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Hi guys,
April 21st 2007. 1pm
The last few weeks have been stunning and it's with excitment that I look into the long hazy summer stretching out in front of us all. Britain in spring is a remarkable thing, in any year, but you've all got to admit that 2007 has been nothing short of stunning. Every morning I look out to the wet dew on the grass, meaning no watering the plants until later in the evening.
As I drive the smooth roads and warm tarmac of Southern England, I've been marvelling at the beauty of the greens, the depths of the cool dark shadows on the northern slopes of hills, with massive blue vista stretching over the rolling countryside, and the Kestrel's hovering by the roads, dropping in stages to the scurrying dinner awaiting them in the grasses.
Right now my two dogs are lazing in the warm sunshine as it peeks over the roof of my house, making it's way around the sky to the western side, pouring it's photosynthesising powers into everything, making everything possible. I've spent a tiring half hour digging the garden readying for the next batch of salad vegetables that are due, and to break up the clays to allow the air in and the watering to penetrate to the roots, and stopping everynow and then to stare at those two warm, contented dawgs sprawled out, trying to use the sun's rays for nothing as productive as creating plant sugars, but better, for easing older aching joints. And I can see my radish's just starting to showThat's gonna be a salad week that is, when those boys get plucked from the soil
My mate Dakky, last year, came and pruned my ornamental apple tree. I did'nt know it was ornamental. I was a tad sad as he told me "you'll only get an apple off that if I can drive to work as a Tree and Land Care specialist in an Aston Martin Estate with a towbar and trailer for the mowers." I don't believe that has yet come to pass, as he was right, cos it won't bear fruit, but man did he prune it perfectly. It's an art form, one which I have no eye for, but while he sawed and pruned, hanging from the little branches, mumbling about "crossing branches" he cast a spell on that tree. Dunno what magic it is he holds in his pruning arm, but it's damnably good magic. The blossom is verging on divine, as though someone decided that this year, this tree would get it all. It's unreal. Cheers mate.
And as I pull the starter for the 30th time on my petrol mower, which I don't really need, but which I always wanted, I can't help but smile. Not cos it won't start. No, that makes me shout
Britain. England. Spring to summer. It meant little to me as a kid, because those things....don't really. But now, it means walks with t shirts, not 4 jumpers. It means dry shoes, dry dogs, and all the windows open all weekend
I'd go so far as to ask all those of you with a choice, to maybe not go abroad this year. Maybe not blast off into the sky on a £39 return to Europe. Not for the carbon issue you understand. Nope, just becaue if you look back in the window, at Britain, you see such a stunning wealth of loveliness, that it can't help but get to you.
If you want a good gift idea for someone, especially for yourself, go and get this book.
"A Bad Birdwatchers Companion" by Simon Barnes.
It is, without a doubt, a special way to understand what's going on right under your nose. The descriptions are simple, clean and funny as hell. If you want a reason to sit in your own garden, no matter where it is, with a cold drink, sat on a kitchen chair, this book is it. And it makes sense. And it brings magic to a daunting subject. Birds are no different to you and me. Except that they can't read my ramblings.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bad-Birdwatc.../dp/1904977375
Now , dear Hexus person, I'll wish you all a very lovely weekend, and I shall go & light that BBQ and pour myself a glass of red (yes Tiggerai, it'll be a nice bottle today, prolly a Merlot from Chile (Concha y Toro, Winemakers Lot 1024 which I spotted in my secret storage earlier)) And I shall toast you all, cos only you lot are mad enough to read this rampant rambling!
/raise a mouse to the Hexus Massive
Here's to Britain. Not a bad lump of rock, chalk and clay really. Glad Churchill kept us all together when he did.
Originally Posted by Advice Trinity by Knoxville
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