Thoughts in Darrick Wood - Covid 19

Thoughts in Darrick Wood by Trevor Morgan 24 June 2020 (traduction française ci-dessous) I am now finding that writing a daily blog is becoming more of a chore than a pleasure and that it is becoming harder to think of new ideas. I shall therefore be taking a rest for a while. P ensées dans Darrick Wood par Trevor Morgan 24 juin mai 2020 Je constate maintenant qu'écrire un blog quotidien devient plus une corvée qu'un plaisir et qu'il devient de plus en plus difficile de penser à de nouvelles idées. Je vais donc me reposer un moment.

Thoughts in Darrick Wood by Trevor Morgan 23 June 2020 (traduction française ci-dessous) For me, a social life needs some spontaneity. I like to walk in Darrick Wood whenever I feel like it. Sometimes, my wife and I decide to walk through the woods but then continue to the village of Downe. In Downe, we often used to stop in the “Queen’s Head” pub and drink a pint of the best kept beer in London and have lunch. This was great, but these days it seems so far away. On 4th of July the government is proposing that pubs should be allowed to re-open under social distancing rules. It looks like we will be asked to book our slot in the pub in advance. This means strolling to a timetable; none of the spontaneity, of going for a long walk in the country and stopping off for a drink, will remain. I am in two minds about this. Yes, the economy needs to be protected as should pub life, but does this mean that I must book in for a pint? Booking in is ok to go to a restaurant for a formal meal b...

Thoughts in Darrick Wood by Trevor Morgan 22 June 2020 (traduction française ci-dessous) I was thinking about ancient times. How would modern humans survive if they were thrust back into the iron age? I think that they would have severe difficulty, but they would pull through, eventually. However, if they were thrust into modern times, Iron Age children would quickly learn how to play computer games on a play station. Our intellectual abilities have not advanced that much, if at all, but of course we like to think that we are superior. A visit to the reproduction Iron Age village, at Castell Henllys in Pembrokeshire, will give you some idea of what life was like in Britain about 2,000 years ago - before the Romans finally settled. https://www.pembrokeshirecoast.wales/castell-henllys/about-castell-henllys/ P ensées dans Darrick Wood par Trevor Morgan 22 juin mai 2020 Je pensais aux temps anciens. Comment les humains modernes survivraient-ils s'ils étaient r...

Thoughts in Darrick Wood by Trevor Morgan 21 June 2020 (traduction française ci-dessous) I was in the woods this week doing a bird survey and heard a bird making a high-pitched soft sound. I could not identify the bird, so I used the “BirdNET” app on my ‘phone to record and analyse the sound. The internet database identified the bird as a Goldcrest and it also identified the song of a Robin which I do recognise. Later, I went onto the RSPB website to hear their recording of a Goldcrest and it matched the “BirdNET” app, which is a remarkable product which will greatly assist naturalists. Goldcrests are extremely difficult to see in Darrick Wood but they are resident. Along with the Firecrests they are Europe’s smallest bird. We have not seen Firecrests in Darrick Wood but that does not mean they are not there for I have seen them in the locality. It is incredible that such small birds can survive European winters by feeding on small insects and spiders, they are remarkably hardy an...

Thoughts in Darrick Wood by Trevor Morgan 20 June 2020 (traduction française ci-dessous) There are cormorants in Italy too; near Grado. P ensées dans Darrick Wood par Trevor Morgan 20 juin mai 2020 Il y a aussi des cormorans en Italie; près de Grado. http://friendsofdarrickandnewsteadwoods.co.uk/

Thoughts in Darrick Wood by Trevor Morgan 19 June 2020 (traduction française ci-dessous) This morning I had prepared myself to photograph the occultation of the planet Venus by the Moon. I woke up early to see cloudy skies. Of course, the Moon and Venus were locked into their paths by the gravity of the Sun and the Earth: but once again I was foiled by the British weather. Of course, it can be seen on the internet, but this is nowhere near as good as seeing it for yourself. https://www.space.com/moon-occults-venus-june-2020.html#:~:text=That%20morning%20the%20moon%20will,to%20as%20an%20%22occultation.%22 P ensées dans Darrick Wood par Trevor Morgan 19 juin mai 2020 Ce matin, je m'étais préparé à photographier l'occultation de la planète Vénus par la Lune. Je me suis réveillé tôt pour voir un ciel nuageux. Bien sûr, la Lune et Vénus étaient bloquées dans leurs trajectoires par la gravité du Soleil et de la Terre: mais encore une fois, j'ai été déjoué p...

