Thursday, May 14, 2020

Details of lockdown

Yesterday I wrote up my diary from the day before - May 12th - for the Mass Observation Archive.   I tried to put in as much trivial detail as possible, because when you're doing social research it's the details that are fascinating. I used to be social researcher and I'm telling you that generalisations are boring.  So rather than saying I got back into bed after going to the loo at 5 a.m. and listened to 'something on my iPad' I said I listened to a wonderful unabridged reading of The Railway Children because I love the book, and the reading is superb, and it helps me get back to sleep.

A year ago today I was on Mull with the Aging Hippie and we were visiting Calgary Bay. This morning’s header was a photo I took of a stone wall on Iona. that’s why the stone is pink and not grey like Derbyshire stone. I'm wondering when it will feel safe to travel again. Will I feel safe next spring to travel to Colorado to see the chundies?

They began reading the Harry Potter books as a family this spring and are currently on book number 4. Don't ask me what the title is - I am not a fan. Are you shocked? Please don't tell them because they are obsessed, and I don't want my stock to go down. Here they are in their Harry Potter glasses and Gryffindor ties:






Aren't they adorable? Thank God for Facetime.

Well, it was frosty on Monday night and the potatoes copped it:




The good news is that the two veg rows I sowed are sprouting so I now know which is which. Here are the cabbages. Aren't they dinky?





And yesterday I found another lovely spot on the river to have my morning coffee. I wish you could smell the wild garlic:




The last detail I want to share is this beautiful photo Liz sent me yesterday of her favourite tree. It leans over another river near here:






I hope you have some sunshine today - real or metaphorical. 

2 comments:

Chris Smith said...

I hope your potatoes spring back! We were at Calgary Bay a year ago next week. I loved the walk down to it with the sculptures, etc. The thought of being by the sea occupies my thoughts, but the chances of it seem to be slipping further away. I’m not great at routine and housework, so we have a blitz every now and then and in the meantime having something creative on the go is good for me. I’m not an artist, but I love knitting and sewing and pottering in my garden. I hope you manage to avoid crowds when you’re on the trail.

Sue Hepworth said...

Hi Chris, Im sure my potatoes will be ok in the end.
That walk through the woods at Calgary is magical, isnt it? Particularly in May when the trees are at their most beautiful.
The Trail is getting busy again now so I shall have to go early or late from now on. Today I missed the window so went up the hill behind the village instead. It was lovely.