September 21st - the autumn equinox - but the weather forecast was promising so I grabbed my boots and camera and headed for the southeastern fringes of Sheffield. I had a lovely country walk from Ridgeway village over to Mosborough. Rolling countryside with woods and quiet hedgerows where the intricate botanical balances have been achieved over centuries. I saw squirrels, pheasants, grouse, horses and sheep. Farmers were still getting through their "to do" lists for September - fencing, harrowing, sowing winter crops. Where soil was exposed, it was drier than it should be at this time of year and occasionally little dust storms danced over the bare fields.
Over in Hackenthorpe, I spotted this scene, a small house beneath an electricity pylon:-
You can enlarge the photo by clicking on it. To tell you the truth, even if I was given that house for free, I wouldn't live there. There have been several studies over the years about health risks associated with living in close proximity to high energy power supplies and I am frankly amazed that the developers were ever allowed to build a house there.
But look more closely. Can you see that the owners of the little house have had solar panels installed on the roof? I find that rather odd. High above, power surges around the nation -mostly it's made from non-renewable fuels. Down below, somebody believes in a different kind of energy that rises over the eastern horizon every day and is for free. I wonder why someone who thought that way would ever choose to live beneath a pylon. And if you did have to live next to a great hulking pylon like that would you worry about it falling down? Would you give your pylon a pet name... perhaps Peter or maybe Monty. Monty Pylon!
That really is very, very odd. Why would a family who obviously is trying to make do with renewable energy choose to live under those dangerous high tension wires? It just does not make much sense. Maybe you should stalk them (you have had lots of practice) for a little while just to ascertain whether or not they are really, really weird or whether they are certifiable!
ReplyDeleteMADAM THYME How gracious of you to re-visit this humble blog. Not sure what you meant about me having plenty of stalking practice. Are you referring to the time when I harvested a crop of parking enforcement officers? It would be interesting to meet the owners of that little house. I noticed there were mobility handles near the front door. Someone who lives there must be disabled to some degree. Probably because of the electricity!
ReplyDeleteI tried to check your blog for spelling mistakes but I should have known better
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Naw, this is how it works: you put solar panels on your roof and sell the energy to the power company. They pipe the elecricity down the power lines and you plug your house into the pylon nextdoor. Voila! As much electric as you want and you get paid for the privilege.
ReplyDeleteCanny folk them Yorkies.
JOHN GRAY I have always been brilliant at spelling but am happy to admit that once in a while I do make spelling errors. Why were you looking? Piqued about the Quasimodo comment?
ReplyDeleteSHOOTING PENGUINS The possibility of a link had occurred to me too. Perhaps the National Grid should just put bungalows with solar panels under every pylon in the country. Then we won't need Libyan oil!
I'd be more worried about the induced magnetic field (Fleming's Laws) taking over the house.
ReplyDeletePerhaps they lived there first and the pylon was put in afterwards. and now they can't sell?
You would not be allowed to live underneath those sorts of wires in Oz. Thank goodness! I think lots of studies have been done about the dangers of living close to high voltages but nothing conclusive has ever been proved. Wouldn't want to take the risk though , would you?
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