After the storms a beautifully fresh morning. The air crisp. The PONs are harnessed up and are ready for the off. They need no encouragement to get their day started.
The village is built on the site of an old Roman fort. The little single track lane follows the line of the defensive ditch. Inside, despite the levelling effect of two millennia of wind and rain, the land still rises a good three metres with the soil that the legionnaires excavated to make a defensive mound .
Nothing has changed much in this self authored place - a church has arrived, the castle has been built ( and knocked down a few times ) and the villagers houses have grown sturdier.
This morning we find the German billionaires have been busy. One of the village houses is being converted into a yoga centre. The garden flattened and a concrete base for a new air conditioned glass and steel extension laid. The thick shrubs by the pond that the village heron nested in destroyed. For some reason this irritates me intensely. Every morning for the better part of nine years the heron has flapped his wings and sauntered into the air when Angus and the PONs pass on our 6 am walk. He's not there this morning. The country lovers King James verse '' I was the friend of dragons and the companion of owls " springs to mind.
I hope the heron finds another perch rich pond to nest near.
At the other end of the village Sophie is surprised to find a horse in afield. It's been put there to keep down the grass that's growing on the Roman oppidum. She and the horse stare at each other in silence. What passes between them only they know.
The new petanque court is almost ready. It used to be the vineyard of the old farmer who passed away a couple of years ago. The fig trees have been carefully left along one side. Bob and Angus spend some considerable time this Sunday morning looking at the petanque court. Our companion, the family diva, has found something interesting in a flower border and will not be moved.
Forecasts say Lagos may soon be the most populous city on earth :
https://www.city-journal.org/html/lagos-nigeria-16011.html
14 comments:
What a lovely walk around the village. Are you ever tempted to get a metal detector and search for Roman treasures?
Hari OM
I believe I join you in irritation at the reckless raking of the shrubs and the heron's long home... YAM xx
Seeing Sophie and the horse reminds me of the times I’ve watched one of the dogs at my horses’ stable communicate his need to be scratched. He walks under the fence, then stands still next to,the horse. The horse moves over to him and starts “grooming “ him with his mouth. Most horses comply..my mare laid her ears back and he quickly exited.. It’s so sad the Herons nest is gone. They are gentle creatures.
Yes, one can understand your irritation, particularly since all this disruption is being caused by people who only spend a short time there each year. I wonder if they have a yoga center in Germany too.
There must be an enormous amount of raw sewage swilling around in the Atlantic off the coast of Lagos. The prospect of going to an expensive beach resort in such a place is unimaginable to me. But I guess they'll keep building as long as the money is swilling around too.
We too are hoping the heron finds a comfy new home nearby.
I just want to cry about the heron :( Deplorable...
I also fully understand your irritation, Angus. I feel that way each and every time I hear about the current administration overturning an Obama era law that protects the environment and/or the animals, great and small that are part of it. I hope the beautiful heron has found safety and refuge in another place.
Hope that you all survived the downpour and the cold winds on Saturday !
What a wonderful sight that must be.
There is a small museum in the back of the church where interesting finds are displayed.
A touch of irritation is good for the soul.
An Indian cuisine kitchen is apparently also being planned. It will be separate from the chateau because he doesn't like the smell of spice.
Let's hope herons are both resilient and innovative in the new home department.
I am struck by the disconnect of destroying habitat for a beautiful bird in order to build a concrete bunker in which to practice a form of exercise that was originally done out of doors, in nature. Hoping the heron will find a better nesting area, perhaps close to the ROF.
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