Over to YOU A Magazine to keep us connected in these difficult times Welcome to If— The flower for January is Galanthus you can keep your head (Snowdrop) because it’s the earliest when all about you flower to bloom giving cheer on even Are losing theirs and the darkest days. blaming it on you; A promise of better things to come. If you can trust yourself In the very earliest Roman calendars, there were no when all men doubt you, months of January or February at all. The ancient But make allowance for Romans had only ten months and the new year their doubting too; started on March 1st. Ten was a very important If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies, number to them. Even when January or Januarius as Or, being hated, don’t give way to hating, they called it, was added, the New Year continued And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise. to start in March. It remained so in Britain and her If you can dream—and not make dreams your colonies until we switched from the Julian Calendar master; to the Gregorian Calendar in 1752. If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim; Why doesn’t the Tax Year start in January? If you can meet with triumph and disaster Lady Day (March 25th) was one of the quarterly days And treat those two impostors just the same; when rents were traditionally due. Taxes were also due If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken on this day. Britain changed over from the Julian to the Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Gregorian calendar in September 1752 and 11 days were Or watch the things you gave your life to broken, lost from our calendar. This became known as the And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools. English calendar riots. People weren't impressed with having to pay their taxes If you can make one heap of all your winnings in March 1753 as if nothing had happened, in fact, 25th And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, March 1753 was a Sunday (and the taxes were paid on a And lose, and start again at your beginnings Monday) - so the taxman skipped the 11 days and And never breathe a word about your loss; decreed that taxes were due on 6th April 1753. If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And, to this day, the UK tax year starts on 6th April. And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on”; As this magazine is in addition to the newsletter, If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, we are unable to print paper copies to members Or walk with kings—nor lose the common touch; If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you; unless we combine the two for special occasions. If all men count with you, but none too much; It’s also difficult to plan how to distribute If you can fill the unforgiving minute because COVID restrictions are constantly With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run— changing. Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son! So, with this is mind, if you know any members that have a computer or electronic device and choose not to receive emails, but might be interested in reading this, please could you forward a copy to them or point them in the 1865 - 1936 direction of our webpage where they can access them by typing - porthcawlu3a.org.uk Select Magazine from the headings – see links on the right hand side and select which one you want. Thank you, Sally Corbett. Chair. Remembering that CURRENTLY, due to coVid-19 restrictions, you cannot drive to exercise. Parc Slip: CF32 0EH. A delightful nature walk through a former coal mining site. It has been transformed with wetlands, hedgerows and habitats for a wide range of wildlife. You could be in the heart of the countryside, surrounded by hedges, burbling rivers and birdsong, but you are never far away from the Visitor Centre where you will find a car park, toilets and a café. This is an easy 2 hour walk with two stiles, but both have gates. The path is mostly gravel and woodland and has some duckboards. It is dog friendly, but as it is a nature reserve, please keep them on a lead. Map: OS Explorer 151 Cardiff and Bridgend. (GR SS 880840) 1. From the visitor centre go straight through the gate onto the broad gravel path. At a fork where the cycle trail goes left, continue ahead. At the next junction, with a wooden sign indicating wildlife to be seen, turn left. 2. Go on here, winding along the path and over duckboards to a kissing gate, go through and turn right through a second gate towards a hide. As you approach the hide look over to the left to see the massive remains of an opencast coal mine on the horizon. It is now overgrown and blends with the countryside. 3. From the hide you overlook a wide area of wetlands. Return to the gate and bear right on a grassy path between hedgerows. Look out for the glow worm hibernacula and glistening spiders’ webs in the grass. 4. When you reach a stile, cross it and go right. At a sign for the Butterfly Ride to the left – go straight ahead across a stile. Continue on the path until you reach a broad gravel path and turn right. 5. Go along this path to a fork and take the right one following the cycle trail. It winds round to a bridge on the right. 6. Cross the bridge and go along a delightful path between hedgerows and a stream with lots of little waterfalls. At the end of this path, you reach the gravel path again and turn right. Take the next left to another hide by a lake. 7. Return to the road and turn left to continue along the gravel path. Turn left again at the next junction, passing some highland cattle to the left. 8. At the T- junction at a pond, you can go left to the hide or turn immediately right to return to the Visitor Centre along the canal. You emerge at the pond next to the Visitor Centre and car park. Just One. Author unknown. One song can spark a moment, One flower can wake the dream Things to do in JANUARY One tree can start a forest, Sow early vegetable crops under cover. One bird can herald spring. Protect fruit trees from damage by birds with netting. One smile begins a friendship, Sow summer-flowering bedding plants. One handclasp lifts the soul. Sow sweet peas under cover. One star can guide a ship at sea, Protect plants vulnerable to wind and cold by covering One word can frame the goal them with horticultural fleece or moving into greenhouse. One vote can change a nation. Prune vigorous climbers like wisteria. One sunbeam lights a room, Cut back perennials and remove old growth. One candle lights the darkness. Aerate lawns. One laugh will conquer gloom, Clean post and seed trays ready for spring. Pinch out the tops of autumn-sown sweet peas to encourage One step must start each journey. side shoots to form. One word must start each prayer. Kay Boswell One hope will raise your spirits, One touch will show you care. One voice can speak with wisdom, One heart can know that’s true. One life can make a difference. You see, it’s up to you. Soduko Riddles 1. Which is faster, hot or cold? 2. What question can you never answer “yes” to? 3. What has teeth, but cannot eat? 4. It is black and you say it is clean, it is white and you say that it is dirty, what is it? 5. I have cities, but no houses. I have forests but no trees. I have rivers, but no water. What am I? 6. A hungry donkey was tied to a rope eight feet long. About thirty foot away there was a basket of fresh carrots. The donkey wanted to eat those carrots. How did he reach them? 7. What do tigers have that no other animal has? 8. What can you hold in your left hand but not in your right hand? PLANT BASED NUTRITION By Deb Davies. What are the benefits of plant-based nutrition? Where do I start - health? climate change? preservation of natural resources? animal welfare? world hunger? Actually, it was on learning that all these issues are interrelated and can be addressed by large scale adoption of plant-based eating that I found the motivation to become vegan after more than 20 years of vegetarianism. The message is one of great hope and comfort – we have the power to remedy many of the ills of our time. Let us take, for the purposes of this article, the example of the benefits to our health. Governments and health organisations world-wide possess this knowledge, yet, for a multitude of reasons which we have insufficient space here to explore, they choose to diminish or even disregard it. For decades peer reviewed nutritional studies published in prestigious journals have shown that animal-based products are implicated in many chronic diseases (stroke, some cancers, diabetes, heart disease to name a few).