Nature Notes…..Winter Vaccinations?..... ‘Senlac’……From Kilmorack Gallery…..
by Bernie Bell - 09:09 on 11 September 2023
Nature Notes…..
This morning we were watching two flocks of Goldfinches and two Linnets feeding on Black Knapweed, Meadowsweet and Angelica seeds in the meadow. Most years, Hogweed dominate – this year, the Hogweed came up, flowered and then a lot of them had their flower/seed-ing heads swathed in some kind of cocoon – we don’t know what it was – presumably some kind of bug? This means that the Hogweeds haven’t seeded as they usually do – but the birds are very happy with the alternatives.
Very much an Autumn garden. Full of birds, busy-ing - getting ready to leave, or stocking up for the winter.
Presumably, Mick the hedgehog is also preparing – we still see hedgehog poo on the paths.
Autumn approaches.
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Winter Vaccinations?....
I sent the following letter to ‘The Orcadian’ and ‘The Orkney News’…..
“Dear Editor
My husband was called for what he thought was going to be a Covid plus ‘Flu vaccination.
When he arrived at the hospital he was told that he’s only eligible for the ‘Flu jab.
This was a big surprise, as we both were under the impression that the Winter vaccination programme now meant Covid and ‘Flu as a standard precaution /preventative measure.
We are fortunate in that my husband has recently retired from work, and we hardly go out among people since Covid originally arrived – so he shouldn’t be greatly at risk.
I am definitely eligible and have had a letter giving me an appointment. I have asthma and particularly need to avoid respiratory infections, such as Covid, if at all possible. It’s also important for my husband to avoid Covid as he could bring it home to me. My vaccination should help but – both of us being vaccinated would be a much more thorough approach.
But it’s not just us – we’re thinking of all the people who aren’t considered to be eligible for a Covid jab now, yet will have to go to work, carry on with their lives, and – risk it.
The vaccination programme has been shown to have been very effective in helping to control Covid and in reducing the severity of symptoms.
We’ll check if he can pay to have a Covid jab, and if so, he will. Never would have thought we’d be driven to ‘go Private’ – it’s against all our principles – but ’needs must’.
Many people will not be in a position financially to do so, or won’t think it’s ‘worth it’. We very much do think it’s worth it – having experienced ill-health has taught us that health is one of the main things that matters in life.
This situation adds to the uncertainty which the population of Britain are having to live with already in these times. Much is said of mental health and anxiety – being told you can’t have a Covid jab – doesn’t help.
Preventative medicine is understood to be worthwhile in many cases – we receive our ‘Poo sticks’, women are called for Cervical Smear tests, etc. etc. For that matter, folk are very strongly advised to get their ‘Flu jabs.
So why not Covid? Could it be because it’s more convenient for the Government to pretend it’s gone away?
Yours
Bernie Bell”
Further information….
From email inviting Mike to attend the vaccination clinic:
"You may be eligible for both the flu and the COVID-19 vaccines, or only the flu vaccine."
The email provides a web link with further information:
"Information about the Flu & COVID19 vaccines can be found at https://www.nhsinform.scot/wintervaccines"
From that web page:
"Flu and coronavirus vaccines will be offered to those eligible between September and December. It's strongly recommended you get vaccinated if you’re eligible this winter."
The bottom of the web page also provides a 'guide', which is a set of questions to determine which vaccines you are eligible for.
The following web page provide information on the eligible groups decided for this winter's Covid booster:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/jcvi-advises-on-eligible-groups-for-2023-autumn-booster
If the majority of the population of Britain are no longer eligible to receive a Covid vaccination – that opens the door to increased infection rates – increased hospital admissions and increased pressure on the already stretched NHS.
Why is this happening?
PS
And yet more information….
Mike tried to find out if the Covid jab is available other than through the NHS. He ‘Googled’….
“Can I pay for a COVID-19 vaccine privately or at a pharmacy?”
And ……
“The COVID-19 vaccination is only available through the NHS to eligible groups and it is a free vaccination.
