Kilmore Care of Creation Group Monthly Newsletter
BEAUTY CAN CATCH THE HEART OFF-GUARD AND BLOW IT OPEN –
Seamus Heaney.
Our Summer is moving on and the first half of the year is now over already. We have marked the Summer Solstice on 21st June with various events being held in different places to commemorate the occasion.
Lush greenery dominates the landscape around us and the wildflowers are in full bloom in meadows and verges along roadsides. In our gardens Spring flowers have been replace by Summer bedding in borders and hanging baskets. Now is a good time to sow Calendulas indoors until they sprout and can be put into the ground. I have spotted Wild Roses already in bloom in some hedges which I normally associate with the month of July, then again, a lot of growth and colour appeared earlier this year than it usually does. My ever-faithful Hypericon along with Poppies, Lillies and Foxgloves add a myriad of colour to my own garden now as well as delightful Honeysuckle spilling its scent on sunny afternoons.
Though we are having ample rainfall this month, a word of advice to anyone with either Apple or Pear trees (and perhaps other varieties of fruit trees) is to watch out for what is termed ‘Fruit Drop’. It occurs when the fruit will fall to the ground if they have not had a plentiful supply of water. So, a helpful hint I was given was to throw a few buckets of water at their roots if there is a prolonged spell of dry weather.
Swallows, Swifts and Sand Martins are with us now for the breeding season. Let us all do whatever we can to preserve their nesting places or provide new habitats for them to raise their chicks as modern construction and dwellings have eradicated many of their familiar sites for nesting. Rabbits and Squirrels are active at this time too. Our Bees appear to still be in decline though I haven’t heard any official figures from surveys conducted to monitor their numbers. Whatever, the reason, I am saddened to admit that this Summer (as well as last year) I regularly pick up bees from the pavements which are clinging to life and if I’m near my home I bring them home and do my best to revive them (either with melted honey or by inserting them inside the petals of my foxgloves). Not all survive sad to say but some do and that’s what’s important. Damselflies, Moths, Crickets and Grasshoppers are regularly spotted this month, most of them more so in damp conditions or on rivers and lakes. Butterflies, including Peacock and Tortoiseshell, and Dragonflies are on the wing to brighten up our Summer’s evenings.
On the downside, increased greenhouse gas emissions have led to a rapaid increase in global temperatures which, in turn, is causing catastrophic events worldwide. Tropical storms plus hurricanes, heatwaves and flooding are more intense and frequent than ever seen before. As I write this article, two of my friends are experiencing “unbearable heat” (their own words) in two different European destinations (33° C in one city and 29°C in the other). Hence, climate change is not just affecting far-off places, it’s affecting our own Continent now too, as well as localized flooding and storms which previously were a rare occurence.
On a recent national news bulletin, it was announced that Data Centres in Ireland are presently consuming 20% of our country’s electricity; estimates suggest that they could consume one-third of the total within the next few years, a prospect which should cause concern. Another matter of concern raised was the current unauthorised peat harvesting in some of our bogs. I understand this matter is being monitored by the relevant authorities.
Nonetheless, the sun still shines at some time on most days, so, if you have hay, now is the time to get it made. And if you haven’t, get your bucket and head off to the seaside!
Happy Summertime!
Your Earth Friend Anne
Kilmore Care of Creation Group