My neighbour sent a team of men to cut down yet another beautiful old tree on her vast plot of land. There was no obvious need to do this. It broke my heart and l had to go out so l didn't have to listen to the chainsaws. They arrived at 8am on a Sunday, while the birds nest. I imagined all the creatures destroyed by her callous, disregard. These events feel like a nuclear war to me, l bet it did for all the creatures. Whilst people don't see the beauty all around, they will destroy it. We need an evolutionary leap, and soon, apologies to feel bleak, it was an upsetting day. Oh and l've tried many times to stand up for trees and stop this but my neighbour tells me it's none of my business, oh well...and on the insanity rolls until either the end game or a new human.
If this is in the uk then a certified tree surgeon would not fell a tree during nesting season without very good reason, this should not happen. It should not happen anyway of course, a fine old tree, but the nesting season is sacrosanct.
They aren't certified tree surgeons, just a gang of farm workers who destroy nature at weekends for cash, l will be making a complaint tomorrow to the local council, who have no teeth, and to my neighbour again, who wasn't even home today as this is her "second" home. I could go on but l'm afraid my posts are a bit bleak today, thank you for commenting, it's good to know there are like minded people out there.
This was happening (probably still is) in Sydney, too. Certified, protected bushland, cut down in the middle of the night - and sometimes the broad light of day - by a gang of men with trucks and machines, hired by the uber-wealthy because they didn't want trees to spoil their views of Sydney Harbour. It's been really hard to police, as they come and go so stealthily, and all the neighbours of the uber-rich wont dob anyone in. In other instances, poisoning of very old trees for the same reason. It's awful.
Yes l have read about that in Sydney, l know. They do come and go stealthily as they know they break laws. All l can do today is report it and speak to my neighbour, who will no doubt tell me to mind my own business. Nature is just a commodity to most humans, but that is changing, there is hope. More and more are reconnecting to nature, that is the only way to reverse this ecocide and save ourselves, thank you for your words.
I feel for you. Good luck in your endeavours - it’s miserable being surrounded by philistines. I’m still pondering David Attenborough’s comments on the state of our oceans. Depressing.
Re your question: Where are the serious editorials, the TV shows, the news-specials, the influencers (FFS) telling us all to get behind the One Big Beautiful Effort? .... I'm a screenwriter, and for as long as I've been writing, Hollywood has been pushing the conflict paradigm and high stakes "big" story. (I always get the note "higher stakes, end-of-the-world stakes" ) So of course it's come to this. Stories teach our audiences what to look for and how to read their own lives. We COULD be training them to pay attention to small moments between people, to cultivate wonder and curiousity.... those stories have to get told too!
They’re like their forbears, whom all took Truby’s screenwriting seminars. Read Syd’s books. In my experience the menfolk were very useful, good at many things, but they thought they knew better back then similar to how many of the menfolk profess to know it all now. The shelf help literacy of hearsay culture. I’m 70, and invisible to most because of my age and gender. Excellent however for continuing my clandestine life. Invisibility. I also find I have little patience left for the “kill it all” nonsense from any human. My garden is part of my life. Even the two, new this year, demon spawned black squirrels. As a one time aspirational hippie, peacenik, treehugger, feminist, first woman to do etc. etc.
I miss the vibrant spectral politics of changing the world last century that the menfolk currently seem to have reduced to a simplistic binary of AI win or lose. Dominionists.
It all sounds a bit bleak but there is still hope and I do what I can - my garden is also brimming with wildlife and Kate Bradbury’s book “one garden against the world” is inspirational. Also I am grateful for the BBC showcasing Springwatch.
Re your mention of Kate Bradbury - she is appearing at a lovely little independent book shop Chapter 34 up the road from me in Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, UK. 14th June. See web site for tickets! Was chatting to the owner and she was hoping for a good crowd. Part of the local Tree Festival, backed by CPRE.
