Teenagers socialising

So, now apparently the next wave of Queen Victorianisms are hitting the USA. Teenagers at schools all over the country are being hit with bans on hugging and any kind of "public display of affection". There's even an acronym for that, PDAs.

Here's a picture from a scouting summercamp of ours from two years ago - it's been deliberately chosen to scare the s**t out of American school leader:



They do that, you know, all by themselves. Whenever there's a break, they just huddle together in a bunch, girls and boys alike, any one usually touching no less than one other, often two or more.

All innocent, all about creating and confirming friendships. And you know what? When something happens that affect the group or one of them, they stand together like nothing you've ever seen. Helping, supporting, backing up. Because they know each other, trust each other, feel so comfortable about being together with each other.

I'm not even going to start the "they can have guns in your society but noyt hug?" discussion. But this is balarney. Get real!

Playing British Bulldog

Less than useful Public Address messages

The Stansted Express train that I am sitting in while writing this has a wee problem with its PA system. The message to the passengers at all stations was:

"Now approaching..."

Well, at least we know we were getting somewhere :)

Apple tree in full splendour

Inspired - or at least reminded - by the splendour of growth and flowering at Kew Gardens today, here is our own home spring wonder, the Belle de Boskop (if that is the correct spelling) apple tree in our back garden:

Makes me wonder if we're getting tree-tilting amouns of apples once more...