There's some excellent graffiti like this in Knaresborough on the wall between Iles Lane and the Pool .  Fear has got us to this terrible state of leaving our nearest trading neighbours.  Let's deal with it by pointing out who is stoking it up.  The recent clip of Cummings being rude to a polite reporter is chilling, as is the fact that Downing St picked and chose the journalists allowed into the recent press 'conference'.

So what can I do?  I'll share evidence of the fearmongering and lying, sign petitions, and join and support groups who are addressing  these vital issues.

At home I'll continue efforts to use fewer and fewer resources, in particular fuel and water.   e.g. I now collect the cold water at the start of a shower or kitchen tap and use it to flush the loo or water plants.  You might say this is paltry, but  it helps a bit and lots of bits add up...

some wise graffiti in Knaresborough.  We mustn't let propaganda mislead us.

Knaresborough: Le Tour de Yorkshire Day 2

A great day-long party in Market and Castle on a pedalling theme !  Well done that town!

No Fracking Way - Day 2. North Yorkshire

March 9th.  The stalwarts cross the Ure at Boroughbridge, gather more walkers at Market Cross, progress to Staveley, Knaresborough and over a crocus- covered Harrogate Stray.....

Action on air quality - Knaresborough 24.9.16

Excellent response from residents.  This is clearly a deeply felt issue.  Lots of changes could be made but no political will evident.  Sadly, Conservative policy favours vehicles over people.

Evening walk around Knaresborough

..made perfect by the screaming swooping of 5 or 6 swifts

East of Knaresborough: where more development is proposed..

A midsummer walk around Knaresborough, North Yorkshire

The signal box and crossing at Knaresborough station...very sweet!

Boats, and the River Nidd reflecting the Victorian viaduct at dusk

Small business - lifeblood of the community

These are the types of local business we admire and support

A flurry of Hustings

Harrogate Chamber

Bilton WMC

Never a dull moment these days.  All the five candidates have slugged it out in a succession of well organised hustings.  As well as those illustrated, we sparred at a Joint Knaresborough Chamber with Churches Together event at King James' and the Harrogate Over-50s Forum yesterday.  The conduct of all has been well mannered and mainly non confrontational, but clear water is opening up on Corporate power, TTIP, NHS sell-off and the Austerity programme:  One (Green) v Four (greys)

Knaresborough High Street - who is it for?

Meeting about trucks unloading in Knaresborough High St last Monday: main issue is the expectation that the town must dance to the tune of huge corporations.  Residents living above shops have to put up with unloading noise very early in mornings.. lack of flexibility on part of mega corps.  Old political parties don't question this power imbalance as they believe we have to keep going along the outdated 'growth for corporations' path (TTIP etc).  Greens question the  underlying paradigm so all our policy  takes us in a very different direction from the old political model..

Comedy Club - Greens get out a bit!

Last night we sloped along to Comedy Club at the lovely community run Frazer Theatre Knaresborough.  The crowd was in the swing when we arrived,  dressed  mainly in black and downing local beers.  We were immediately given a warm welcome to our seats by an unmistakeably Scouse guy: he and his partner had come east for the weekend and had seen this show was on...but they said they had asked locals the way to the Theatre, and noone had heard of it! Could have been the Comedy Club they hadn't heard of as its new to the Frazer....or does this mean that Knaresborough has a kind of double life? 

Anyway - back to the show:  it was excellent with 3 very different acts (Harriet Dyer and Peter Brush  first) - but beyond my wildest dreams in terms of the election campaign. Tom Toal, the MC, after finding that everyone he asked  in the audience worked in  IT, asked who has the most interesting job in the room so I put up my hand.  'Im standing for Parliament for the Greens,' I said.  Oh! he said, so what will you do for this area?  I went Wow - you really want me to say?...Yes he said.  Of course I hadn't prepared a speech, so I waffled something about making everything more friendly and not about money and greed...must have sounded very vague....but the Green theme continued throughout the evening.. with comments like 'I'll get the Green Party to sort you out'...

Tony Burgess , the 3rd act, was ecstatic about Knaresborough ...its like Narnia round here,  he said, even Christmas decorations still up in the market square, comparing it with his native Manchester - where you can't go for a walk in case they nick your legs and leave your torso on bricks.  He said what a diverse audience too...including an aspiring  Green MP....He asked if we had any BNP around here...then said 'NO - you will have sent them away- in a gondola or something!!'

The lovely Scouse couple (having compared notes with my Scouse husband, Bill)  said they will come along to Green Party conference in Liverpool in early March (the venue has had to be changed due to massive demand for places).  Several others commented warmly as well - so it was a fantastic night out in all respects and we shall be going again to Comedy Club!    

Letting go and moving on ..

We moved 4 months ago – from our beloved old 3 Norwood, Beverley to a smaller newer house with a bigger garden in Knaresborough – to be nearer the children and their children and to eco-renovate a house and experiment with permaculture. Of course we miss our mates in Hull and East Riding but it feels really good to have made the move even though the prepping to move was very stressful. It's good to be in a smaller cosier 'container' as we were rattling around a bit in 3 Norwood. Yes – there comes a time when it just feels like the right thing to do – the kids love the space outside and its great to have a new place to discover…and lovely to link in with lots of new greens of all sorts!