Thoughts in Darrick Wood by Trevor Morgan 18 June 2020 (traduction française ci-dessous) Will alien civilisations find us? It is possible that aliens will receive radio and television signals, which have been broadcast within the last century, or so. The aliens would have to be relatively close, nearer than 200 light years. They would have to send a message back and that would take 100 years assuming that the aliens had the ability and desire to talk to us. All this sounds very unlikely. The is another possibility: the 2 Voyager spacecraft launched to observe the outer planets of the solar system, in 1977, are now in interstellar space. Both spacecraft contain “time capsules” with messages and audio-visual images of the way of life on earth. The “time capsules” were in fact phonographic records engraved onto gold plated copper discs which could last for billions of years. Both spacecraft are now in interstellar space, but they are not even 1 light day from the earth. In abou...

Thoughts in Darrick Wood by Trevor Morgan 17 June 2020 (traduction française ci-dessous) I  often think whether there are living civilisations on other planets and now some scientists at Nottingham University have suggested an answer, probably based on the Drake equation. They estimate that there are at least 36 civilisations alive at this moment on planets in the rest of the Milky Way. All this on the assumption that evolution progresses in a similar way, to that of our own, on other planets. They also suggest that on average a civilisation is 17,000 light years away. Of course, none of this is hard fact. It is quite possible for life forms to proliferate and remain healthy without human ingenuity and tool making abilities. The research could explain the fact that we have not detected any sign of civilised life elsewhere in a galaxy that has 100 to 400 billion stars. Intelligent life elsewhere is probably so rare that we would be incredibly lucky to pick up a signal. If th...

Thoughts in Darrick Wood by Trevor Morgan 16 June 2020 (traduction française ci-dessous) Since the end of January most of our physical horizons have been limited. Our journeys have been limited to local parks – mostly Darrick Wood. One day life will return to normal. At the moment my thoughts turn to the solar system and the galaxy, but light pollution ruins the vision. We will recover from the virus, but will we ever recover from light pollution?   P ensées dans Darrick Wood par Trevor Morgan 16 juin mai 2020 Depuis fin janvier, la plupart de nos horizons physiques sont limités. Nos voyages se sont limités aux parcs locaux - principalement Darrick Wood. La vie d'un jour reviendra à la normale. En ce moment, mes pensées se tournent vers le système solaire et la galaxie, mais la pollution lumineuse ruine la vision. Nous nous remettrons du virus, mais pourrons-nous jamais récupérer de la pollution lumineuse? http://friendsofdarrickandnewsteadwoods.co.uk/

Thoughts in Darrick Wood by Trevor Morgan 15 June 2020 (traduction française ci-dessous) Greece back in business again? P ensées dans Darrick Wood par Trevor Morgan 15 juin mai 2020 La Grèce reprend ses activités ? http://friendsofdarrickandnewsteadwoods.co.uk/

Thoughts in Darrick Wood by Trevor Morgan 14 June 2020 (traduction française ci-dessous) Greece has had 183 Covid 19 deaths, Britain has had well over 40,000 deaths and France over 24,000.   What is the explanation for these disparate figures?   Greece is often disparaged by other European nations as being chaotic. Greece is now back in business. Hopefully, no country will suffer a 2 nd wave of deaths. https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/Greece/ https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/Germany/ https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/27/to-manage-the-covid-19-crisis-look-to-greece P ensées dans Darrick Wood par Trevor Morgan 14 juin mai 2020 La Grèce a fait 183 morts sur Covid 19, la Grande-Bretagne a fait bien plus de 40 000 morts et la France plus de 24 000. Quelle est l'explication de ces chiffres disparates? La Grèce est souvent dénigrée par d'autres nations européennes comme étant chaotique. La Grèce est maintenant de retou...

Thoughts in Darrick Wood by Trevor Morgan 13 June 2020 (traduction française ci-dessous) I  hope the protests in London today pass peacefully and that no-one catches Covid-19 as a result. The police have no choice but to do their duty and risk catching the virus. Protesters do have a choice. The epidemic is still with us and infection rates could easily rise again. Why not remove all the statues celebrating “heroes” including Gandhi, Churchill, Mandela, Baden Powell and put them in a museum? They could then be returned after a debate to their former glory by democratic consent. Treating all these monuments equitably then could diffuse violent protests and it could ensure that everyone’s favourite monument is not defaced. It seems pointless to put protective barriers around monuments rather than remove them to a safe place. It might be better if we did not erect monuments to controversial people in the first place – even Gandhi attracted enough animosity to see him ass...

