Cheers To Debby H again for sending some pics. The above are some of the dwarf daffodils (about 6 inches tall) growing in her garden. As she says “They are popping up in clumps all over the place. These are the first flowers that have opened up in our garden this year and they are brightening things up nicely.” She also sends a picture of some croci (below) growing along the path by the Pymmes Brook. Great stuff Debby! It can’t be long until all our gardens start getting into gear now.
This afternoon we were listening to a mixtape on Radio is a Foreign Countrywhich is a wonderful radio show broadcast on WRMI (Mondays 0300-0500 UTC on 9395 kHz) also it’s own internet radio station and website. This is how they describe what they do, “An endless stream of obscure (and mostly retro) global music and audio ephemera rarely heard outside their home region.” This tune above by Los Zheros called Para Chachita was heard on the mixtape section called “Peruvian 45s” and is a corker! The whole mixtape is great in fact. Explore some worldwide mix goodness here.
While searching through those old gramaphone records the other night for a forthcoming shortwave mix we came across this tune called Texas Yellow by Urchin which we had well forgotten about. It’s a long one but a tune that you can really get lost in. It was nice to rediscover it and there’s even a Aquilegia named after it too!
Thanks to Ruth for getting in touch about this great event on Sunday 25th February 2024 from 1-4pm held at the AFRIL allotment of refuge at One Tree Hill Allotments SE23 3NP. It looks well interesting, there’s a bit of a seed swap, a free vegan lunch, a tour of the garden and at 2.30pm talks, a workshop and a Q&A session. It’s free and more details and tickets can be obtained here. Thanks for letting us know Ruth!
And this is a pic of a scarecrow at One Tree Allotments from a couple of years ago. We think that the coat has been changed for a yellow one now but it is still there and still creeps us out when we’re passing by. It’s those hands placed casually in the pockets that does it.
Thank you to Rich R for sending us this tranquil scene of what it was like in the Lake District on Sunday just gone. It looks glorious Rich, very relaxing. He was saying it got very windy later and colder weather is forecast sadly. We’ll leave you all with this great snapshot in time!
We’ve made a start on the seed sowing today. We found our propagator and its lid plus another seed tray the other day and earlier this morning popped to B&Q and got some seed sowing compost for £6 and some of those great pots that allow roots to grow through.
It’s mainly chilli peppers we’ve sown but there’s also some tomatoes too. It’s probably a tad early for the tomatoes but they mention on the chilli seed packets to start them early as possible. With all of this nice weather at this time of year we may as well take advantage of it. We’ll keep you posted when they germinate. Anyone else started yet?
Today has been a nice day 8 degrees and sunny, you wouldn’t think it’s the first day of February. Thanks to Debby H for getting in touch with a picture taken last week of a cherry tree which had already started to blossom in Southgate. The blossom is on the water sprouts at the bottom of the tree. As she said “I never ever recall seeing cherry blossom in January before.” She’s right!
Even the Lldl bargain bulbs we bought in the autumn are starting to sprout at the moment. It certainly has been mild of late but you know what this weather is like, God only knows what’s around the corner. Here’s to good weather!
Here’s a tune for this sunny but cold Sunday. It’s from a good few years ago from Delhi 2 Dublin and it’s called Get on The Bus. The tune was found last week whilst researching a shortwave mix. It’s a wonderful tune and very dubwise.
Talking of On the buses, we’ve been alerted to a really good cafe by Waterloo Bus Garage called The Bus Cafe. We’ve never been ourselves as we’ve only found out about it but we will, you can be sure of it. It looks great, meals are cheap, you will be sharing a table with a bus driver and if you’re that way inclined you can even play a game of pool with one (winner stays on, of course). As it says on Trip Advisor “Good food and (a) nice no-frills experience”, well if that ain’t a good enough recomendation we don’t know what is. Big up all the bus driver (and conductor) lunchtime crew.
Culture – Two Sevens Clash “I take a ride sometimes On Pennoverland and Branx And sometimes I ride on bus X-82, say what?”
Imaginary Stations takes to the internet airwaves from his Monday on Electromagnic Radio. It looks a great station with lots of great shows here.
Times are Mondays at 2pm and on a Saturday at 7pm both UK time. Tune in and enjoy the first show which is Radio Lavalamp but that’s after exploring all the other musical possibilities that are on the site. Enjoy the diverse range of musical enjoyment on Electromagnetic Radio.
News just in of the first Seed Swap of 2024. It’s not south London but it’s in Hackney Wick at Hackney Herbal at Trowbridge Gardens,1 Trowbridge RoadHackney WickE9 5LD. It’s on Saturday March 16th from 2.30 to 4.30pm and Free. More on their Spring Equinox Seed Swap here. If we find out about any more Seed Swaps especially situated the south side of the river we’ll let you know. If you hear of any do let us know too.
We’ve just found out they have an irregular radio show on the great Soho Radio called “Between 2 Parsleys” which is a show that “explore herbs through the interwoven stories of plants and people.” Sounds well interesting, more on the show here.