Abutilon pictum

Also known as Chinese lantern. I recall this flower from many years ago, as it was a plant that my mother had in various of her gardens. I think she had one when we were still on the farm, and I know that she had at least one when we were in Hamilton, and again when she and my father moved to a smaller unit after all the children had left home. 

After leaving the farm, my parents always rented. The Hamilton house was a "State House", and their final home was a Council unit. In recent years, the provision of such housing has fallen in total, not just in relation to population numbers. All part of the misguided belief that economies grow best if you provide less publicly funded services. 

Currently, I am reading Creating Capabilities by Martha Nussbaum. In this she argues that a Just and Fair society will provide its members with equal access to the best human development of which they are capable. Her argument is based on a belief that concentrating on the money loses the point of the real wealth of a society, which is the citizens and the natural resources available to them.

A person's ability to prosper (in the philosophical rather than economic sense) is enhanced by ensuring that everyone has access to at least adequate housing, and to sufficient food to be healthy, and to social engagement in order to not be isolated and to have meaningful relationships, and to have access to employment for its value in enhancing self esteem. 

Little enough, yet how many in my country are denied one or more of these simple acknowledgements of their humanity? And we are one of the better countries; or at least we were once.