July, 2024
We are now told that musicians want to turn our well-loved Nursery Rhymes into ‘raps’. For generations mothers tucked their children up in bed and sang nursery rhymes to them like ‘Mary, Mary quite contrary , ‘Humpty Dumpty’, ‘Sing a song a sixpence’, ‘Little boy blue’, to name but a few. Although I must admit children of today are more likely to watch the T.V. before they go to bed. However, I still suggest that musicians write their own raps and time will tell if they are remembered in years to come.
I have battled stinging nettles all this spring and despite wearing trousers, long sleeve top and thick gloves, I always manage to get stung. Then I was surprised to read an article in a magazine called “Hidden History” drawing attention to the humble stinging nettle. Apparently in the 16th century people noticed that the nettles tended to spring up around human habitation and they advised you to pay attention when you see these common plants and ask yourself what histories are hidden in their jagged-tooth presence. Well, I don’t want to know and just want them gone!
I have noticed how many people are down in the dumps and many see no future. I was talking to a young lady who has just left school and she told me that students are told all about mental health and she said she thought it best not to draw attention to it. I’m no teacher but I think it would be better to have ‘happiness’ classes where attention is drawn to the good things in life and make many realise just how much there is to be happy about. There is a line in a song from Snow White – “There is no use in grumbling when raindrops come tumbling. Remember you are the one who can fill the world with sunshine.”
Beautiful young people are accidents of nature, but beautiful old people are works of art.
Marie Cove.