James Cleverly whom I believe is the Foreign Office Secretary, has done nothing to help those stuck in Greece, no surprise there. The EU is mobilising help – we should be part of that (helping our neighbours). I am sure that the Cabinet will congratulate itself on avoiding having to pay money to the Greeks to help compensate for the havoc caused by the fires, so much for good neighbours!
STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES!
So the government is to cut bck on green policies. Maximise profits before losing power? Create an even bigger problem for the next government. Maybe is should be ‘NASTY IS AS NASTY DOES’?
Why does the government not issue a travel warning for Rhodes and Corfu – Oh becausde that could hit the profits of the travel companies – no concern for holiday makers? Why has the government not chartered planes to get people out? Flood warnings acrosss the north of the UK. Sewage warnings across the south west. Of course people would rather nit have extra costs during this economic crisis – but properly explained they would understand the need, especially if subsidised by the government – and NO Starmer I do not buy the shortage of money aspect. The government found a 25% pay rise for the King (on top of the hundreds of millions he is making from offshore wind farms. Selling off Buckingham Palace could bring in a couple of billion!
REWILDING
So. Momty Don and Titmarsh have criticised rewilding according to the trash RWMedia. But firstly Monty Don just said that to let your garden go wil was not gardening – correct: Then Titmarsh said that a garden planted with a variety of plants could be better than on with just wild flowers – again correct. What neither said, or was ‘redacted’ was that a lawn that was never used or sat on could be so much more beneficial if left to grow wild. I regularly add plants to my ‘jungle’ – herbs, lavender, roses, hot lips, poppies and I keep patches of stinging nettles and buddhlia too – all where my neighbours mow their sterile lawns every 14 days. Just when the vetch appears they zap it like cruel gods.
NET ZERO
Even a cursory look around the media for world events will make it staggeringly obvious that the time for action on climate change is NOW! Cynical politicans seeking to get into or stay in power can state the cost of changing to a cleaner more healthy way of living, they can also claim that it is unfair for us to make the changes necessary when the big polluters are doing little i.e. China and USA.
Gove and Sleaze-Dogg are happy to talk up the costs, but fail to talk about the costs of inaction. We are already very dependant on gas imports so diversification into alterntive energies would be strategically beneficial and also mitigate against world surges in fossil fuel cost. Developing a work force to develop the necessary technologies would put us in an excellent position in this market which is already developing at a pace. The savings too the NHS woukd also nbe massive. If the cost is too high – then subsidise it with money saved from elsewhere and taxes on the polluting companies. Energy prices are unlikely to fall anytime soon.
So politicians are willing to sacrifice a cleaner, healthier more ethical life for their retention in the sordid cesspit of Westminster?
CLIMATE
Full article from Guardian here but the stats are astounding. Phoenix has 43.4C or more for 19th day running; Morocco anounces red temperature alert as temperatures exceed 44C; Spain hits 45.4C with fears fot the olive crop for second year running; Italy 47C; Greece wildfires; Canary Islands wildfires; China 52.2C; Gaza38C; India floods; South Korea floods; Japan 37.3C. Since the mid 1980’s the planet has warmed by another 0.5C, with present policies the world will warm by 2.7C. Avian flu has killed millions of not hundreds of millions of sea birds so far this year Whilst this mynot be related to climate change the warming temperatures will not have helped. And then we have sea temperatures at record levels and Antarctic ice at record low levels.
The responce of our Cabinet (according to the Mail) is to press Sunak to drop eco legislation and policies! Is this to incite “Just Stop Oil” into ever more outrgeous acts and then blame Labour for them? The summer heat killed over 60000 in Europe last summer.
JAM
Excited by my latest recipe! Nectarine Jam. I got a box of nectarines from https://www.crowdfarming.com/en/private-zone/my-order/info/64a18f483bb70ac228d0e0ab?app=false
So i decided to make some jam –
10 nectrines pitted and sliced, juice of 2 lemons and 1kg jam sugar – result the “nectar of the gods”. Ps. I added a little sprig of oragnge mint!
Tomatoes are ripening and I am weighing the produce (sad I know) but now upto 1090g and largere tomatoes are yet to ripen!
