Pyramidal Orchid in the shadow of Police station

Blipper TonyG has kindly told me the name of this flower. I thought, and hoped, it was a type of orchid. I was right. One side effect of Lockdown is that the grass hasn't been cut as often as usual, and wild orchids can bloom in the shadow of the police station.

This reminded me of the lockdown of the countryside in 2001, as a result of the Foot and Mouth disease outbreak. Arguably this was a worse time for me and some others, including farmers and owners of countryside attractions such as Cattle Country, which had to slaughter all their beasts. The countryside was heavy with the smoke from burning corpses, and footpaths were cordoned off. As now, we took our exercise in the cemetery. There was an official obsession with footbaths of disinfectant and shoe-covers.

Afterwards, when the countryside reopened,  yoga classes were held on the commons, and ramblers reunited. Meanwhile, where the paths hadn't been trodden down by walkers,  rare orchids were discovered to have bloomed. Plus ca change...

Actually I went to town to post some kind of parcel, and to see what town looked like with more shops open. It looked much the same as usual, I mean usual for now. Sure, shops are open. People aren't in them, though. I only had to queue at the PO. Stocks are still low in places I did go into, such as The Works. 

More children are back at school, though. I bumped into a woman whom I supported back in January, when she was new to Stroud. She and her children have been allocated a council flat, and hope to move within the month. I am so pleased that she has survived lockdown in terrible acommodation with her two children.