BLOWING IN THE WIND

After a good service at church, we went out, as usual looking for some dereliction and although we found some, I preferred this shot of the seedheads of Anthriscus sylvestris, commonly known as cow parsley, Queen Anne's lace or wild chervil, against the sky.  

It was really cold on the Lambourn downs, with a very chill wind, so we didn’t stay out for too long and I think it may take a while for us to get warm again, so we are going to sit in the conservatory while the sun is still shining and take advantage of the warmth.

After my Blip yesterday, I spent the afternoon doing some family history research, something I have neglected for quite a while, and unearthed some interesting facts about our family.  I must admit that I did feel quite sad to find out that Charles, my great great great grandfather, was still working as an agricultural labourer when he was 70 years old, but by the time he was 80, he was a pauper and an inmate in a workhouse at Stratton St. Margaret, near Swindon. 

I find it quite strange that something like that, especially about someone I didn’t even know, could move me so much, but I guess such are the emotional ties of families.

“A life that is not documented
    is a life that within a generation or two
          will largely be lost to memory.
What a tragedy this can be
     in the history
          of a family.
Knowledge of our ancestors
     shapes us and instills within us
          values that give direction
               and meaning to our lives.”
Dennis B. Neuenschwander