Technology can be kind
Just because I’m Britain's worst gardener, does not mean I can’t appreciate the beauty of the South Coast and the brilliant men and women who tend to the borders bringing pleasure to so many. Millions of people are currently hooked on Wild Isles with Sir David Attenborough.
It’s impossible not to watch and impossible not to say at different times, 'we do live in a wonderful country' and then add a few minutes later 'we really must look after this planet'.
Usually, I have to add that I’m going to go vegan or vegetarian at some stage as well.
I’m not sure what it evokes but it’s certainly something positive and I like it.
With spring in full flow, it’s a joy to see buds appearing and the damp dull grey/ brown hue of autumn slowly being pushed to one side.
I would never have pondered these things to such an extent ten or fifteen years ago.
I’m not sure what it is but soon I might find myself going to a garden centre for a day out.
In fact, the thought of that appeals now although it has more to do with cake than plants.
We took a walk at the weekend to a beautiful arboretum.
I’m not totally sure what that is and quite possibly we were too early to actually see this arboretum, never-the-less we went along.
Acres of spring beauty were around and some of the trees had Latin name tags which when translated made considerably more sense.
We photographed a few that we liked.
My wife is never happy with the trees that have constantly peeling bark.
I suggested that her psychological need to tidy up nature may have a proper medical name. We walked silently for a while before our picnic.
There we were, in the sunshine. Eating. Basking in free of charge vitamin D when I heard a noise from around the corner.
It was the unmistakable sound of someone talking on a mobile phone while it was on speaker phone something that is largely so annoying, rude and intrusive that many people have to go into a meditative state to avoid grabbing the phone and hammering a nine-inch nail through it.
Around the corner, this fella appears with his phone on a selfie stick, walking slowly and talking loudly, showing the phone plants, branches and leaves, discussing in some level of detail what they were doing.
On occasion, the person on the other end of the call demanded that they go back and have a closer look – one man, one phone, a selfie stick and a caller.
Usually, these could get on most people’s wick but this was different.
It turned out that the person on the other end was too poorly to leave their home.
They were stuck in, yet loved this particular place for a recharge and a walk around.
Their friend came up with the idea that they would go and use the robust 5G signal to talk them around the grounds and let them enjoy spring through the lens of a smartphone.
I repented, this was super cute, super kind, a lovely idea.
I’m often part of the crowd putting the boot into technology and a lot of it drives me around the bend.
I guess it’s how you use technology that counts, and sometimes it turns into a blessing.
This was technology, friendship, love and nature all coming together on what I hope will be a barrage of beautiful spring days.