Humans v. Nature

For my next assignment we have to come up with our own essay title, further questions that come out of it, sources we will use to answer the questions, and evaluate those sources.

On the one hand it's a bit scary, but more than that I find it rather exciting!  We can choose from the many different crime subjects we have covered, from corporate crime to state terror; people trafficking to cybercrime.  I have decided to concentrate on eco-crime because it has grabbed me as a subject.

I've never seen myself as a tree-hugger, but reading about it both in my course book and other articles has a) got my blood boiling and b) made me see how things link up between 'the West's' demands and the damage caused to developing countries and the natural environment.

At the moment (it will probably all change!) my working title is "To what extent do transnational relations and global trade affect levels of eco-crime?"

Today the sight in the 2012 "Wildlife photographer of the Year" portfolio of a rhino with its horn having been sawn off with a chainsaw almost reduced me to tears.  The things that humans are capable of and responsible for in a quest for money can be heart-breaking.

I'm off to see if Amazon sell tree-hugger t-shirts.

What animal was this?

My town awoke this morning to 6 inches of snow, so I decided I wouldn't be going into the office today after all.  The snow is ok but I wasn't so keen on the steps up to the office...

I got my priorities right and went out and sorted out the bird-feeders before breakfast; a robin was out mooching around trying to eat the frozen seed so that had to be fixed.  First footing it across the lawn, I always hate to spoil it!  normally of course there has been a DJ out in it before me, but not this morning.  My tracks out to the bird feeders were interesting...

I did discover I got snow-balling in my crutch crampons, will need to vaseline them like horses hooves! I thought I was going to get a snow-day off today, as I couldn't log into the server, so could check e-mails but not do anything else. My boss is stuck at his house out in the Forest and various others can't get in - great I thought, no-one there to re-boot the server!  But sadly I've just heard that someone is there and re-booting as I write. 

Ho hum, I thought I could get on with my work on confounding variables and correlations, I'll have to save that for later.

IF: Afterwards

The harvest is over; afterwards these trunks will go to the sawmill, and  my husband will plant new trees.

for Illustration Friday

Gardener's Question Time!

I was given this plant for my birthday in June, I have no idea what it is but I'm sure one of you does?    Oh, the ladybird isn't part of the plant by the way ;-)

I have had it in the kitchen windowsill, but when the heating came on it was looking a little dry and wilting so at the weekend I moved it into the hall where it is away from the radiator, and gave it some water. Since then it is looking much healthier, but has been producing drops of water on the leaves almost as thought it is perspiring!

 

Any idea what that's all about?  did I over-water and it is overflowing!?

Feathered friends

After breakfast I spend 5 minutes just watching the birds in the back garden, there seems to be a lot of them at the moment, constant flitting to and fro: Blackbirds throwing leaves around and grubbing around in the vegetable patch. Tits finding bugs on the trees and hedge, and popping in for some suet off the feeder. It's a hive of activity out there.

Yesterday I watched a Blackbird carefully remove some leaves from the bird bath (well, throw them out actually) before he could have his morning ablution.

The Greenfinches seem to come along for their breakfast a little later, they are definitely lazier and I can imagine them having a lie-in.

The nurture of nature

..the title being, of course, a play on the evergreen psychological Nature/Nurture debate.

What a weird night... firstly I dreamed of blogging.  This is a first for me and I had all sorts of great ideas of things I was going to share with you all and lovely smiley thoughts. One specific I dreamed about was Smacksy, I guess Bob had made an impression on me yesterday (if you haven't already visited Lisa and Bob, please do).  Sadly all those great, sunshiny ideas had vanished by morning.

Then I found myself awake at 4.20am worrying about which of my parents is going to die first.  Or more specifically the fact that statistically my dad is likely to die first meaning that my mum will have to cope without him and what a nightmare that will be.. although, when she had breast cancer and a mastectomy a couple of years ago she really surprised me with how well she coped through it; so perhaps I am underestimating her.   Still, not cheerful thoughts to say the least.

That of course led on to just rubbish stuff about being separated from Mr H. (and Django) and I won't go into that in case I get upset again.

So.. thankfully I dropped off to sleep again, but sadly none of you figured in the rest of my dreams, sorry.

Woke at 7am to pouring rain.  Woke at 8am to sunshine glinting off the wet trees, looked out of the sitting room/bedroom window and there were a couple of Blue Tits pecking away at insects on top of my "Garden Wall"

Sorry about the reflection on the window, I hope you can see it ok.   

When I say Garden Wall I don't mean around the perimeter as we have hedges.  When we built our little extension in 1993 we took out a section of 19th C solid brick wall, which we stacked up against the garage ready to use to lay a new drive.  Over the years it has grown its own garden from seeds blown on the wind or dropped by birds. Last year there was even a cherry tree growing in it but we cut it down before the weight pulled the wall down (sorry Mr H. but I can see a new one growing).    I love all the ferns and foxgloves and moss growing completely wild.

(The front row of bricks is more recent from January '10)

Birds never fail to bring a smile to my face, be they busy Blue Tits, matriachal Blackbirds, steadfast Greenfinches or hovering Buzzards.   

I am currently reading the best of Gerald Durrell, about his exploits with, and love of, all things feathered and furred back in the mid 20th century;  if you haven't read his books they are well worth it and exude feel-good from every page.

So, today looks like it's going to be sunshiny with heavy showers - maybe I'm glad I'm not strolling into the market.  I've done the vacuuming, the clothes washing is on and I'm about to make myself a bacon and egg sarnie for brunch before I settle down to my Saturday studying session.

Onwards and upwards.