Reaping the wind

 So I walked to the top of the field behind my house to enjoy the burst of evening sunshine that came at the end of a cloudy day and noticed that, looking due south-west, past the chimney pots, there's a perfect view of our new community wind turbine on the other side of the valley, about three miles away as the crow flies.  It's taken a deal of fund-raising, two  planning applications and a lot organising  by members of our local Transition group but now it's up and spinning, arms spread to harvest the wind just as once the sails of sloops  and cutters caught the breeze as they put to sea to fish for herring, and the once  rhythmic swish of scythes cutting corn is echoed in the turbine's steady pulse. Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose  - we have to adapt to changing conditions and find new ways to utilize our natural resources if we are to sustain life in the country.