Thoughts in Darrick Wood by Trevor Morgan 12 June 2020 (traduction française ci-dessous) Whilst we have enjoyed some peace and quiet during the lockdown, we have also seen a complete reduction in sociability. Nearly everything has become disconnected. We now exist in a world of zoom, “live music and artistic” broadcasts over the web, all with virtual audiences: and on-line chats over the web. I am glad that I am not young and single anymore for contacting a potential partner over the web must be disconcerting. I would not fancy a romp in a virtual haystack. Hopefully, when this crisis is over, we can return to our social nature and indulge in some real art, communication and sex. If we do not, then perhaps our virtual existence will become a real one and we will “web” ourselves out of existence. http://teenhealthsource.com/blog/virtual-sex-part-1/ https://www.aufeminin.com/faire-l-amour/sexe-virtuel-s1669756.html P ensées dans Darrick Wood par Trevor Morgan 12 juin ma...

Thoughts in Darrick Wood by Trevor Morgan 11 June 2020 (traduction française ci-dessous) It is time to think of something more cheerful. Welsh ponies do not concern themselves with heroes and monuments and they live a better life for it. P ensées dans Darrick Wood par Trevor Morgan 11 juin mai 2020 Il est temps de penser à quelque chose de plus gai. Les poneys gallois ne se préoccupent pas des héros et des monuments et ils y vivent mieux. http://friendsofdarrickandnewsteadwoods.co.uk/

Thoughts in Darrick Wood by Trevor Morgan 10 June 2020 (traduction française ci-dessous) I have spent a long time thinking about what should happen to statues and monuments attracting criticism from movements such as “Black Lives Matter”. The statues of Cecil Rhodes and his like cause both distress and anger. It is best, now, that these memorials are removed as soon as possible. They should then be displayed in museums with a full and accurate explanation of the activities of the person concerned and why they were seen to be heroes. We can then have the debate, rather than endless talk to delay a decision. Scenes of demonstrators clambering on fallen idols will not then be necessary. It is my opinion that jumping on a memorial will not erase the legacy of slavery and white supremacy; much more work needs to be done in this concern. History is not just about the activities of the “great white man”; and we have a lot more to learn. https://www.france24.com/en/20200608-uk-anger-at-to...

Thoughts in Darrick Wood by Trevor Morgan 09 June 2020 (traduction française ci-dessous) I have never been a supporter of hero worship and never supported the erection of monuments and statues for so called heroes. There is no need for it; we do not need physical images to remind us of a history which is often distorted. When the statue of Edward Colston was pulled down in Bristol, I felt nothing. One thing is certain in my mind is that it should not be re-erected. Slavery was a multiple crime against humanity. It involved mass murder, rape, kidnapping, physical and mental torture, prejudice and human rights abuses. It was white supremacy and cruelty being displayed in its worst form. If removing the monuments representing slavery and white supremacy, would mean that black and minority groups were fully integrated into British and European society, then I am all in favour. We could start with the memorials to Cecil Rhodes: it would be a relatively small price to pay for social jus...

Thoughts in Darrick Wood by Trevor Morgan 08 June 2020 (traduction française ci-dessous) House Martins are still quite common in Portugal, but they are dying out in the UK. To compensate White Storks are beginning to breed again in the UK, but they are nowhere near as common as in Portugal. P ensées dans Darrick Wood par Trevor Morgan 08 juin mai 2020 Les Hirondelles de fenêtre sont encore assez communs au Portugal, mais ils s'éteignent au Royaume-Uni. Pour compenser, les Cigognes blanches recommencent à se reproduire au Royaume-Uni, mais elles sont loin d'être aussi communes qu'au Portugal. http://friendsofdarrickandnewsteadwoods.co.uk/

Thoughts in Darrick Wood by Trevor Morgan 07 June 2020 (traduction française ci-dessous) As I “socially distance” in the woods, I think about the “Black Lives Matter” demonstrations across the world. It is my opinion that “racism” is a malevolent social concept, which is embedded in our societies as a result of ignorance. In biological and genetic terms there is only one race of humans and we are all members of it. There is no rational evidence to indicate otherwise. When I was young, I was taught at school that the British were members of a superior race that brought civilisation to the rest of the world. Remnants of this attitude remain today, and anyone who has a skin colour which is different to the white colour of the majority of British people, suffer from this type of “racism”. It is not true that white British people are superior to anyone else, there is no evidence to support this idea. Equally, white British are not inferior to anyone else. Individually we all have...

