Another day chalked down to idleness. However, much of it was spent in the car chatting to Julia so it wasn’t wasted. Sometimes I think the car is the only place we really talk. When we had the kids at home there was no chance for quiet conversation and since then Julia has developed the modern tendency to keep looking at her phone or work on her laptop.
I did have a list written for today, but the trip out stopped me carrying out any of my plans. It’s not a problem, but it will become one if I don’t get a grip and actually start doing something.
My writing is slowing down and my knees have gone again. They do this from time to time, Sitting on a low chair whilst having coffee this afternoon I was unable to get up and had to shift round a bit until I could position myself correctly to haul myself up using conveniently placed furniture. If I ever decide to write a novel from the point of view of a tortoise lying on its back, I now have some insight into the problem.
Heron, scratching
It became clear today, as i gave Julia a running commentary on the poultry farms we were passing, or the sites of antique shops which have now closed, that I am living in the past. The countryside I used to travel is now peopled by retired, or dead, versions of people I used to know and housing developments and artisan food shops have taken over the places where poultry and antiques used to clutter up the place. We passed a crystal shop today. I presume that a lot of their business is done on eBay, as I don’t see much call for crystals amongst the villagers or the few cars that constitute “passing trade”. This, I feel is good, and an example of online trading helping us keep minority interest shops alive.
We also saw a number of thriving local shops, including some community initiatives, and a community pub. It’s good to see local communities getting together to do things, though I know many of these initiatives, particularly the pubs, don’t always thrive. There’s a reason why these things shut down and community spirit can’t always solve all the problems.
While we were out we saw men putting up banners to protest about the building of a new solar farm. I’m not in favour of NIMBYs and I am in favour of clean renewable energy. I have no problems with onshore wind farms, but am conflicted by solar farms. The amount of good farmland taken up by solar farms is something we cannot afford to lose, as we need to grow food. However, we do have hundreds of cres of factory units and similar things which could house solar panels. I would favour using this roof space, and make solar panels a compulsory feature of all new buildings.
Hoverflies on a poppy
There was a rooftop solar initiative started over here in California. It would be good to see more.
https://www.climateactionstories.com/energy-re-ee/1-million-solar-roofs-initiative
Looks like a good scheme. I quite liked him as a Governor.
There are good examples of sheep and solar panels co-existing I believe, but you are quite right about roofs. The requirement for every new build to have one, especially large sheds, is long overdue.
A lot of the ones I see round here are too close to the ground t0 allow dual usage. I did read an article bout it a year or two ago – there may be a problem due to grants being given. So much agriculture is harvesting cash rather than crops these days.
We need those solar farms. Desperately. This week it has been oppressively hot in Maine—in the nineties with high humidity. Even twenty years ago, this weather would have been unthinkable, and hardly anyone had air conditioners in Maine.. But here we are. I do agree that using rooftops and other industrial places would be a good place to start.
Some places do it, but most seem to ignore the possibilities. We will need solar farms to power all the aircon we need because of global warming.
Absolutely!
Roof space is smart idea. Go vertical
Even idiots have good ideas sometimes, as Julia often tells me. 🙂
My rambling is all done by car now. You saw so much from yours, maybe that’s the way to go.
Yes, I walked about 600 yards yesterday. It was enough.
Well… 🙂 I’m sorry, Simon, I’m setting here laughing. You made a lot of great points for sure. I’m glad you and Julia are at least talking in the car. I remember when I was a kid riding with my grandparents. Grandpa would be driving, sometimes not so well, and grandma would be looking straight ahead not making a sound. I was scared to death! I wonder what Juilia would say if you said, “Dear, why don’t we stop working on our computers and talk. Is there anything you want to talk about?” Give her a big smile… 🙂
Times are changing for sure. I stay in town most of the time and it may be a month or more before I go anywhere. There are less than 3,000 people where I live and nothing much changes. Yesterday I went with a friend to a town 18 miles away, and today I went with him to another town 28 miles away. Both are much larger and there is a lot going on. My friend thought it necessary to tell me all about it like I had never been to either place. A lot of building going on for some odd reason…
I agree with your thoughts about solar farms taking up a lot of space in farmland. I also think using roofspace on new building for solar panels is a good idea. You could tear down the old, abandon factories and put solar planels there… Maybe you should run for office!
I did suggest turning off the devices but it seems she is doing important work. Pah! 🙂
looking at kittens and photos of Old Nottingham are not important.
There is a tendency or at least a movement for a solar panels on grazing land that are higher not so that sheep can continue to grise and shelter during rain and hot sun.
I had wondered if this was possible or if they would eventually shade out the grass. Sounds like a decent compromise.