Wild!

Today it was a case of battening down the hatches and not venturing  outdoors, after about  10am, when Storm Eunice blew in and made its presence felt. Fortunately, we didn't suffer any real damage to our property .
I've been reading "Wild " by Cheryl Strayed, which seemed an appropriate title to choose today! It's actually the story of a woman hiking  the Pacific Crest Trail, on the west coast of  USA., and I'm  enjoying her adventures. Just to  add to her  difficulties  of walking through  desert one week, followed by snow the next, she is carrying a huge rucksack nick -named the Monster. Men she comes across, who are also doing the Trail, are carrying much lighter loads but I can identify with travelling not -so- lightly. Is there  a gender  difference? Do women always carry more? If so, why is this? Do we need to take so much "stuff"? Discuss...

I've also spent some time doing research for a Green Sustainability event next month. The plan  is to get people to sow a variety of wildflower seeds in seed trays, to take  home,  grow on, and then   plant in their gardens. We want to use plants which attract pollinating insects, which will then  help to pollinate veg and fruit crops, too. We are on dry, chalky soil. 
So far, I've listed  Wild creeping Thyme, Greater Knapweed, Bird's foot trefoil, Corn Marigold, Borage (not strictly a native, but nice!),  wild Marjoram, Wall Germander,  Devils Bit Scabious ( if anyone has a damp area in their garden) Small Scabious ( challenge to get to germinate ?) and Common Foxglove (poisonous to many mammals, so could be a problem?).