| You Don’t Need To Bring Me Flowers. |
| Main Image – Dog Rose Hips |
| Overhanging willow tree – Delf Stream – The Ropewalk |
| Music Score –Wonder – Morning Light Music This post may contain affiliate links, please read the Disclaimer for more info. |
| The Ropewalk |
| Suze and l have been busy this last week with the allotment and have been up there almost daily, so much so that we haven’t even been walking in the mornings with the usual regularity. I am not short on my steps, though. Each day l am clocking them up in their thousands. I will write about all of this soon enough, but with Suze being away for a month from Monday there are certain tasks that need to be taken care of this week. These photographs are from Tuesday’s morning walk. It is a lovely time to walk and enjoy the season of autumn. I find myself watching the events of recent times with some curiosity. Queen Elizabeth II died last Friday. A week later, l still find myself pondering upon the enormity of the flowers and their waste. I am not a true Brit in the British sense of the word. I have never been typically British, either. I place this down to living and growing up in Australia and Malaysia when l was younger. My parents emigrated to Australia when l was two years of age in 1965. By the time it was 1968, we were then living as a family with my newly born sister in Malaysia and then by 1971, we were back in Australia and stayed there till 1977. I had a holiday for three months in England with my family in 1970, but overall Great Britain was as alien to me as it would have been waking up on a distant planet. I didn’t consider England my home; l considered myself an Australian. I have lived in England since 1977, so for the last forty-five years, l have resided in this country and felt as far removed from it as possible. By 1990, l no longer felt like an Australian, but l didn’t feel British. I was l used to joke a Limboite! A man stuck in between two worlds. Because of this feeling, l found l couldn’t quite understand certain things British – their beliefs and cultures. Many years later, l wondered if this was perhaps down to being on the spectrum with Aspergers. I see things very differently at times to others, and so what is considered naturally ‘anything’ or typically ‘conventional’ l struggle to comprehend the emotionally attached logic. I didn’t feel close to either of my grandparents from my mother’s or father’s side. They may well have been Martians for all l cared, so when they tried to instruct me in the doctrines of this ideology or that, l looked at them with distaste and amusement. I will believe in what l choose to believe in until l no longer believe in it. I used to say much to their annoyance. My Irish grandparents wanted me to become more of a Catholic and support the IRA, which l couldn’t do – l mean who wants to support terrorists! My English grandparents wanted me to support the Monarchy and the Queen, which again l felt too far removed from to want to. Both of my parents were royalists and my Irish father was devoutly so, much to the annoyance of his parents who were anti-royalist. In 1977 when l was hot off the boat from Australia and living in north Wales waiting to move further down south, l happened upon my first and last active royal experience. It was the Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II. Standing on a street, somewhat baffled as to why in Llanrwst holding a plastic handheld flag of the United Kingdom and waiting for the Queen to pass by in her car and for a brief moment, l saw a face and a flicker of hand flesh that l was supposed to wave at. It was over in less than ten seconds, and my mother said, “Oh, how do you feel having met the queen?” “I didn’t meet anyone, mum; l stood on a cold street in a welsh town waving a silly plastic flag at someone who l didn’t even clearly see who l assure you didn’t see me in a crowd of faces!” Then, my mother may have realised that the Monarchy and being a royalist meant nothing to me. Years later, my views never changed; l was never a royalist. I couldn’t understand why thousands of people supported this system. I would never speak ill of any royal family, and l didn’t wish to see anything wrong happen to them, but l have never been interested. I did like Diana and was saddened when she passed, but l didn’t weep or be overly emotional like that. It was just sad because she could and did rock the firm and they needed rocking. it would of course happen years later and it will be interesting to see what happens now. After her demise in 1997, my slight interest in the royals was gone forever. Yet here we are in 2022, twenty-five years after Diana and Queen Elizabeth has now passed away at the grand old age of 96, which is a good inning for anyone. I watch all of this current goings-on with strained bafflement as to what is going on. I understand in the briefest way that people are upset; l get that. It’s not something l need to express. I don’t need to travel miles and miles and bloody miles to stand in a queue with thousands and thousands of other people to walk somberly past the Queen’s casket paying respects. I don’t get that. Something else l don’t genuinely understand is why people consider buying flowers the best way to pay their respects. Sure l know that the flowers will all end up in good compost and that organic matter will be added to the environment. But consider further ALL the money that is being wasted on the flowers in the first place. The Queen was an avid supporter of charities, and she had several favourites – why can’t people use that money spent on flowers ending up in compost and donate the funds to a charity of the Queen instead? That would be money better spent, surely? Then the charity could have produced perhaps a floral card with condolences written on them. That would be more environmentally friendly, and money well spent and channelled into better causes than flowers lying prone on the grasses. This isn’t a new thought for me; l have thought this way for years regarding the pointless act of awarding flowers to the dead who can’t enjoy the vibrancy of the colourful blooms because they are dead. According to recent surveys, 8% of people in the UK said they would be more likely to donate to a charity the Queen supported. Australians were urged to donate to charities instead of buying flowers. The Queen, for instance, supported Blind Veterans UK, a worthy cause alone. Still, she was also a frequent donator to charities for animals, children and the elderly, which could all have done with some valuable funding in today’s climate. I love flowers, l love colour and sure l love composting too. But l don’t like to see money wasted on pointlessness. I wasn’t, and l will never be a royalist. I have never felt particularly patriotic to this country because of being a Limboite – but l think the money could have been better spent by those who are than it has been. Even Queen Elizabeth II herself would have supported charity donations, considering how much she helped others. People will always do what they think is best, but l believe with times changing as they are, it’s time for a rethink on the laying flowers like this and look at spending money more wisely. Let’s not start on about the blanket news coverage or the waves of black attire for a lady who loved colour and wasn’t big on media – let’s not start on the ironies here. But maybe that’s because l am and have been more of an environmentalist than a royalist. |
| A ducky gathering … |
Earthly Comforts 
I agree Rory the people have gone overboard with the passing of the QE2. It’s the queen this and that everywhere!