Thoughts in Darrick Wood by Trevor Morgan 06 June 2020 (traduction française ci-dessous) Paris is one of my favourite cities. It’s the café culture, the people, the architecture and the busy atmosphere.   P ensées dans Darrick Wood par Trevor Morgan 06 juin mai 2020 Paris est l’une de mes villes préférées. C’est la culture du café, les gens, l’architecture et l’atmosphère animée. http://friendsofdarrickandnewsteadwoods.co.uk/

Thoughts in Darrick Wood by Trevor Morgan 05 June 2020 (traduction française ci-dessous) I try to visualise, places that I have visited, when I am in the woods, but my mind’s eye hardly allows me. I can remember a trip to New Zealand but cannot really see much. When I see a photograph of a scene, I can recognise it immediately and the colours come rushing back, but to remove the photograph erases the visual memory – bizarre. I do not experience this with auditory memories. I can easily recall the memory of a concert or a musical event or someone’s voice. Perhaps, we all experience a different reality.  P ensées dans Darrick Wood par Trevor Morgan 05 juin mai 2020 J'essaie de visualiser les endroits que j'ai visités, quand je suis dans les bois, mais l'œil de mon esprit ne me le permet guère. Je me souviens d'un voyage en Nouvelle-Zélande mais je ne vois pas grand-chose. Quand je vois une photo d'une scène, je peux la reconnaître immédiatement et ...

Thoughts in Darrick Wood by Trevor Morgan 04 June 2020 (traduction française ci-dessous) The day before yesterday, I noticed the effect of easing the lockdown on Darrick and Newstead Woods – the noise of the traffic had returned, and I could not hear the birds so clearly. Newly hatched chicks will have suddenly been exposed to traffic noise. How will this affect their development: no one knows? Crowds of people were on the school playing field using portable barbeques and leaving their rubbish behind. They weren’t at work or in school. I reflected upon the return of sea horses to Studland Bay in Dorset. This was a result in the lockdown reducing human activity. It is quite possible that other species could re-establish themselves. Obviously, life must return back to normal, but normal could mean that we take more care of our environment. It seems that a cleaner environment helped to sustain us during periods of isolation. Long may respect for the environment continue and grow. https://...

Thoughts in Darrick Wood by Trevor Morgan 03 June 2020 (traduction française ci-dessous) Every time that I walk through the woods, I think of the Covid-19 lockdown. I am shocked by the number of deaths which will soon surpass 50,000 in the UK. I am equally surprised by the equanimity that the public is showing to the death toll. The UK has probably had a much higher mortality than any other country in Europe, but the situation has not been much better in France, Italy and Spain. Greece has had around 3,000 cases of Covid-19 and 179 deaths: its performance puts much richer countries to shame. The Greek government acted quickly to halt the spread of the virus. Greece is proof that the epidemiological result is in the hands of the government and the people. The virus is not a malign enemy and it can be stopped in its tracks, without vaccines or treatment. Greece is often looked down upon by richer countries in Europe, but despite economical difficulties the country was able to act ef...

Thoughts in Darrick Wood by Trevor Morgan 02 June 2020 (traduction française ci-dessous) I think a lot about the places my wife and I have visited and the people we have met. We rarely go to another place without meeting friends, family or work colleagues. People are our driving force to go anywhere. One of my good friends and work colleagues, who sadly died recently, told me of a wonderful time that he and wife had when they visited Lake Balaton in Hungary many years ago. Last year I finally got to go there to celebrate a wedding. It is a wonderful place to visit. Lake Balaton is Central Europe’s largest lake by area at c. 600 square kilometres, followed closely by  Léman  (Lake Geneva) at c. 582 square kilometres.  Léman  is much bigger by volume of water at c. 89 cubic kilometres compared to c. 1.9 cubic kilometres. Both lakes are worth visiting and they are important attractions for land locked Hungary and Switzerland. The people of Hungary are very indepen...