Silent Sunday

Weathered boat

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History

What do we learn from history? Often I think we learn very little.

What will our children say when they look back at the history of our generation? My last post on climate change generated a number of comments on climate change – and it got me wondering, will our children ask why we did not do more?  Here in Ireland,  as in many countries throughout the world, young people, following the example set by Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg, have been going out on strike and having marches demanding government action on climate change. I was stuck by some of the words on their placards;

“I am sure the dinosaurs thought they had time too.”

“If you don’t act like adults, we will.”

“To do good, you actually have to do something!”

I think the young people are right. What ever happens it is going to affect them more than us. Even if the scientist have got it all wrong (which personally I don’t think they have), any changes we make now to improve the current state of the world can only be positive. Here are just a couple of examples:

• Using less energy helps us save money
• More renewable energy helps reduce pollution
• Walking and cycling reduces traffic jams and improves air quality
• Eating more locally grown food is good for our local economy
• Eating more vegetables is good for our health

What have we got to loose?

I would recommend Greta Thunberg’s TED talk for anyone who is interested.

Abandoned cottage, West of Ireland

 

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day

Croagh Patrick

Wishing you all a Happy Saint Patrick’s Day from here in Ireland

Cee’s Black and white challenge

Cee’s black and white challenge – fences and gates

A gate along hiking path in Wales

 

Is climate change affecting our neighbourhoods?

In the past few years our own neighbourhood has experienced floods due to rivers busting their banks;

River in flood

We’ve had snow in March;

Daffodils in snow

And exceptionally mild winter’s leading to early springs.

Common frog

You may say all these things are just vagaries of our Irish weather, but there is no doubt that these extremes in weather events are becoming more common. For now though we are still blessed with a beautiful green landscape that Ireland is famed for. But how will species and landscapes cope if we find ourselves experiencing even more of these strange climatic events.

 

Post inspired by Lens artist photo challenge #36 – Around the neighbourhood

 

 

 

 

Silent Sunday

 

Clew Bay from Mulranny

Nature’s architecture

The Burren is a well known area in County Clare in the West of Ireland famed for it’s limestone pavement / karst landscape. Less well know is this area on the Mayo / Galway border known by the locals as the little Burren, and officially as the Gortnandarragh Limestone Pavement Spacial Area of Conservation. Here limestone pavement occurs close to the surface with little or minimal soil cover. The limestone wears away through natural processes of being weathered and dissolved by rainwater. Little holes and cracks form and in these plants grow – often unusual ones. Nature’s architecture at it’s best.

Limestone pavement

Limestone pavement

Limestone pavement

Limestone pavement

Limestone pavement

Limestone pavement

Limestone pavement

Limestone pavement