Food for Thought for Friday -- The Future belongs to...

The Future belongs to our Children's children

(of course)

but only if we adults can learn to listen in Sandish..

A two part story poem by Amanda Baker

A beautiful tale with lyrical notes, Casey and the Surfmen has an ageless appeal. It sifts through the sands of time and finds the child in all of us.

You could listen for FREE or DOWNLOAD for £1 -- c'mon! £1.00!Be a mensch!

Food for Thought for Friday -- Scotland the Brave

Mr Cameron, Mr Clegg, and yes-- Mr Milliband,

The real issue is that you are disenfranchising the majority of ordinary people in the UK.

You threaten to disnmantle a health care system we have all paid into all our lives and hand over the reigns to private companies who will literally KILL people who cannot pay. Most of us cannot pay.

You are allowing people into this country who have criminal records in their own country. America would not do this. Neither should we EU or no EU!

If I go abroad I have to wait in line with other EU citizens to have my passport checked. I want a UK passport. I was BORN HERE! Surely that should carry some weight?

If Scotland now gets a better deal than regions of England, Wales and N Ireland, that will create more inequality and resentment. We need the rich to pay more taxes not take advantage of the poor and we need a government that listens to our legitimate concerns over a whole range of issues.

Scotland went to the polls 89% of them! Scotland decided to stay in the UK and I for one, am very glad they did. Of course a lot of Scottish people are disappointed today but at least it's democratic disappointment. And they were right about one thing -- Westminster must change its attitude. Most people have modest wishes but make no mistake -- we are no longer consider ourselves born to support the vast wealth of the few nor to serve your petty ambitions.

Take a lesson Britain -- next MAY when we have a chance to vote, turn out and VOTE.

Scotland the brave!

Food for Thought for Friday -- Take a walk with us at Cragside

Northumberland does not get better than on a warm September.

To view the pics at their best, click on them in sequence and take that walk with us!

 

Food for Thought for Friday on Thursday -- On DISUNITY

I don’t usually get political but on this occasion I must have my say and then I will shut up.

I am appalled. I am appalled that the Prime Minister of this so called United Kingdom should leave it so long before going to Scotland to engage in the debate and then NOT engage in the debate but join the emotional fest.

It is not about emotion Mr. Cameron and none of us cares how personally upset you would be. It is about fairness. It is about respect. And believe me, the peoples of the North of England and people in Wales understand completely why some Scots want out. The north/south divide has been too stark and contrasting for -- well for as long as London has ruled.

In Westminster they sit and they site patriotism for Britain when young men are required to die. They take taxes and spend them on improving London’s economic power base and infrastructure. They exploit workers, the disabled and the elderly poor whose only crime is that they have two bedrooms. They threaten a health service most of them don't need to use. They use open cast mining and plan fracking because this is not their back yard. They have never been here. They take, take, take.

But Scotland -- it’s not about Nationalism either. Nationalism is a dangerous and fickle friend. It created a three hundred year old bloodbath in Ireland. The spectre still stalks. It may not be over yet.

No -- nationalism is not a solution to the problems of working class people. (Mr. Milliband can you show us some sign that you understand that?) If anything we should be joining together to make all parts of these isles a fairer place to live: if possible to make all parts of the world equitable and to make governments more accountable for the lives and welfare of their people.We should be joining together to heal divides and to save the planet and to secure a future for humanity.

 

Scotland -- Do you really only care about yourselves?

If anything you are in danger of creating just another carriage on the gravy train, another echelon of elite people at the top.

Food for Thought for Friday -- Summer's Back Again?

Waking up to a sunny September morning I asked myself -- To what do we owe this late season sunshine and heat? Who cares! Lets go out and enjoy! So we went to Newbiggin.

You get the picture! Fortunately there is always Bertorelli's Icecream :)

Food for Thought for Friday -- Autumn is on its way

I have been reading pdf poetry proofs for the Autumn Issue of The Linnet's Wings and it's coming along nicely. I am so pleased with the poetry selection I have been able to put together. Thank you to Marie Fitzpatrick and Bill West for allowing me that and to all the poets who sent work too.That comes out in late September.

Next week prepare for my story BLIZZARD on BwS. Maybe you'd like to answer the Challenge Q about it -- interesting question, Don! I'll put links up on my blogs and FB/ Twitter etc...
I'll also be in the next issue of A New Ulster with a few poems. 

In the meantime my favourite garden at Belsay is making Autumn preparations of its own with

 Autumn Crocuses 

Gunneras drooping

and a distinct change to foliage

But Belsay is ALWAYS beautiful to me.

And Autumn is my favourite time of year. Only this year I am having a little trouble convincing myself of that. Perhaps it is because, at 60 I feel I am entering it myself and I am beginning to feel an affinity -- a little creaky and lacking in colour too. 

I have often noted how children love Winter ice and snow, the brisk cold and the thought of Santa Claus, whilst old folk want the Summer sunshine, the light nights. I feel I may be moving towards a preference for Spring. And maybe that is a natural progression -- to every age a season.

Food for Thought for Friday -- Apples

I am thinking of buying an apple tree. I have never grown fruit and I only have room for one so it will have to be a self fruiting variety and preferably one with good flavour. Some research is indicated.

The simple truth is that although there are many varieties of apples, our choices are dictated by supermarkets and their obsession with size and colour and price, the biggest growers, probably even some daft EU regulations I don't know about and frankly I don't want to know -- anything but flavour.

I went to a local greengrocer's this week and bought four different varieties, two of each so that I could compare and really people do not know what they are missing -- buying the ubiquitous brands -- no bite, no crunch, no taste! No temptation ;)

Do yourself a flavour! Buy some REAL apples this week. Buy several types and put your tastebuds to the test. Maybe if we all stop buying the crap they choose to sell, the supermarkets would be forced to  

support LOCAL orchards.