Dealing with depression - suicidal thoughts - Join the conversation (including helpline details)

[Kiwi Pete]

I think maybe life is also about being able to live with almost permanent aggravation and problems as well, like this weather. I just accept now that its rubbish and I cannot do any single bit of landwork on the farm comfortably, satisfactorily or ever completely finish it and I will waste huge amounts of effort and money this year due weather disruption.

Its not me. Its what I am surrounded with. I am bound to feel a bit downcast. I am not clinically depressed or anything like as bad as some folk, but I think that feeling a bit low is just natural really. We can't expect happiness all of the time. Life just isn't like that, though I would settle for a day per week of it.

Folks say keep off booze, and keep off caffeine but at the moment that doesn't leave much joy quite frankly.

You happiness, I can tell you that.
Otherwise, you wouldn't have the ability to make me smile the way you do - very few people on the these days remind me of my old man besides you, and me. And probably @Henarar .
Being realistic and matter-of-fact, the way you are, these traits don't always allow us to switch off, "let our hair down".

I don't have hair to let down.

I personally believe to be really upbeat about modern farming life, you have to take your little grains of joy the same as a bee always arrives home with his panniers full.
Joy can be everywhere and yet nowhere, often simultaneously, and we sometimes need a bit of a reminder that it's there... a reminder that we must stop by the flowers or we just won't fill our bags or be happy bees.

It's so easy to forget, and we're the ones missing out.

 

[Henarar]

Folks say keep off booze, and keep off caffeine but at the moment that doesn't leave much joy quite frankly.

Old Burt went to see the Doctor
The doctor examined him from top to toe then he sat Burt down and said I am afraid I have some very bad news you haven't got long to live, Burt said how long is not long and the Doc told him six months topps, Burt asked is that it and there is nothing you can do ? the Doc said no nothing that can be done, Burt said are you sure ? I don't feel to bad is there nothing that can be done to give me a little longer than that ? The Doc said well there is some things you could do, you could give up drink and you could give up smoking and you could give up sex, Burt asked and this will help me live longer ? No said the Doc but it will bloody well seem like it

 

[lazy farmer]

You happiness, I can tell you that.
Otherwise, you wouldn't have the ability to make me smile the way you do - very few people on the these days remind me of my old man besides you, and me. And probably @Henarar .
Being realistic and matter-of-fact, the way you are, these traits don't always allow us to switch off, "let our hair down".

I don't have hair to let down.

I personally believe to be really upbeat about modern farming life, you have to take your little grains of joy the same as a bee always arrives home with his panniers full.
Joy can be everywhere and yet nowhere, often simultaneously, and we sometimes need a bit of a reminder that it's there... a reminder that we must stop by the flowers or we just won't fill our bags or be happy bees.

It's so easy to forget, and we're the ones missing out.

having a few local difficulties of my own and I really am trying to enjoy the natural world a lot more. It’s not just that spring is coming it’s the joy colours and life renewed brings.
only found out a while ago that nothing man has made compares to nature as far as the evolved human eye is concerned. Just as exercise in nature produces 4 times more endorphins than a gym based activity.

 

[Christoph1945]

I remember sitting in the car, on the carpark of a major international airport, at the end of my shift. I just sat and relaxed before commencing my forty mile drive home, after a twelve hour night shift.

Several crows were scavenging for discarded scraps of food and one of them picked up a crust of white bread and proceeded to move over to a piece of sheeting and hid the crust beneath it. As the bird started to move off in search of more treasure it noticed the other crows had seen him/her hide the crust and quickly returned to the sheeting, recover the crust and flew off. Clever little blighter that crow!

I have heard tell that crows can tell if you are carrying a rifle, or a stick.

 

[Greenbeast]

I remember sitting in the car, on the carpark of a major international airport, at the end of my shift. I just sat and relaxed before commencing my forty mile drive home, after a twelve hour night shift.

Several crows were scavenging for discarded scraps of food and one of them picked up a crust of white bread and proceeded to move over to a piece of sheeting and hid the crust beneath it. As the bird started to move off in search of more treasure it noticed the other crows had seen him/her hide the crust and quickly returned to the sheeting, recover the crust and flew off. Clever little blighter that crow!

