We walk down the track to the shore. Rooks, which are supposed to be solitary birds, are out in force. We see four deer and thirty or so Chaffinches. Yesterdays snow has retreated back to the North side of the bay leaving us to enjoy the dappled sunshine although the wind is brisk enough to make us maintain a healthy pace. The tall, healthy looking man who is in charge of university lacrosse waves as he sets off for work. Strapped into the back he has two excited toddlers en route to the university day care centre. We wave back. In a small Scottish ( or French ) village woe betide anyone who fails to greet another resident. The moniker 'standoffish' ( or even worse 'snooty' ) is quick to gain and slow to lose.
On our way home we detour past the golf range ( already busy with serious students and sixth formers from the local boarding school ) to the farm shop. 'The Font' is keen to pick up some Gjetost. Some are keen on the taste. Others think it has the texture and flavour of Camay.
A reminder we are now heading into peak Rugby season. National anthems heard on the radio this morning. 'Tes humbles collines'. The lyrics look so different when translated into French :https://youtu.be/p2A6S4cX1So?t=103
Nasal vaccine by a super smart guy in La Jolla :https://erictopol.substack.com/p/a-covid-nasal-vaccine-update I'm aware of this and glad for this years booster shot :https://www.sciencealert.com/intense-flu-surge-gripping-the-us-is-the-worst-in-years-cdc-says
Talking to politicians. Has anyone heard of this ? :https://5calls.org/
8 comments:
Hari OM
Rooks, solitary??? Wherever did you get that idea? They are probably the most social of all the Corvids, nesting and flying en masse, partying together, eating together... in fact, to see a solitary Rook would suggest it has been ousted from the flock for some reason. YAM xx
Seconding Yamini's rook observation. They're very gregarious, and studies have been done on their well-developed social instincts, even to the point of their displaying empathy. Gjetost is one of the culinary wonders of the world, and has the ability to make even liver palatable (Norwegian liver and gjetost casserole). I'm aware of 5 Calls from American Substackers I follow, who are all getting organised as part of the resistance movement.
It is true about greetings in a small French village (even though ours is nowhere near as small as your former home). It was a bit of a shock moving here from Tokyo. Japan is like France in that there are fixed greetings for various situations (Bonjour is similar to Ohayo Gozaimasu, for example), but greeting people one doesn't know is considered weird in Japan and being a little standoffish is considered polite. Now if we encounter someone who doesn't greet us, we just assume they are from Paris. I still vote in California, where we lived for a few years in the early 90's, and I did write to Adam Schiff earlier this week, suggesting that it would be nice if the Democrats in Congress would do something . . . anything. No response to that, but apparently, this is the week when the Senate Democrats will use the budget process to try and embarrass the Republicans - one can only hope that someone will be watching.
The farm shop cheese look wonderful.
The nasal vaccines was hopeful, except for the current administration’s cutting off research and Jr. being against vaccines in general, as the writer says, not looking good.
Having had my head in sand recently, I had not heard of 5 Calls. I called my representative this morning and will partiicpate in her virtual town meeting tomorrow. So thank you!!
Nina
Thank you for the 5 Calls link; I'll be making use of it. I agree with the comments about rooks. We have a colony of more than a hundred that crosses over every morning and evening, from their rookeries in the redwoods and then toward the pastures and whatever shenanigans they have planned for the day.
I’m seeing the 5 calls thing all over my American friends on social media.
Post a Comment