Plus…
So he, and thousands of others, will have to just be even more careful and stay calm in an increasingly uncertain, unbalanced world.
Britain is stepping back in time – I’m thinking of when a person might, or might not, catch Smallpox any time they went among people. Until a vaccine was developed.
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‘Senlac’……
I’m not usually keen on historical novels. In my youth I read a lot of Georgette Hayer - but that wasn’t so much for the history as the romance…. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgette_Heyer
When reading ‘The Name of the Rose‘ by Umberto Eco, I have to admit to ‘scanning‘ over some of the heavier historical sections – which was worth doing for the rest of the content.
I then embarked on ‘One Fine Day’ by Ian Marchant….
http://www.spanglefish.com/berniesblog/blog.asp?blogid=16286
…..and didn’t skip or scan the historical bits as they are written with Ian’s usual humour and individual angle on the world. It turned out to be one of those books that is so enjoyable that you read it too quickly and then – it’s gone!
So, I thought I’d have a go at reading another historical novel by an old friend from Uni – ‘Senlac’ by Julian de la Motte…
https://www.historythroughfiction.com/blog/julian-de-la-motte
Julian has an interesting history of his own. His ancestress the Countess De La Motte fled the French Revolution, taking with her a family treasure - a thorn from the crown of thorns which was placed on the head of Christ. Julian now has that thorn – a direct link, if not proven to be with Jesus, then with the French Revolution and an ancestress who became an emigrant. For that matter as did Ian Marchant’s distant ancestor who came to England.
Emigrants – people - make history – whether the ‘little’ people or the ‘big nobs’.
The main characters in ‘Senlac’ aren’t just big nobs, they’re aggressive, argumentative big knobs and they didn’t migrate to find a better life for themselves and their families or to avoid danger - they crossed the English channel to conquer and take over – and, as history tells us, they did so very successfully.
For me, they’re equal in bad attitude and sheer nastiness with the Vikings.
Not my kind of people at all, but I thought I’d give is a try as Julian also has wit and an individual sort of view of life which might come through even when writing of a right bunch of bastards – which, to my mind, is what the conquering Normans were.
I’m of Irish blood, and that Norman attitude – big, blocky towers dominating the landscape - doesn’t chime with me, at all. I like roundness – curves, soft lines. Starting the book with a prejudiced view? Moi?
Maybe it’s for Julian to talk me round and get me to take an interest in these psychos?
We’ve ordered it from ‘Stromness Books & Prints’…
https://theorkneynews.scot/2020/06/21/stromness-book-shop-scotlands-only-drive-in-book-shop/
…and I’ll see where the story takes me.
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From Kilmorack Gallery….
“Today, the gallery is populated with natural things: Tansy Lee Moir's charcoal and oil tree paintings, Christopher Wood's Between Tides, Lotte Glob's ceramic sea flowers and the remaining Helen Denerley creatures. We also have some of Allan MacDonald and Beth Robertson Fiddes' landscape paintings on the wall amongst other wonders. It is uplifting to stroll through such powerful work.
We hung Christopher Wood's exhibition yesterday. These abstracted paintings take their inspiration from the North Sea coast, and they powerfully and recognisably capture the sea, tide, cliffs and rain Christopher Wood sees and feels on his ritual daily walk with his dog, before he enters his studio. This is abstract painting at its best.
New to the gallery is Tansy Lee Moir and her flowing and anatomical tree paintings. Trees bare witness and if they could talk, we should listen. Lee Moir translates these silent conversations.
Lotte Glob is well-known to many. The works in her current show at Kilmorack come straight from her wood-fired kiln and they continue her fascination with what lives in the sea, and they show her many years of ceramic knowledge in the magnificent glazes and colours.
We also have a new 3d walkthrough. It's better to visit in person, but sometimes this will have to do.
Tony Davidson, Gallery Director
CHRISTOPHER WOOD | Between Tides
2nd September - 30th September
click here for full exhibition
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Here’s one I made earlier… https://theorkneynews.scot/2021/11/15/one-memory-leads-to-another/
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