Welcome back to Saturday Snippets where I indulge my whimsy and my passions… maybe a tune or two…something which has caught my eye this last week…just anything out of the ordinary or extraordinary…

We are back with covid restrictions here in Thailand as cases have taken a hike upwards…travel between provinces is discouraged unless absolutely necessary and the wearing of masks is now mandatory although most people do wear them here…It sounds like full lockdowns will know be in place for Bangkok and 5 other provinces where infections are high…here it will probably just be essential shops open and restaurants can only do take out/away…which means we will not be going out unless absolutely necessary…and as I cook at home the restaurants don’t cause us a problem although to help the local ones we do order in at least once a week.

I cannot believe how quickly this year has gone it is flying by…and covid is here to stay methinks…or for a while yet…

This last week I have been on a mission…Spring Cleaning…

A biological explanation for why we clean in the springtime has to do with melatonin production. In the winter our bodies are exposed to less sun, which decreases melatonin production and increases sleepiness. When days are longer and our bodies see more sun, melatonin production increases as does our energy.

Anyone who lives where the sun shines most of the time knows how it shows the dust…which is never-ending…sigh..and no fancy hoovers here just a broom..a witches broom as my hubby reminds me…

It is also May Day…when traditionally maidens danced around the maypole which was adorned with pretty ribbons…

Said to be named after the Roman goddess Maia, who oversaw the growth of plants. Also from the Latin word maiores, “elders,” who were celebrated during this month. Maia was considered a nurturer and an earth goddess, which may explain the connection with this springtime month…when all the plants are growing and animals awakening from hibernation…

I always remember my mothers warning “Never cast a clout until the May is out” she referred to our winter clothes and the flowers of the May tree/Hawthorn tree…

Such a beautiful tree when in bloom with either white or pink flowers it is truly a sight to behold…my mother and grandmother used to harvest the berries and make a jelly/jam…or a Hawthorn extract…it also has nasty thorns which caught us quite a few times when we were berry picking with my grandmother…

Did you know?

May 1st 1979: Elton John becomes the first pop music star to perform in Israel. In the absence of any decent video’s of that concert, I chose this one…Lively it will wake everyone up …lol.

Also on May the 1st 1972, the Eagles released their first single…”Take it Easy”…That was the start of my admiration and love of the Eagles…Hotel California, Ly’in Eyes, One of These Nights, New Kid In Town, Witchy Women, Heartache Tonight…I could go on and then there was Dr Hook 1979…When You’re in Love with a Beautiful Women and Better Love Next Time, Sexy Eyes…

The ’60s and 70’s my favourite music era’s…

Did you know?….

Batman first appeared #27 in the Detective Comic…way back in May 1939 and today he still makes the headlines…

Early May…the 6th, 1994 — The Channel Tunnel, linking England and France, was officially opened nearly 200 years after the idea was first suggested.

There were many misgivings, the sea having protected for centuries what Shakespeare described as “this precious stone set in the silver sea . . . this fortress built by Nature for herself against infection and the hand of war”.

Conservation Corner…

Microplastics are hugely problematic and pose a major risk to food chains and human health, They are not easily bio-degradable, where they retain in the ecosystems for prolonged durations. This results in the uptake of microplastics by organisms, leading to the transfer and retention of microplastics down the food chain.

They are also something I have highlighted on this blog before…Glitter and such are a big threat to the environment…from big girl to little girls glitter seems to draw them in..after all, it is so pretty…

But thanks to scientists there have been huge leaps forward…The Good News Is…

Microbiologists have found a way to use bacteria to trap microplastics, removing them from the environment and making them easier to recycle.

The new technique, developed by scientists at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, uses bacterial biofilms—a sticky substance created by micro-organisms—to trap microplastic particles. The biofilm is then processed and dispersed, releasing the microplastic particles for processing and recycling.

The school curriculum is changing in Wales…Black History is to be mandatory…by 2022…a step in the right direction? Many will celebrate BUT for me, that is not enough…To change the injustices and prejudices in the world it needs to go a lot further…

We have disability laws around the world BUT that is not enough…grassroots..teaching on the ground… there are some fabulous teachers out there, committed to their pupils…we need to celebrate our differences and that can only be done by inclusion by learning about differences, by celebrating differences…in the classroom…there are children who are still isolated through deafness, an autoimmune disease, blindness, being dumb so many examples and that must change …Ok …have special schools but also regularly integrate those children into normal school life…Our world would be richer…we would be more knowledgable ..there would be less bullying, more inclusion, less fear and the unknown makes us uncomfortable and fearful..what we know enriches us…

This made me weep and so sad that it could so easily be prevented…so many changes are required for us to live in a fully inclusive world…Bigger steps must be taken …

That’s all for today thank you for dropping in I hope you enjoyed my whimsy… see you tomorrow for my weekly roundup…Love Carol xx