Late night music - John Martyn

A brand new find, I don't even know this track! Wonderful new JM keeps surfacing on YouTube which I have never heard before. Duncan, do you know this?

John Martyn with Eddi Reader - He Got All The Whiskey
Grow into these trousers... >>

Thoughts on gardening

After a not bothering much for a few years, my old love of gardening has surfaced again and, since retirement, I now have the time. I won’t be too ambitious this year though, I want to get things cleared out and tamed for next; that’s when the fun starts. Question is what to grow?

Years ago I used to like big garish ornamentals like dahlias and gladioli but they don’t excite me any more, and you can’t eat them. Gradually I began to grow more and more veg until one year I was so sick of courgettes and runner beans I never want to see either again!

It’s not a very big garden but it’s enough for a small greenhouse, five plots of about 1 by 6 or 7m, a couple of smaller 2m plots, a little pond (which needs dredging) and a patio to enjoy it from. There are a couple of trees against the back fence with a buddleia, a blackcurrant bush and a honeysuckle underplanted with cyclamen, grape hyacinth, crocus and suchlike (I will be careful here till I work out what’s what).

At the moment I’m still clearing out grass and nettles but I have one plot planted with onions (looking good) and I hope to have another ready this week for French beans (I have lots of seedlings in pots in the greenhouse alongside the tomatoes and peppers). After that, planting slows down a bit this year. I want some herbs: thyme, sage, basil, oregano etc, I’ve got some mint and will plant garlic later on, but I’m really planning for next year.

Potatoes, carrots and parsnips are on the menu, and some broccoli. Strawberries and raspberries sure, but what else? I don’t just want to grow vegetables but flowers have to earn their place. I’ll throw in some nasturtiums and pot marigolds, because the yellow petals stand out in a salad, and borage, because the little blue flowers look so cool frozen in ice cubes in a summer drink, but then I’m running out of ideas.

I’m in an adventurous mood, I’ve even thought about having an asparagus bed.

Has anyone got any ideas for unusual, unexpected, tasty and productive fruit, veg or flowers? I would love some suggestions. Grow into these trousers... >>

A thought for a Sunday

"Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young".


Henry Ford (1863 – 1947) Grow into these trousers... >>

Blogoversary!

2 years, 876 posts, about 42,000 visits from 20,000 different people. Over 140,000 page views - Wow, that's almost 200 views per day on average.

Where does everyone come from? Mainly the US (17,744 visits) and the UK (11,376), then surprisingly Pakistan (1,526) followed by Canada (1,351) and India (916). Close behind are New Zealand, Germany, Australia, the Netherlands, Spain and South Africa, with substantial numbers (over 200 visits) from Sweden, Malaysia, the Philippines, Tunisia, Brazil, Argentina, Romania and Singapore.

133 different countries in total - I welcome you all and can't express my thanks enough.

I still have a lot of work to do for world domination though. The notable gaps are: Botswana, Chad, Ethiopia, Libya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe in Africa. Afghanistan, Syria, Turkmenistan and Yemen in the Middle East. Burma and North Korea in Asia. Guyana, French Guiana and Surinam in South America. Papua New Guinea in Oceania and Greenland.

The top 5 posts?
Of course the homepage is top with 91,700 hits but I would never have predicted the rest:

1) Red Dwarf: Series 3 -Episode 1 (1,420 views - now pulled by YouTube)
2) Why do some people never think things through? (1,230)
3) Clement Freud dies at 84 (1,181)
4) Another version of Sundance (1,080 - pulled)
5) Red Dwarf: Series 5 -Episode 1 (981 - pulled)

Damn the entertainment police, but at least I still have my theme tune.

Madness - Baggy Trousers


Does all this make me a Bottom Dwelling Blogger? If so I'm among the best of great company and proud to be a part of this community.

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Stats from Google Analytics. Grow into these trousers... >>

Science fiction comes one step closer

A vertical take off rocket engine which can hover, but then it shuts down and re-ignites the engine in flight! Truly awesome engineering to maintain control and attitude. I can't get over how important this is. Conserving fuel in the decent phase of a spacecraft lander is, well, crucial. Especially if you need to be able to lift off again.

Xombie flying rocket shuts down and restarts in mid-air


It's akin to one of these little babies:

Masten Space Lunar Lander Challenge Flight 2


I am impressed. Grow into these trousers... >>

If you ever feel you're sick of your job

Spare a thought for Stevie Starr who's job is regurgitation! How does he do it?

Stevie the professional regurgitator...

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Via GrrlScientist. Grow into these trousers... >>

Late night music - John Martyn

Steve, this is for you...

How would you feel, like, if you and me had a bash at one of your favourite JM songs? Big Muff of course, do you think we could do this version?

John Martyn "Big Muff"


Erm, maybe leave Big Muff for another time. Grow into these trousers... >>

A thought for a SundayMonday*

"A poet's work is to name the unnameable, to point at frauds, to take sides, start arguments, shape the world, and stop it going to sleep".

Salman Rushdie (b. 1947)

*It was too gloriously warm and sunny yesterday to do anything but sit in the shade and drink cold beer! Grow into these trousers... >>

Music for a hot sunny afternoon

I don't know why but this just suits my mood. Best played loud!

Doobie Brothers - China Grove (HIGH QUALITY BEST VERSION)
Grow into these trousers... >>

Quick, Quick, Quick

Go to Google for a quick game.

Note: Use the arrow keys. Grow into these trousers... >>