A Blue Butterfly & Happy Valley On Netflix
Charlie and I just got back from land therapy. He was pretty tired today and didn’t want to use his back leg muscles much.
He kept wanting out last night and I think another possum might be out there. So he was probably tired.
There was the prettiest butterfly out on the patio yesterday evening. It was attracted to the morning glories. It was hard to get a clear photo of it because it wasn’t still long enough.
Right now the butterflies are flitting around and the bees are buzzing. I love to see these creatures take interest in my patio garden.
Last night I started watching “Happy Valley.” I believe one of you mentioned it.
I like Catherine, the female police sergeant. She’s brave and doesn’t take any flak off men. The poor woman loses her daughter and is raising her grandson. Such a shame her ex-husband won’t have a thing to do with the boy because he was the product of rape.
My own mother was the product of rape and that was long ago. I can only imagine what it was like back then. I don’t think she was ever quite normal though I only met her three times. And if you’re not treated as being normal, you’re probably not going to act normal.
I was just her daughter and the relatives looked right through me like I was invisible. I guess I was just a reminder they didn’t want to deal with.
But like Catherine tells her ex when the boy asks if his grandfather can play football with him, “it isn’t the boy’s fault. He didn’t do anything wrong.”
He tells her the boy is why their daughter committed suicide soon after he was born. And Catherine tells him, “No, she killed herself because of the rape. Not because of the child.”
Why can’t people see that? How can they be so selfish?
I wondered my entire childhood what I could possibly have done wrong that my granny’s adult children seemed to dislike me so much. They looked beyond me like I didn’t exist. Did they not even care what an effect that had on me?
Anyway, back to “Happy Valley.”
Catherine has a tender heart and doesn’t mind men seeing her cry. But she is also tough and can show them she isn’t going to be treated like an underling.
Catherine is dealing with a lot. I think in the first episode she tells a man who won’t do as he’s told that she’s divorced and living with her addict sister. She’s lost one child and the other doesn’t speak to her. And she’s raising her grandchild.
She lets him know that she is capable of dealing with a lot so he might as well do as he’s told because she’s not going to give up.
Then later a prominent male figure is driving under the influence and thinks he can get by with it because of who he is. He thinks he can ruffle Catherine’s feathers by threatening her.
She puts the handcuffs on him when he refuses to breathe into the breathalyzer and he fights her all the way.
I can see that I’m going to enjoy this show. I don’t always understand every word that is said. The accents! But that’s easy enough to fix.
I like this strong woman who is by no means perfect but who will do her job regardless of who tries to thwart her efforts. She isn’t gorgeous and she isn’t thin. I love that Netflix uses actors that look like the rest of us and aren’t winning any beauty contests.
They’re more believable.
I recommended Happy Valley and am glad to hear that you are enjoying it.
best,
Bonnie
The British and Australian shows on Netflix were not produced by Netflix. They are produced by BBC (British Broadcasting) or by Acorn. They have been airing on Public Television (PBS) in Canada and the US for years. I watched Happy Valley and abroad church years ago on PBS. The Killing mentioned in a post above is an American production and the Series is fantastic. It was filmed in Vancouver, Canada about five years ago. The detective show is supposed to be set in Seattle, Washington but the only real scene showing Seattle is the intro scenes where you see the Seattle Spaceneedle. I live just outside Vancouver, British Columbia and recognize all the streets and outdoor scenes as being in Vancouver. This show is more than worthwhile watching. I just finished a new show called Unbelievable. It is only 7 episodes but it too is very good. It is amazing where films are shot, and supposed to portray another town entirely. We have had quite a few Hallmark television movies shot in my town about an hour outside Vancouver. Winter scenes shot in the middle of our hot summers, with snow all over the streets.
Brenda, You are a child who might have been better off with a loving adoptive family. But so much of life is simply not our choice. You have been a voice of comfort and understanding to so many here…probably many who never write…perhaps because their sad hearts cannot put down the words. But that is why I stayed once I found you…you write a lot of things that are comforting and with the empathy we need from others. Isn’t that the best we can do with the lemons of life we are dealt? I certainly had a much better childhood, but as you have heard from me, it was also one of horrors. I had the best mom and one of the worst dads…such an awful thing too. But I think the best we can do is have a good life anyway!! Rape is so awful…it is indeed worthy of the death penalty…so many women and children are left with such a terrible life from such a thing. I do hope recent movements in this country will impact this crime. Such creeps are worst than animals. I am sending you hugs!!
There are so many children who are the victims of their parents shortcomings or adults who are for whatever reason put in their lives. We are now learning that Demi Moore had a not so pleasant childhood, as a result of her mother’s behavior. It is so sad. I never like to hear of children mistreated, and hate being in a store or public place where the children are doing nothing of significance as far as bad behavior, and they are being beat down by the parent.. Saw a Mother in a local retail store verbally abusing young daughter and baby boy who looked like he was probably on 12 months old if that…it makes me feel so uncomfortable and there is basically nothing we can do or say.. Bothersome.. as if they are doing that in public..imagine at home how things must go down……. :0(
Anyhow..went off on a tangent, there..sorry.. .. The blue butterfly photo is lovely… Thanks for sharing.. :0)
The accents are difficult sometimes on the British shows so I often use closed captions.
It sounds like an interesting show, Brenda. I’d never heard of it, will have to check it out.
I watched Happy Valley some time ago and loved it, I do hope that there is a follow up series,
Beautiful butterfly in your garden. I have only seen monarchs and white butterflies this year.
Hubby has widened the borders so next year we can plant more for the bees and butterflies.
Hi Liz from Oz here. There was a second series of Happy Valley. Excellent ss well.
“The Killing” is a series on Netflix you might like a lot.
Love the show! Your gonna love it even more when you get into the later episodes. I like how it’s funny too.
The butterfly is beautiful. I like to think of butterflies that fly by me as lost loves in my life coming to say hello. So pretend it’s Abi telling you she’s okay and thanks you for the love you gave her everyday. Then I take a deep breath and smile.
I really enjoyed Happy Valley, it’s been few years since I watched it, but I Love British shows…the lady that plays Catherine also a main character in Last Tango in Halifax & I enjoyed that one, too…
I’m watching Red Road on Netflix now, it’s good…it just came out last week, I think…
Outlander is great, but I think you said you didn’t really like period shows…
Wentworth is a great show, it Australian show about women in prison…always love seeing pics of your flowers…
I have watched Happy Valley a couple of years ago. It is a great British show. The bad guy went on to do Grantchester and plays an entirely different character. I watch shows on Britbox and Acorn because I love the British shows so much more than American.
I believe I mentioned Happy Valley in quite a long list of Netflix series I suggested to you. I forgot to mention ‘Hinterland’ and ‘Shetland’. Just put on your subtitles. Netflix is wonderful with clear and correct subtitles. It will make all the difference in your enjoyment of the shows.
I’ll definitely check that out. Yes, the accents are interesting. I feel as if I’m learning another language, which I guess i am. Thank goodness for closed caption.
Gorgeous butterfly. I saw a bunch on my sedum. I don’t pick bouquets anymore because the bees and the butterflies need them more than me.
This new show on Netflix sounds good. I am just finishing up Broadchurch.
Have a great start to the new week.
Kris