Thank you Jane, I’m local too and I’ve heard a couple of her talks re- Benfield valley project and seedy Sunday few years ago - will check out chapter 34 too - many thanks
Thanks for this. Silver lining for me this week, my dose of hope - I'm passing out flyers for my local 'no kings' protest (next Saturday) and hearing from people who intend on showing up who have never protested before. This includes men who are ex-military and folks from all walks of life. There is a solidarity amongst people who may have very different views on many things - and that energizes me today.
Thanks Jeanette. As always your sanity is refreshing. Being also connected to a sky-god doomsday cult for
for many years, (no more. I'm a life-earth appreciator nowadays)I remember the discussions about whether to include a gun in the storage room for when the hordes come for the food or just be a good Christian and give it to them. So I stockpile a bit, and trust Life a lot. In the end none of it will matter. Que sera sera. Chop wood. Draw water. Something will survive. Life on some level. We are nowhere near as omnipotent as our menfolk pretend to be. But Life herself does bounce; back or forward. Who knows? Whether we are part of it or not, it will happen.
Sigh… I only fear that there seems to be no way back from this one way ticket to our doom. Did no one listen to Frankie… when two tribes go to war… a point is all you can score. Or even better can someone in the White House, the Kremlin and Number 10 for that matter sit the men who run our countries and get them to watch Threads, the terrifying BBC drama set in Sheffield about the aftermath of the final war.
Jeanette one thing, like you, I do take joy in is the natural world. I’m afraid our garden is a bramble forest at present, however the birds love it and are nesting. Wren, blackbird, finches mainly.
I look forward to your thoughts next week and hope we can all avoid doomscrolling to much during the next week. Meanwhile, let’s keep our heads up and do what we can to make life better in our corner of the world.
I don't like living scared, but it's the only rational way to feel right now. I keep it at bay, but nevertheless the fear is real, as is the anger at the utter stupidity of our manchild world leaders. They are so dim and empty and destructive. I shall join you in the stockpiling of bird food etc, Jeanette. Feels like nature and nurture are the opposite forces to these people and we need to amplify them.
Having been raised as a Jehovah's Witness, I appreciated your comments about the end of times. The Witnesses were fond of cataloguing all the signs of the end--earthquakes, floods, war, pestilence, you get it. I imagine they've got a good long list today!
Thank you for your wise words. I always feel hopeful that things will get better - even when everything suggests otherwise. I also hold onto the idea that humans may be the cause of our own destruction but nature will survive, and survive better without us. We have failed as stewards of our shared environment - that is our tragedy.
Woah, Jeanette. You are right, if course, but this pinged in mid-bowl of nutritious salad, and I'm now wondering: what's the point?! I manage to keep it at bay most of the time, but now I'm really in need of a big dose of HOPE.
Totally agree with you about press doomsaying. At the end of The Today programme today Horatio Clare talked about 'the boats'. He has interviewed the refugees, border forces, RNLI and believes we should be proud of the fact that 'we' as a nation have created a place where people want to come here not stay in France; we are not racist, we offer refuge and care, border forces and the RNLI at Dover are saving so many lives in one of greatest search and rescue operations of all time, he called it 'the greatest since Dunkirk'. And yet we are constantly being told this is a disaster. It was so lovely to hear a different positive take on what is so often presented to us as a massive problem. He was given about 2 minutes just before 9am.
The juxtaposition of your garden and the stars with end times is so devastating. Reading your words, in my imagination I began to hear a ticking clock; I immediately hoped it was a wooden heirloom on the mantel and not something sinister deriving from our nation’s capital. Thanks for these posts.
Yes, that's right. We don't to agree on much... just saving the world!