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Oh l know Sadje, it’s becoming a nightmare!
The press don’t need any excuse to jump on board a newstory and push the tin on it to the extreme.
Now there is a bank holiday, Monday coming is the funeral and everywhere is to be shut. britains are taking days off and demanding time off and l just think – seriously??
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Even we have a day of mourning in Pakistan!!!! It’s beyond me 😳
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It’s astonishing.
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Yes, perhaps people have nothing better to do?
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I know … l have stopped watching the news because l am becoming so frustrated with it all! i read briefly tonight that the queue to see the casket was eight miles long? I asked myself the same question – have you ALL not got something better to do that to wait for up to fourteen hours standing in a line to see a dead person?
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And that dead person is not related to you at all!!! Over here there is still a lot of coverage of the funeral, despite our country being hit by the worst floods ever.
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Exactly my philosophy Sadje – she’s not my mother.
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Nopes, true enough
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In the US I think people view the royals as somewhat glamorous celebrities.
As for flowers for the dead, no – flowers for the living while they can enjoy them. My mother always said that – “don’t send flowers when I’m dead, send them now while I’m alive.” I don’t think there was even a funeral when she died, so I guess she got what she wanted.
People also leave stuffed toys at the scene of a death, particularly a child’s (which happens a lot in the US) – better to give that toy to a kid who can play with it! I have no feelings of being “American”, no patriotism at all. I really would like to live in a civilized country. Sometimes feeling like you don’t belong in a particular place leads to feeling like anywhere you hang your hat is home, if indeed, you have a need to have a “home”.
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I am always confused even more when l see Americans or other nationalitoies that are not ex-pats or something getting all excited about the royal family?? Like WTH is that about?
But you are right, they are seen more as glam celebs and because of that status the outsiders don’t see the realities only the romance or the fantasy.
i am not enamoured by the royal family or by the fact that we have a monarchy l think it’s old fashioned and not more modernistic – but living in Britain l know about the royal family, about the protocols and traditions and so on, the history on a ground level.
The royals are not celebs, they are not glam, so why others see them as that , well nowt as strange as folk, right?
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I agree with you completely! The coverage of QE2’s passing over here has been completely ridiculous ~ and she wasn’t even our queen. But unlike some, I don’t have a huge animosity toward the royals because they don’t affect me. I can understand British people resenting their wealth though and how it was acquired. I also liked Diana a lot, particularly her work for AIDS patients at a time they were shunned by the world. That was very brave and generous! I know they all do charity work, but hers really stood out. And the way she was treated? Horrible. I can’t understand anyone supporting Charles and Camilla. They’re just gross, imo. Never thought of the flower angle, but that makes total sense. Why not donate to one of her charities instead?
I don’t feel particularly rah rah about the USA either. I’m just not that go-team type of person. It’s more of a sports’ mentality and I’ve never felt the need for a strong group identity. This country is full of flaws and the whole MAGA thing is just hideously embarrassing as well as frightening…
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I liked Diana for exactly the reason you have stated, and of ALL the royals today and yesterday’s, the only one l had more tolerance with was Diana.
As to Charles and Camilla, yes you have it right on the button.
Yes, MAGA is quite frightening considering the lengths they are willing going to achive success.
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I don’t know if its just due to the aging process or the broader vision of a more philosophical bent, but I find myself not at all interested in the pomp and ceremony, or political games of the outer world anymore. People are people, life is life and time goes on regardless of what I say or can do about it.
I love the pictures of the rose hips and berries! In the old days I would have said, “Yum! They will make such fine jam! ” Nowadays, I think what wonderful food they will make for the little critters. 😊
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Hey Betty, l agree – the nonsense pomp and ceremony is for starters 100 years antiquated, but that’s tradition – apparently and as someone today informed me, l don’t know anything about tradition as l am obviously a yank?
I was confused at that.
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Well, I would find that (being a yank) complementary, Rory! 😊 We are proud to have you join our ranks.
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Thanks Betty – l swas confused because my accent is no longer as strong as it used to be 🙂
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😊
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Oh, the drama of it all! I agree, Rory, that the goings-on with QEII is overwhelming. I feel she is due respect but it seems there is much pomp and circumstance happening around the world from those not directly involved. In other words, everyone wants to get on the bandwagon.
So now the important stuff and that is your photos are gorgeous and express appreciation for natural beauty and serenity, especially The Rope Walk. Cheers!
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Hey Eugenia, l know right – enough is enough – l agree respect is needed, but it just looks like today’s society is waiting to jump on board the next story as much as the Press is.
It’s all just too much.
She died it is sad, But everyone dies. That is sad too. Okay, let’s move on please. … BUT no, that’s not the case. If you folks over there think the coverage is bad, over here it is monstrous.
Thank you, l am glad you enjoyed them 🙂
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And yet here we are talking mostly about the Queen!
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Well aside from my post about the Queen and desperately trying to not talk about the blessed death, it’s bloody everywhere and is unavoidable. Even when complaining about the endless coverage you end up talking about it.
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Yeah, I used to do that with Donald Trump. At least I liked the Queen more than him!
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Yes l also liked the Queen more than Trump 🙂
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I went to respond and it took away from me so I do tmrw
I need sleep so badly 💤✌️
Good night / morning
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