Feeling high, so high…

It’s been a hot weekend to say the least here in SE23!

Yesterday was spent at a local “Midsummer Fayre” in the searing heat but a great time was had by all. Between the Taekwondo demonstration, a brass band (playing renditions of Dancing Queen and Anarchy in the UK) and the eagerly awaited results to the prize rafffle, various plant and bric-a-brac stalls were visited. A few bargains were acquired; some plants, a couple of rugs for indoors and a foot high plastic mushroom (above) for a pound. A right bargain!

And as you know we are suckers for any plant that is subtitled “Rare” “Giant” or “Unusual” in seed listings and it looks like the giant Sunflower seeds we bought on ebay are coming true to their word. They’re at seven foot now and not stopping. We’ll keep you posted on how high they get.

And talking of Rupie Edwards’ Ire Feelings here’s a couple of cuts of it, the second has a little bit of the tune Nite Owl from Tony Allen and the Champs and also later covered by Lee & The Clarendonians. More about that great piece of music from a post earlier this year here. It’s a small musical world. Keep cool and keep safe this week as it’s going to be a hot one!

‘ere? ‘ave you seen me Solstice?

Happy Solstice to one and all! Think of today as “The beginning of winter’s death” (Den Ming Dao, 365 Tao #355 Winter) rather than the grey, drizzly day stuck in lockdown again, the Monday before Christmas 2020 it really is.

We are presently keeping ourselves amused by watching the replay of the Stonehenge Winter Solstice stream here on youtube where at the moment there’s a bunch of security guards in high visibility vests congregating in the upper right hand corner either having their own celebration or standing around a calor gas heater.

Big shout to all our gardening and music mates worldwide and remember, from today the days will be getting longer and the sunny days are on their way (well we can dream can’t we?)

Dubbing is a must

Next Sunday 11th October 2020 One Deck Pete will be presenting an hour’s “Weeds up to me knees dub mix” on Jesse Yuen‘s excellent North of the River Swan (a show featuring music of the downtempo, dub and bass variety) show from 4pm-6pm on RMT.FM Radio Thamesmead. Pete’s mix will commence around 5pm and to tune in click here. Expect dub of the old and new. Here’s the last show from July below to give you a sample of the top tunes played.

And this excellent tune from Tyler Ov Gaia called A Portal into another world will be thrown into pete’s mix for go measure. Tune in next week!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rvv8dNnfnBU

Seedswapping, we’re seedswapping (and spud buying)

Here’s news of three interesting events (all FREE!) coming up in the forthcoming months. The first is the Incredible Edible Lambeth Seed Swap on Saturday February 9th from 12-3pm at The Garden Museum, Lambeth Palace Road, London SE1 7LB. More details here.

The second is The Roots & Shoots Potato Day over Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th February 2019 from 11.00am-2.30pm at Roots & Shoots, Walnut Tree Walk, Lambeth SE11 6DN. More details at www.roots&shoots.org 

And the third another Potato Day on Sunday March 3rd from 11-4pm at The Garden Museum, Lambeth Palace Road, London SE1 7LB. More details here. More details about Potato Days nationwide here. 

Rock the CABAHs, rock the CABAHs

You know we love a plant sale here at Weeds. Thanks to Lewisham Gardens for letting us know about the Charlton & Blackheath Amateur Horticultural Society‘s plant stall at The Horn Fair, Charlton House SE7 8RE on Sunday 14th October from 10am-6pm. There’s plants grown by members, free seeds and a talk with gardening tips and tricks at 11am, what more do you want! Fingers crossed the weather’s good. Remember do send us details of any plant sales, seed swaps etc and we’ll give them a plug.

John Peel is not enough

Big shout to a good gardening pal of ours who’s putting on an event in the Merton Art Space (at the Wimbledon Library) on Monday 22nd October 2018 from 7.30-10.30pm featuring the electronic duo Spray (featuring Ricardo Autobahn who sounds interesting by all accounts) and a John Peel inspired DJ set from Venice Hopper (tickets £12 plus £1.45 booking fee.) More about what looks like an interesting night here.

That’s May sorted then!

Two events in the distant future that are well worth sticking in the diary or on that wallchart thingy:

Annual plant sale at The South London Botanical Institute, 323 Norwood Road SE24 9AQ. Saturday 12th May 11am – 1pm. Wide range of unusual, locally grown and reasonably priced plants and advice on how to grow them. Free entry. More info here.

Spring Plant Fair at Telegraph Hill Centre, Kitto Road, New Cross, London, SE14 5TY. Saturday 19th May 2018. 1pm until 2pm. Admission £2. More info here.

And for no other reason that finding this single on youtube at work this afternoon here is the excellent Big Youth with Gregory (Isaacs) with My Time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtYpqLqOQiA

And Bob Andy’s original from years gone by. Tunes to stick on loud this weekend while keeping warm indoors if the weather forecast is to be believed! Roll on spring!

Tomorrow never knows

Thanks to @hincmariana for letting us know about the great free event tomorrow at The Garden Museum. We’ve left it a bit late but it’s an event worth going to if you like a seed swap like we do.

Incredible Edible Seed Swap
Sat 27 January 2017
1.00-3.00pm (no booking required).
The Garden Museum
5 Lambeth Palace Road
London SE1 7LB

And accompanying news of the seed swap here’s a couple of lovely tunes heard on this week’s Ross Allen Show on NTS which has been on rotation here at Weeds HQ. The first is by The Officials called Distant Drums on a very limited Soul Jazz/Studio 1 release.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hXeBDp7N2o

The next is a previous unknown Four Tops track called Don’t bring back memories (we don’t think this was the actual mix Ross played but it is a tune!) Best of luck to all who are going to the seed swap tomorrow!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtccMD8iPgM

It’s that time of year again

Happy New Year and a big shout to everyone who’s survived the festive period without a cold, the flu or a chest infection! Sadly we’ve been out the game for a couple of weeks due to illness but we’re back on track now. A date we’re looking forward to is Sunday 11th February when there’s a Seed Potato and Vegetable Seed Shop at Roots and Shoots, Walnut Tree Walk, London SE11 6DN. It runs from 11am until 2pm and looks like it’ll be a good morning out. More details here.

And for no reason at all apart from hearing it on BBC Radio 6 this evening, a odd sausage of a tune by Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot called Bonnie and Clyde from the grand old year of 1968. The big question is, is it a Cuíca or a human voice making the strange sound?