My neighbour sent a team of men to cut down yet another beautiful old tree on her vast plot of land. There was no obvious need to do this. It broke my heart and l had to go out so l didn't have to listen to the chainsaws. They arrived at 8am on a Sunday, while the birds nest. I imagined all the creatures destroyed by her callous, disregard. These events feel like a nuclear war to me, l bet it did for all the creatures. Whilst people don't see the beauty all around, they will destroy it. We need an evolutionary leap, and soon, apologies to feel bleak, it was an upsetting day. Oh and l've tried many times to stand up for trees and stop this but my neighbour tells me it's none of my business, oh well...and on the insanity rolls until either the end game or a new human.
Unfortunately, human beings still believe they own the piece of nature that they happen to decide to call home
If this is in the uk then a certified tree surgeon would not fell a tree during nesting season without very good reason, this should not happen. It should not happen anyway of course, a fine old tree, but the nesting season is sacrosanct.
They aren't certified tree surgeons, just a gang of farm workers who destroy nature at weekends for cash, l will be making a complaint tomorrow to the local council, who have no teeth, and to my neighbour again, who wasn't even home today as this is her "second" home. I could go on but l'm afraid my posts are a bit bleak today, thank you for commenting, it's good to know there are like minded people out there.
This was happening (probably still is) in Sydney, too. Certified, protected bushland, cut down in the middle of the night - and sometimes the broad light of day - by a gang of men with trucks and machines, hired by the uber-wealthy because they didn't want trees to spoil their views of Sydney Harbour. It's been really hard to police, as they come and go so stealthily, and all the neighbours of the uber-rich wont dob anyone in. In other instances, poisoning of very old trees for the same reason. It's awful.
Yes l have read about that in Sydney, l know. They do come and go stealthily as they know they break laws. All l can do today is report it and speak to my neighbour, who will no doubt tell me to mind my own business. Nature is just a commodity to most humans, but that is changing, there is hope. More and more are reconnecting to nature, that is the only way to reverse this ecocide and save ourselves, thank you for your words.
I feel for you. Good luck in your endeavours - it’s miserable being surrounded by philistines. I’m still pondering David Attenborough’s comments on the state of our oceans. Depressing.
Re your question: Where are the serious editorials, the TV shows, the news-specials, the influencers (FFS) telling us all to get behind the One Big Beautiful Effort? .... I'm a screenwriter, and for as long as I've been writing, Hollywood has been pushing the conflict paradigm and high stakes "big" story. (I always get the note "higher stakes, end-of-the-world stakes" ) So of course it's come to this. Stories teach our audiences what to look for and how to read their own lives. We COULD be training them to pay attention to small moments between people, to cultivate wonder and curiousity.... those stories have to get told too!
They’re like their forbears, whom all took Truby’s screenwriting seminars. Read Syd’s books. In my experience the menfolk were very useful, good at many things, but they thought they knew better back then similar to how many of the menfolk profess to know it all now. The shelf help literacy of hearsay culture. I’m 70, and invisible to most because of my age and gender. Excellent however for continuing my clandestine life. Invisibility. I also find I have little patience left for the “kill it all” nonsense from any human. My garden is part of my life. Even the two, new this year, demon spawned black squirrels. As a one time aspirational hippie, peacenik, treehugger, feminist, first woman to do etc. etc.
I miss the vibrant spectral politics of changing the world last century that the menfolk currently seem to have reduced to a simplistic binary of AI win or lose. Dominionists.
Sorry for that verbal spew it kinda spilled out.
PS: It's one of the reasons why I love your fiction, Jeanette!
It all sounds a bit bleak but there is still hope and I do what I can - my garden is also brimming with wildlife and Kate Bradbury’s book “one garden against the world” is inspirational. Also I am grateful for the BBC showcasing Springwatch.
Re your mention of Kate Bradbury - she is appearing at a lovely little independent book shop Chapter 34 up the road from me in Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, UK. 14th June. See web site for tickets! Was chatting to the owner and she was hoping for a good crowd. Part of the local Tree Festival, backed by CPRE.
