[She sent these for our contemplation and edification--Dale]
In the last week, I’ve only slept about two hours a night, so my brain is being more entertaining than usual. More entertaining than TV, at least.
Some things I’ve been wondering about:
Is/are the Cotswolds still a nice place to live? or is it just a Y.B.of Olde Englandie Theame Parke?
Do we think there’s still time to live a bit of ordinary life before the Parousia? How much time are we talking about? I mean, is it time to start buying yellow bananas at the grocers or can we make a few longer-term plans? You know: is there a point to joining a choir or taking a weekend course in custom bookbinding or rose-growing? I’m sort of disappointed actually; Ratzinger was elected pope, the Red Sox won a World Series, and I’ve kept the same job for more than three years. Hell actually does appear to be freezing over and…still NO TRUMP! What’s taking Him?
Fight or flight? Which is better, escape to some remote corner of Wales or Montana, raise ducks and let the Muslims blow up the inner cities? Or to take a stand and try to oust them? or convert them? …or get blown up trying?
And to what are we supposed to convert them? Have any those people saying that Muslims have to integrate into modern British/Canuckistan/US/French society for things to work out, really thought about what they are proposing? I mean, I read Mark Steyn the other day going on about how we have to do something to get them to be more like us, but I couldn’t figure out what that really meant. Did he think they ought to become crass materialistic quarter-educated secularized nincompoops like most of the westerners? “To what shall we convert them, Mark?” I wanted to ask him. I notice it’s a question he is rather reluctant to address in his book or column.
Will I now get excommunicated from the Church of the Great Steyn for having asked such an impertinent question?
Are there any remote corners of Wales left?
Are conservatives really just mean?
What’s the real story with the bees? Are we facing a worldwide agriculture crisis or is it an urban legend or what?
Why do Philipina ladies seem unable to sit still at Mass and not fiddle with their crackly plastic shopping bags? Is it a cultural thing? Is it some kind of genetic problem that is linked to them like sickle cell anemia or hemophilia? And just what the heck is in those bags that the ABSOLUTELY MUST dive into them and start crackling away right at the Consecration? What could anyone possibly need out of a crackly shopping bag at that particular moment at Mass?
THE BEES ARE NOT DYING OFF!
The commercial bees are experiencing the same syndrome wild bees did 15 years ago. they are being attacked by the varroa mite, an import from asia. The mite itself is hard on the bees, and often carries diseases. The bees die because of the compounded stress of mite infection, disease, and (most significantly in the US) frequent shipment from one region to another.
The wild honeybee population went through this 15 years ago, with a 80-90% kill rate and are now pretty much resistant to the varroa mite. The commercial beekeepers have staved off that disaster by medicating their hives. The varroa mite is now resistant to the chemicals used previously, and the commercial beekeepers have no defense left.
So, many commercial beekeepers are going to go out of business in the next few years. Vast acres of mono-cropped orchards, which are dependent on imported bees for pollination, are going to suffer crop losses (particularly almonds).
A small diversified farm doesn’t have to import bees, because there’s a variety of flowers all year long to support a local, native bee population. Most crops on our place are pollinated by blue orchard bees, which don’t hive, don’t swam, don’t sting, and don’t produce honey. They are also not susceptible to varroa mite infestation.
Despite what doomsday scenarios you may have read, this is a small blip. In ten or fifteen years it will be largely forgotten. Of course, there may be some changes. You may not be able to find a 1500 acre orchard planted entirely to almond, fer instance. And it may become illegal to ship a hive full of bees across state lines.
By: Danby on June 22, 2007
at 3:19 pm
Oh Good. That’s one off my list.
By: Hilary on June 22, 2007
at 4:30 pm
But do you think we can work out a cure for the crackly bag problem? Glaring at them just seems to bounce right off their obliviousness shielding.
By: Hilary on June 22, 2007
at 4:30 pm
Well, in keeping with the bee theme once could try and breed a bee that is attracted to crackly bags. A normal bee on most occasions but enraged by the sound of a crackly bag. Such an insect could be released near the church to drive off the crackly bag carriers preemptively. That would be both effective and amusing. It would have to be a large, crabby bee… maybe some sort of Japanese Giant Bee hybrid?
By: Christine on June 22, 2007
at 5:48 pm
There are few Philipinas in the Cotswolds, and fewer still with crinkly bags, although there are plenty of Japanese tourists, as well as jaded wealthy urbanites who purchase second homes in that region. They have no bee problem either, being mainly interested in wool, nor do they have much of a Muslim problem, that being a region which has an ingrained ‘catholic’ sensibility.
However, I suspect that the Costwolds are like my beloved Ozarks: anywhere tourists visit or outsiders settle is no longer a part of the place; the spirit of the region flees from any outside influence. But the true nature of the area will slowly retake its rightful inheritance, if given enough time. Pockets of the REAL Cotswolds, Wales, Montana, and Ozarks certainly exist, and must be searched for diligently. First of all, look for a good, ancient pub without a television, and which is popular with the locals, and then the true genius of the place is probably not far away.
Fight AND flight together is a good principle of action, by being a cultural sniper with a high-powered scope for spotting heresy and shooting at dissent with long-range accuracy from various safe hiding places. This is instead of attacking the enemy directly in close-quarters combat, nor is it fleeing the battle entirely.
Growing roses, preparing delicious recipies with bananas, and choir singing can all be potent forms of spiritual warfare.
True conservatives are not mean, but instead joyously show love and liberality to their fellow man. The ‘conservatives’ you are thinking of are actually liberals, thoroughly infected with the attitudes of the Enlightenment, including the worship of efficiency, competition, and individualism.
By: Mark Scott Abeln on June 22, 2007
at 7:41 pm
Come and live in the West of [REAL]Ireland ! There are cheap houses and lots of space and few cars.It isn’t quite TheQuiet Man,but you can go and see Cong where it wal filmed.The churches are fairly full, even for daily Mass and Holy Rosary.We have SSPX chapel not far in Athlone and an “indult” Mass not too far near Ireland’s Holy Mount,Croagh Patrick. Come and see it all and experience the joys of frequent rain,but kindly,good and Catholic people.Alan Robinson (reply to our e mail: rpienne@eircom.net
By: Alan Robinson on June 25, 2007
at 11:59 am
Ha! I was also going to suggest West Ireland. My wife and I spent a week there in 2004 and almost sold our home in St. Louis (Hi, Mark!) and moved the family there.
(And, yes, it is how I chose my pen-name. I am actually of Italian descent, but my wife’s family is Irish.)
By: Patrick Kinsale on June 27, 2007
at 12:22 pm