Perhaps all is not lost

 

“I have written a book.”

Someone was standing at our book stall. This was not unusual; I was at a Craft Festival selling the books I have written and people often come and tell me that they have written a book and then usually ask how to get it published. But this was different.

This was a nine-year-old-girl speaking and not only had she written a book, but her mum had helped get it published.

On world book day her story was in the Shropshire Star. Her mother has had cancer and Liberty has written her interesting story, which could help other children cope and support their parents if they find themselves in the same situation. Mum is even hoping to send a copy to the Princess of Wales.

How lucky I am to have met this young girl and her mother who have done so much to help themselves and other people.

And I am lucky in another way today because my hospital test results are OK. I was worried because I had a phone call asking me to see the doctor face to face at Shrewsbury Hospital and I did not think that was good. They could have told me on the phone, couldn’t they?  So, it must be bad news I thought, but no all is well and I was glad to talk to the doctor and hear him explain. What wasn’t so good was that the main entrance has changed and I had to go in at the back entrance and then face the long walk to the clinic through the corridors, which was a worry for me.

Another worry is the lack of insects this year. Have you noticed? There are no wasps eating our fruit in the garden. And very few butterflies flitting in and out of the flower border. We have a few Cabbage Whites and I have seen one Peacock butterfly but that is all. Flies, that usually pester us in the house, have all but disappeared.

There is a 60% reduction of insects in the last twenty years (Bugs Matter Survey). This certainly matters in our garden as we will not have as much fruit, there will not be enough insects to feed the birds flying over our fields and what about the ladybirds which usually eat the greenfly?

Sadly, our rare flycatcher birds which usually nest here have not returned. Perhaps there are no flies to catch. But last night as I looked out into the dark sky (coming earlier and earlier) I saw some bats searching and flitting in and out of the ash tree branches catching insects to eat.

Perhaps all is not yet lost.

(Taken from my column in the Shropshire Star)