Thank you Jane, I’m local too and I’ve heard a couple of her talks re- Benfield valley project and seedy Sunday few years ago - will check out chapter 34 too - many thanks
Thanks for this. Silver lining for me this week, my dose of hope - I'm passing out flyers for my local 'no kings' protest (next Saturday) and hearing from people who intend on showing up who have never protested before. This includes men who are ex-military and folks from all walks of life. There is a solidarity amongst people who may have very different views on many things - and that energizes me today.
Thanks Jeanette. As always your sanity is refreshing. Being also connected to a sky-god doomsday cult for
for many years, (no more. I'm a life-earth appreciator nowadays)I remember the discussions about whether to include a gun in the storage room for when the hordes come for the food or just be a good Christian and give it to them. So I stockpile a bit, and trust Life a lot. In the end none of it will matter. Que sera sera. Chop wood. Draw water. Something will survive. Life on some level. We are nowhere near as omnipotent as our menfolk pretend to be. But Life herself does bounce; back or forward. Who knows? Whether we are part of it or not, it will happen.
Sigh… I only fear that there seems to be no way back from this one way ticket to our doom. Did no one listen to Frankie… when two tribes go to war… a point is all you can score. Or even better can someone in the White House, the Kremlin and Number 10 for that matter sit the men who run our countries and get them to watch Threads, the terrifying BBC drama set in Sheffield about the aftermath of the final war.
Jeanette one thing, like you, I do take joy in is the natural world. I’m afraid our garden is a bramble forest at present, however the birds love it and are nesting. Wren, blackbird, finches mainly.
I look forward to your thoughts next week and hope we can all avoid doomscrolling to much during the next week. Meanwhile, let’s keep our heads up and do what we can to make life better in our corner of the world.
I don't like living scared, but it's the only rational way to feel right now. I keep it at bay, but nevertheless the fear is real, as is the anger at the utter stupidity of our manchild world leaders. They are so dim and empty and destructive. I shall join you in the stockpiling of bird food etc, Jeanette. Feels like nature and nurture are the opposite forces to these people and we need to amplify them.
Having been raised as a Jehovah's Witness, I appreciated your comments about the end of times. The Witnesses were fond of cataloguing all the signs of the end--earthquakes, floods, war, pestilence, you get it. I imagine they've got a good long list today!
Thanks Jeannette. Succinct message that packs a punch 👊 I remember your Mother and Father in your fabulous book Orange's Are Not The Only Fruit.
Thank you for your wise words. I always feel hopeful that things will get better - even when everything suggests otherwise. I also hold onto the idea that humans may be the cause of our own destruction but nature will survive, and survive better without us. We have failed as stewards of our shared environment - that is our tragedy.
Woah, Jeanette. You are right, if course, but this pinged in mid-bowl of nutritious salad, and I'm now wondering: what's the point?! I manage to keep it at bay most of the time, but now I'm really in need of a big dose of HOPE.
Thank you, I will read this several times over I’m sure
Totally agree with you about press doomsaying. At the end of The Today programme today Horatio Clare talked about 'the boats'. He has interviewed the refugees, border forces, RNLI and believes we should be proud of the fact that 'we' as a nation have created a place where people want to come here not stay in France; we are not racist, we offer refuge and care, border forces and the RNLI at Dover are saving so many lives in one of greatest search and rescue operations of all time, he called it 'the greatest since Dunkirk'. And yet we are constantly being told this is a disaster. It was so lovely to hear a different positive take on what is so often presented to us as a massive problem. He was given about 2 minutes just before 9am.
Here's a link the book he has written about it. https://www.littletoller.co.uk/shop/books/little-toller/we-came-by-sea-by-horatio-clare/
Thanks for this. I have pretty much stopped listening to Today as it is so aggressive and negative. So good to know there are nuggets of hope in there
The juxtaposition of your garden and the stars with end times is so devastating. Reading your words, in my imagination I began to hear a ticking clock; I immediately hoped it was a wooden heirloom on the mantel and not something sinister deriving from our nation’s capital. Thanks for these posts.
Is that all? Only tens of millions?