Dear Reader,
The most astonishing thing I learnt this week was the fact that plants cry when they need watering but that humans can't hear them. TheTelegraph Newspaper says: "plants were generally thought to be an uncomplaining bunch silently enduring the ravages of neglect, drought or disease with stoical forbearance". Apparently there have been recordings of tomato, tobacco, wheat, corn and cactus showing that they make occasional ultrasonic popping noises - similar to bubble wrap- which ramps up under stress. The sounds are comparable in volume to normal human conversations but are too high for human ears to detect.
I rushed downstairs to look at my cyclamen which has been looking a bit down in the mouth lately. But the trouble is with plants, or anyway my plants, that I never know how much water to give them, Either I give them too much and they die or I don't give them enough and equally they die. False flower arrangements are much easier to manage but to my mind not nearly as nice as fresh ones. Each unto his own, I suppose.
*
From John Ruskin, April 2nd, 1885 in Lancashire
'.......Quite lovely spring day. All the working time in wood without greatcoat. Fullest gush of streams with the night's rain I ever saw. Now.....lovely sleet showers with melting sunshine.'
From Gilbert White, April 5th, 1793 in Hampshire
'The air smells very sweet, and salubrious. Men dig their hop-gardens, and sow spring corn .....Dug some of the quarters in the garden, and sowed onions, parsnips, radishes and lettuces. Planted more beans in the meadow. Many flies are out basking in the sun.'
*
Silent, Their Men Stand By
as universal woman talks
with women
who are not friends,
or neighbours,
or women they know or love,
just women.
Their bonding thread
is laughter, touch, glance, cry,
instant understanding.
While silent, mystified, their men stand by.
*
With very best wishes, Patricia
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