I have heard tell that crows can tell if you are carrying a rifle, or a stick.

Ravens have been observed deliberately deceiving other ravens in a similar manner, i.e. making it look like they'd left a stash when they hadn't

 

[Christoph1945]

I have also seen crows washing a morsel of food before eating it. Perhaps with worms etc it is to clean it but I wonder if they do it with stale bread to soften it up. Bird brains eh?

 

[Greenbeast]

I have also seen crows washing a morsel of food before eating it. Perhaps with worms etc it is to clean it but I wonder if they do it with stale bread to soften it up. Bird brains eh?

They are incredible, i had a talking Raven for while, still miss him

 

[Christoph1945]

What happened to the Raven and did it's talking ever make much sense? Mind you, how did you come to have a raven anyway?

When I was a kid my mother sent me on an errand to a neighbour's house and when I knocked on the door a voice shouted come in. I then, of course, walked straight in to the ladies living room. She was a bit put out until she realised that her parrot had invited me in.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

View attachment 857342having a few local difficulties of my own and I really am trying to enjoy the natural world a lot more. It’s not just that spring is coming it’s the joy colours and life renewed brings.
only found out a while ago that nothing man has made compares to nature as far as the evolved human eye is concerned. Just as exercise in nature produces 4 times more endorphins than a gym based activity.View attachment 857344

Part of the "feelgood factor" is that wonderful smell of damp loam and decompostion - because we are still animal on the inside, these things stir us like synthetic stimulii cannot.
We sense the 'change' that we cannot control?

It's probably a very similar "loop" to our bodies sending us signals to eat fruit, if we eat cake then we keep getting the signals?

I really do believe that the best thing we can do sometimes, is go for a walk in the rain, drain puddles with out heels, be a child for an hour?

When the rain started the other day, I pulled up a wooden beer-crate and sat on the front steps, just breathed in that smell of ozone and geosmin, it was like a tiny dose of drugs!

 

[Greenbeast]

What happened to the Raven and did it's talking ever make much sense? Mind you, how did you come to have a raven anyway?

When I was a kid my mother sent me on an errand to a neighbour's house and when I knocked on the door a voice shouted come in. I then, of course, walked straight in to the ladies living room. She was a bit put out until she realised that her parrot had invited me in.

Unfortunately he had no fear of the dogs....
No, not really, it's all mimicking but he would string his words and phrases together amusingly and was great fun.
I know a breeder, so bought his as a 3 week old chick and hand raised him.

 

[Christoph1945]

Part of the "feelgood factor" is that wonderful smell of damp loam and decompostion - because we are still animal on the inside, these things stir us like synthetic stimulii cannot.
We sense the 'change' that we cannot control?

It's probably a very similar "loop" to our bodies sending us signals to eat fruit, if we eat cake then we keep getting the signals?

I really do believe that the best thing we can do sometimes, is go for a walk in the rain, drain puddles with out heels, be a child for an hour?

When the rain started the other day, I pulled up a wooden beer-crate and sat on the front steps, just breathed in that smell of ozone and geosmin, it was like a tiny dose of drugs!

I do metal detecting and practice my hobby mainly on beaches under Crown Land Permission rules. Having double checked the weather and the tide times I will commence my day just before the crack of dawn, when barely a glimmer of light can be seen in the eastern sky and only the sounds of the sea, the wind, and the cries of seabirds starting their day can be heard. Moving slowly, slightly stooped, I progress swinging the detector coil ahead of me and have been amazed at just how close some of the wading birds allow me get to them. I can't help but wonder if the birds see me as a somewhat larger wading bird and thus constitute no threat to them. Lack of eye contact with the wild birds appears to help in getting closer to the oyster catchers.

Later in the day, when the dog walking fraternity start to loose their dogs on the sands, the birds move further out.

People will sometimes come over to see what I may have found and also ask about the hobby. The big question that I often get asked is 'What is the most valuable thing that you have ever found?' Answer ...... 'Peace of mind and tranquillity!'

I suppose that there is something rather child like in metal detecting. You know the sort of things you dreamed of as a kid; pirate gold and buried treasur! But perhaps your dreams were far different than mine.

