The return of the golden birch

We had some nice weather during lockdown yesterday and during the lunch break (as we’re working from home) did a little bit of tidying up in the garden. Little and often as they say, even if it is just walking up and down the garden path wielding a pair of snippers and clipping here and there (cutting off the odd dead tomato and courgette stalk). It’s still gardening though isn’t it?

The stuff we sowed in the raised beds at the start of lockdown are still making progress, there’s some beetroot to be harvested, probably two parsnips and the odd tiny lettuce. It ain’t the good life for sure but it’s the life for us!

The upside down terrarium/fish bowl found in the street certainly gets used in the Weeds garden, it might have been moved yesterday to cover a pepper plant that is still going strong but previous to that it was keeping a bit of sprouting ginger and some garlic seedlings warm.

And just to prove it ain’t spring, our silver birch found in the street three years ago here is turning a lovely old shade of golden. It is November you know? The dahlias don’t seem to know it though! #lockdownlunchbreak

This land is your land

Yesterday afternoon just as the rain started to pour we popped in to Shannon’s for some multi-purpose compost for our new zinc planters in the back garden. While we were there we got chatting to a nice chap from The Woodland Trust and asked if they’d be up for compiling a chart for us. Until they get back to us here’s a quick woodland-related five on this wet and chilly Good Friday. We honestly can’t see ourselves putting those spuds in the ground this weekend, so it’s back to looking on the internet for odd and interesting seeds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=119&v=lJD5btoCsmo

Non X Factor business (Death in the arena)

Whack the stereo up loud, open up those back doors and blast out this corker from Pinchers & Bounty Killer called “Don’t Get Weary” while sweeping up the earliest of those autumn leaves. If it’s the evening when you are reading this and you’re indoors, just turn the heating up and pour yourself a Baileys and Brandy and enjoy.

Years and years ago the Rhythm Doctor introduced me to the pleasures of the Studio 1 12″ single which led me to buy “Death In The Arena” by The Soul Vendors (the original of the above rhythm from around 1968) from Dub Vendor on reissue in the early 1980’s.

And by chance while looking around the web this morning, I found the inspiration to the Death In The Arena rhythm by Pretty Purdie called Funky Donkey from 1967. It is funky as the name suggests, but I do prefer the Jamaican jazzier take on it.

And if you want more of the same here’s a version of it I bought (supposedly brand new) as a seven inch single in the Midlands in the late 1970’s by U Brown called Black Star Liner. Mine is authentically pressed very off-centre with lots and lots of surface noise. Tune!