Local Action

Doing positive things on a small scale isn't the only thing you can do when the world is busy turning itself upside down. But it isn't a bad way to start.

Along the river path where I walk at least once a day are two semi-circular bits of neglected ground. I think they might once have been flower beds but over the last 30 (at least) years they have fallen into a gruesome state. Once a year the local authority ground maintenance people come along and spray weedkiller under the trees. Many of the trees and shrubs have died, become diseased or overshadowed by the taller trees. The ground is completely compacted.

A local community group, which only got going last year, has approval to develop these unlovely areas into a woodland garden and a native flower meadow. The first of these will be started this month when the local authority will take out the dead trees. Local volunteers will plant native trees, improve the soil with masses of green compost and plant native wildflowers. It's going to take a lot of work, and won't happen overnight, but what a great start.

Here is the land I'm talking about with a notice about the project so that people aren't taken by surprise. I can't see why anyone would object but you just never can tell.

Start local. We can all do that one way or another.

This afternoon the four year old, the baby sister and their parents will arrive. At bedtime the parents will leave for a few hours. We'll put both girls to bed. This is easy with the four year old but it's the first time we've been in charge of the baby at bedtime. I hope she settles. This is a trial run so the girls' mum and dad will be returning later and, we hope, with both girls asleep. When they waken up their parents will be here. Next time it'll be for real with no mum and dad at breakfast time!

I've decreed it's pizza night and the four year old has chosen a DVD.