not just daffodils and mixed news from Leeds

still snow above Farndale, and a
few houses still have no power

Yesterday I was in Farndale again, staffing the MDU (Mobile Display Unit) for the Park. http://www.northyorkmoors.org.uk/. It was busier than we might have expected for a damp, cold Easter Sunday; a steady flow of enquiries, often about the origin of the daffodils, the mainstream view is that they are natural, and thrive here because of the mix of habitat only found in a few other areas in the Park. I do a litter patrol (very little) and 'please put your dog on the lead' patrol, (too many). I forebear to ask  one couple if they are both illiterate, as they are about 10 metres from a gate which asks dog owners to keep their dogs on a lead AT ALL TIMES, a gate they have just walked through. There is one field with a bull, some cows and calves, where it would be prudent to let the dog go if you are being chased, this is not that field and every time I see the bull he is looking very sleepy.

As well as the famous daffodils there are masses of wood anemones and a few bluebells just coming out. In a couple of weeks when the daffodils are over and the bluebells are out it will be quiet and scented, a good place for a walk on ones own.

daffodils and a flowing river,
not like a few weeks ago

Wood anemones over the river

look carefully and you will see
the bluebells

We close the unit at 5pm, I buy some left over cakes from the village hall's fund raising refreshments, they have given us scones earlier, so one good deed.....................














Mixed news from Leeds. LASSN, lassn.pir2.info, have managed to secure Lottery Funding for the befriending scheme; although we befrienders are volunteers, money is needed for the person who organises the scheme, for training new volunteers and for the necessary expenses we may incur. Volunteering is not a free activity in any shape or form. The bad news is that the organisation that finds housing for asylum seekers (almost always in otherwise hard to let places) has changed. Up to now it has been an arm of the local Council, which knows a bit about housing and employs people who do too. Now it is to be G4S, who are not currently know for their caring attitude to anyone, let's hope they can prove us wrong. Unfortunately people may be moved away from Leeds where their support network and friends are, people who have already suffered enough trauma to now suffer more. The hard to let flats will be empty once again and all for what?

My friend is desperately worried, she has funding on a course at a college in Leeds, if she is moved away all that funding and her efforts will have gone to waste. Is this such a good idea?

Let's try and end on an up beat note. My grandsons have enjoyed their Divine mini Fairtrade eggs, presented in a Fairtrade pink bunny, sorry no pic.
www.divinechocolate.com . The older one can even get the foil wrappers off himself, such manual dexterity when chocolate is the reward.