Mike’s Mellow Moment – 12 June 2016

Just a week or so from the Summer Solstice and THAT vote, we seem to be enjoying some seasonal warmth at last. Today I took full advantage – in-between some hefty showers – to drive with the roof off to the Eden Project to visit the rainforest and wonder at nature’s amazing beauty, both throughout the Cornwall countryside and that in the biosphere from the 4 corners of the globe. Set up by a cornish pasty and a cool bottle of local cider; the time just flew.

I hope you’ve managed to enjoy some bright spells this week both meteorologically and metaphorically! For me a sunny spot was getting the lead story on Spotlight, the regional TV news programme across the SouthWest on BBC1 and also the lead story on both BBC Radio Devon and BBC Radio Cornwall. It was a story that I had pitched to the editors and after commissioning, I had the pleasure of filming in the beautiful Devon countryside in early Summer; although the subject – Are we being poisoned by weedkiller? – uncovered so many questions that I don’t know have been truly answered. I’ve had tests in London which showed that I am “off the scale” for contamination by herbicides, pesticides and weedkiller. When 48 MEPs had their urine tested, they too were riddled with the stuff. It does make you wonder what on earth is floating around when you see farmers praying crops, the Highways Agency doing similar on roads and pavements and Network Rail onto our train network. Simon Bates, who was presenting his breakfast show on Friday agreed with me that he’d have his wee tested too. Maybe we could get a mass wee in, rather than a weigh in?! Would you be up for it?!

One of the not so sunny spots this week was when filming a farmer, I reversed my car down a ravine and ended up in a ditch. I had to keep my foot on the brake as if I lifted my foot the whole car toppled to and fro and the farmer reckoned I would have tipped over backwards! In the end he towed me out of the predicament with his tractor/land rover…just in the nick of time and also to prove that there’s always someone to bale us out at the right moment.

If we don’t take a risk to reach a cherished goal, we don’t get into those situations yet we equally never get to fulfil our life’s goals. Quite a lesson for me and maybe one that might resonate for us all as we listen to this week’s blissful chill out? Have a fabulous time this coming week and may you achieve your goals over the Summer, never giving in to fear that you may not reach them. For it is by taking that first step forward that our dreams come that bit nearer. x

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