Heavy rain is falling here in the west of Ireland.
This is our now too frequent monsoon.
It occurs each summer, after a drought that sees the spring well slowing down to a dribble as the aquifers drop dramatically.
The evidence is all too obvious that there is a climate change going on…that is not negotiable in my book.
However, the source of this climate change can be debated over and even argued over…I care not.
I just know that it is happening.
I am a gardener.
I am in the gardens every day and the weather is recorded in my head or on this blog accordingly.
The clouds are so heavy and low that I actually fell asleep this afternoon.
There is an eerie silence.
The birds are tucked into overhanging branches, hardly moving.
Jack has slept under the stove in the kitchen…it’s warm there.
As I type there is a shawl draped over my shoulders.
There is a nip in the air.
Tonight will be spent hunkered down, waiting for the storm to pass…
There is a badger set in the vegetable garden, alongside the path into the Fairy Dell woodland.
The badger has dug many small holes along the path in his quest for some small root I would guess.
As I walked over to the compost to empty the ashes from the stove this morning, I noticed a series of quite neat excavations and a neat pile of soil by each.
I will film over there tomorrow if the weather eases up…
At the end of the first week in June here in England and we’ve had dreadful (for the UK) weather, much like you’ve had in Ireland I guess. As you mentioned, it seems to me that this is now a new recurring weather pattern over the past 5 or so years. It’s not unusual to have bad weather from time to time – that’s nature, but we’ve had to put the heating on and the long range forecast is for more of the same. Statistically June should have the lowest rainfall (equal with March at 50mm) – I wonder what we’ve had so far?
The mainstream news reports the gales etc, but there’s no mention of permanently changing weather patterns. I was talking about it with my Dad, who is 78 – we talked about the very dry/warm spell we had in April and then how wet it’s been. I mentioned climate change and he went into instant denial and said it was ‘just the freaky weather’ – what do you expect from a Daily Mail reader! Accepting climate change for many people means they will also need to look at their own lifestyles and start to accept that human activity is a contributor to these problems. Most people are not willing to do that.
My own situation is that I personally want to act, I want to do something big, I want land, I want to grow stuff, but like many in the ‘civilised’ west, we’ve been locked into the credit and consumer culture for so long, it’s hard to see an alternative, let alone to find the courage to act, but act we must. How and when?
That’s one of the many reasons I love your blog – you are showing an alternative way and when people can see it, they can imagine themselves in your place, they can start to make the transition. But we need more like you!
Best wishes, Martin x
Thank you Martin for what you say.
Transition is such a good word, for that is true life…moving on, learning, improving and making the very best of all as you do!
I write this blog for all to take hope and inspiration from, for I once lived in a situation where I felt there was no chance to live a better life.
However, life is a journey and with everything being possible…we make our own world.
Once I realized this I went out a got myself an allotment.
Then I taught myself to forage, make jams, chutneys, wines et al.
I began to see that everything was possible and this is how I now live my life…and dream, always dream!
I dream of owning more land and planting a permaculture forest, with wood cabins all around for people to holiday for no money, just a little work…and bring their children and pets. And for those who feel life is meaningless, especially those. Nature is inspirational and healing!
Bless you,
Colx
I think gardeners do notice the details – the weather, the patterns, how wet or dry the soil is after winter, what is early – we see it and feel it.
Absolutely…
The climate has indeed changed, as I am a gardener, too, and have noticed the extreme changes in all of Texas in the past few years. We are having rain today as well, but for here, it is welcome, as we have had such severe droughts. I would love it if it rained for several days…..and wine to drink such as you’ve made…mmmm good!