2001 sheep
The next to the last shower of winter
was of snow, which then became sleet.
The last, was of politicians
killing many animals that bleat.
Notes by the author
In February 2001, when Foot and Mouth disease affected so many sheep, pigs and cattle, everybody was shocked by the destruction that was deemed necessary to try and contain the outbreak.
It was sad that the tourism industry was considered more important than restricting public access to vulnerable areas.
It was even more sad to see the effects of the outbreak on farmers and their families; their health was severely affected.
I wasn't impressed by the politicians, who's primary objective seemed to be to give a good impression abroad rather than to do what was ideal and fastest to contain the real problem, which was the containment and earliest elimination of the disease, and the emergency funding of any business being crippled by the effects of the disease.