BYE-ELECTION RESULTS
A shit noght for the Tories, despite holding onto Uxbridge with a tiny majority they were stuffed by Labour in Selby and the LibDems in Devon.
Labour and Khan need to consider the impact of the ULEZ. Whilst being implemented for the best of reasons, without a scrappage scheme, reasonably priced second hand electric cars and plentiful and reasonably priced charging points it is just another financial burden on the poorest in society at a time they can least afford it. Financial support is essential if it is to be implemented across the board – otherwise a phased introduction is necessary.
LibDems in Devon, the scale of their victory shows the great dissatisfaction with the tories in Southern England. Starmer cannot take too much succour from this result though as it would tend to point to. a potential coalition? The result in Selby was more stunning for the size of the swing from Tory to Labour. I think most thought this one would be closer than the humiliation it became. The drop in Tory votes of 26% in Selby and 30% in Somerton and Frome are an indictment of the governments performance over 13 years. Sunak is trying to put a spin on the ‘only 7% drop in Uxbridge but it is cler that without the ULEZ controversy (which Khan will surely now reconsider), Labour would have won easily. His government are without ideas, ficus or ambition.
He is likely to have a reshuffle of his cabinet, possibly as soon as today, but the paucity of ability, together with the continued prescence of the ERG means he has few options.
There was no evidence of support for the Rwanda Policy, or anything else!
JAM
I have just made some nectarine jam – at foirst it did not set properly but hopefully another blast on the heat will do the trick. It tastes rather wonderful! I. might make some lemon thin biscuits, or scones to have it on later. I will also make some more baguettes – I will just spray a little water as the last ones were tasting a bit waterery. I have just ordered olive oil from CrowdFarming – I love the fact they pront a label with JamJam on ot for the tins and whilst just over £10 ltr is expensive it seems ok for organic and kniwing all the dosh goes straight to the farmer – in this case Finca Bardomus, Fernando Agramunt. I guess I need to make some more strawberry jam – the last lot was rubbish, did not set and I used it to flavour home made yoghurt and oat cookies. I have noticed the abscence of insects whilst making jam – which is good but a little concerning.
I have also just received a box of lemons from Carmen Valasco at El Carrascal with a winter varieties called fino and primofiori. Organic which means the zest can be used. More baking stimulated, and also aioli on salads.
Neighbour cutting grass I am hemmed in but across the road 3 neighbours have let trhe vetch flower and two have let ragwort and chicory flower, it would be so nice to see wildlife return to the sterile lawns – although I accept that some birds such as green woodpeckers and corvids like the lawns! Like everything a mix and diversity is good.
Tomatoes are coming on 670g so far but this should escalate next week as the plum tomatoes and striped ones and normal ones ripen. I think/hope 10kg should be possible this year. Most mints are doing great – basil seems to be bolting a bit (hopefully as I use more with the tomatoes, it will bush out a bit). Mints are blooming and I will dry some more to make herbal teas. Flame lily continues to astound. Lime and lemon by front door looking good. New apricot tree seems to be getting established ok and the grape vine that I thought I had killed by lack of care seems to have new leaves and forgiven me after Martin moved it to make it easier to water.
JUST WORDS
A fall in the rate of inflation is nice, that’s all! The cost of things is still 7.9% more expensive than a year ago – how many peoples wages are that much higher? Food and drink inflation is 17.3%. Perhaps the word inflation needs replacing with “more than a year ago”. Food from the rest of the world is also klikely to be hit by the climate crisis, sugar is up 54% and olive oil up 44%. I think I am correct in saying that further Brexit restrictions for food and plants come in in January. The new Russian restriction on Ukranian products will also have an impact on bith supply and prices. Besides the Mediterranean, Southern USA and China are both experiencing extreme weather conditions which will affect their production and export of food stuffs.
CLIMATE CRISIS
Kerry needsd to tell the Chinese to act now to cut emissions. The arguement put forward by China about historic emmissions is just not valid in the present crisis. They are correct that the west gained an early advantage by burning coal, oil and gas, but the crisis is here, and now, and every country needs to face it.
Right wing politicians across Europe with nationalist agendas also need to look closely at their use of the climate crisis in culture wars and anti-woke measures. History will not be kind to them.