 

[czechmate]

Of really annoys me, watching the antiques roadshow, the folk that are only interested in “what’s it worth”

 

[Christoph1945]

Sounds a bit like my Mrs. How much could you sell it for?

Mind you, had I found the Staffordshire hoard that may have pleased her just a little; over three million quid atwix the farmer and the detectorist (50/50) and that is tax free!

The hobby can be a little like meditation and can be very relaxing; I'm surprised that more farmers and their youngsters don't give it a try.

 

[czechmate]

Sounds a bit like my Mrs. How much could you sell it for?

Mind you, had I found the Staffordshire hoard that may have pleased her just a little; over three million quid atwix the farmer and the detectorist (50/50) and that is tax free!

The hobby can be a little like meditation and can be very relaxing; I'm surprised that more farmers and their youngsters don't give it a try.

Always too busy working

 

[ollie989898]

Feeling somewhat improved since I posted here last. Finally got email through regarding why I was rejected from Uni- well, the important one I really want to go to at any rate. Turns out I am one unit short of chemistry and one unit short of maths, in short: I've done too much biology. Thought I had met their academic requirements (including the fact I only got a B in maths 21 years ago which I assumed they would ignore given my vintage) as neither the printed prospectus nor course page on the web mentions anything that the required target grades needs, turns out there were more detailed guidelines on the online prospectus.... So a mistake on my part really, frustrating but I feel somewhat vindicated that it wasn't because I was a moron or had no medical background (my CV is rather varied as you can imagine- what do medical admissions make of PA1 and PA2 certificates?).

So, with a bit of luck I shall have another 4 or 6 pieces of work/exams to do, maybe a term to get the units I need at college again (at my own expense of course) and we can give it another shot. In the meantime still searching out a job for at least the summer and to keep me from staring at the walls too much. Shame it took them until December to can me as I gave them all the information in September and could have already done the extra work by now.

Can't help but notice there are buds on the trees, too.

 

[Christoph1945]

There are also primroses in full bloom and the grass and privets are on the move!

What is a PA1 or PA2?

 

[Greenbeast]

The hobby can be a little like meditation and can be very relaxing; I'm surprised that more farmers and their youngsters don't give it a try.

They'd never get the permission ?

 

[Bury the Trash]

There are also primroses in full bloom and the grass and privets are on the move!

What is a PA1 or PA2?

Types of Pesticide Application qualification. 1 is the starting point of the safe use of pesticides, and 2. the use of Boom sprayers.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

I do metal detecting and practice my hobby mainly on beaches under Crown Land Permission rules. Having double checked the weather and the tide times I will commence my day just before the crack of dawn, when barely a glimmer of light can be seen in the eastern sky and only the sounds of the sea, the wind, and the cries of seabirds starting their day can be heard. Moving slowly, slightly stooped, I progress swinging the detector coil ahead of me and have been amazed at just how close some of the wading birds allow me get to them. I can't help but wonder if the birds see me as a somewhat larger wading bird and thus constitute no threat to them. Lack of eye contact with the wild birds appears to help in getting closer to the oyster catchers.

Later in the day, when the dog walking fraternity start to loose their dogs on the sands, the birds move further out.

People will sometimes come over to see what I may have found and also ask about the hobby. The big question that I often get asked is 'What is the most valuable thing that you have ever found?' Answer ...... 'Peace of mind and tranquillity!'

I suppose that there is something rather child like in metal detecting. You know the sort of things you dreamed of as a kid; pirate gold and buried treasur! But perhaps your dreams were far different than mine.

My dreams aren't so different, even now, all we ever really needed is right under our feet!

One of my longtime aspirations has been to capture the beauty of the Tui (a NZ native) on camera as they tend to just look black much of the time.
It's been eluding me for years.... but persist, and you get your wish eventually

Hobbies are where it's at.

 

[Christoph1945]

My dreams aren't so different, even now, all we ever really needed is right under our feet!

One of my longtime aspirations has been to capture the beauty of the Tui (a NZ native) on camera as they tend to just look black much of the time.
It's been eluding me for years.... but persist, and you get your wish eventuallyView attachment 857695
Hobbies are where it's at.

How did you eventually capture such a superb shot and what with?