government is going to roll out this scheme – we're talking years!
Evening primrose. Opens in the evening – clue's in the name – just in time for the night-flying moths. (Photo from personal collection)
This sunnier time of year is great for watching flowers open and, hopefully, the visitors they attract.
The flowers I have planted all call pots and containers home, and I have been potting and re-potting as they've grown and needs have changed. The plus to potted plants, is that they are mobile, and they can be moved to keep in the sun. Or out of it, as the case may be.
Also, since they are contained, they are controlled. But, they are limited by the space they have. Hence the need for repotting and thinning out, so that they can reach full potential.
For me, first the daisies and the poppies came. And they did their jobs well – bumblebees buzzed inside the poppies, and the daisies attracted hoverflies and other bees. Other flowers and fruits have come through since, and it's a joy to watch, and to be a part of it.
My appreciation of plant life came via my appreciation of animal life. But, now that I have found it, I love plants for themselves too, not just their place in the ecological landscape. They are fascinatingly strong, resilient, and, I would argue, even intelligent!
Well, that's a little snapshot of my summer so far. A little recap blog post, a bit of a catch up, a bit of a ramble through some thoughts and feelings. I took some time away from a few things in the last month or so, but I hope to get back on this blog regularly once again.
I haven't covered everything here, of course. There is the Big Butterfly Count to talk about, birds to discuss, and lots of walks to reflect upon. Plus, the plants in the garden could have a number of posts of their very own! But, there's plenty of time for all that in these long days of summer . . .
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