April 2015 - Hosts of Golden Daffodils

My last letter got a mixed reaction, for which I was grateful; all of it. Thanks for your comments. Some dismissed it as a rant although I intended it as more than that. It was meant as observations on life. And yet the criticisms were valid in that it was too serious. It should have been lighter.

I was disappointed at the lack of comments on the accuracy or otherwise of the points made. A few responded and I was heartened by those who looked beneath the surface of the words. Some thought it was insightful, expressing views shared by many but which they’re slow to air in public. Some didn’t agree with my view not to vote but couldn’t disagree that you can’t trust politicians. So the question remains, why vote for people we don’t trust? With one friend, we tried to name trustworthy MPs and came up with two; one of whom is dead.

Another view was that ‘It’s good to share opinions’; indeed it is. I value views I hadn’t considered when I hear opinions that don’t accord with mine. I welcome them. We all have opinions although many are unwilling to feel the wash of dragon breath that results from expressing a view that exposes the herd mentality and commonplace acceptance of the paradigms given to us by political and religious leaders. In other words, the great majority like being told what to think and do.

Individuality is applauded and thereby claimed – until you’re asked to stand up and be counted. Then there is a rush for the shadows.

If any of my views offended – that’s life. It’s my hippy nature to prefer revolution to evolution. Yes, I lean towards the villainous Ché Guevara rather than that sweet and cuddly Roy Wood of Wizard. Should my words offended enough, you can always ask to be taken off the 'Letters' Dist List. These letters are not compulsory and it is inevitable that from time to time I’ll express observations in terms that unsettle. You choose. I try to make them light if the topic permits but life brings all sorts of experiences – some warrant closer examination that might in turn not fare well in the spotlight. We get what we get.

Following that letter, I developed those views on voting and the democracy into a 1200 word essay that went to the Times, the Telegraph, Private Eye, the Electoral Reform Society and three departments of the BBC – after a draft was tried out on the more politically-minded of my Dist Lists. And there it rests. I got my frustrations off my chest and was for the most part ignored; situation normal.

An unexpected benefit was that I got introduced to a new author – José Saramago. Amongst his writings are a couple of novels that represent the concept of a electorally-disenchanted public where their disinterest manifests (in metaphor) as blindness. Instead of apathy, as disenchantment  grows, blindness spreads in its place. If that were to happen, what would the effect be on everyday life and how would that society survive? Still reading the story so can’t tell you if the butler did it.

 A friend sent me an email with a YouTube link https://youtu.be/egX9N8yOgaU to ‘Goodnight Sweetheart’ by The Spaniels. Schoolmates may remember this from the 50s. A captivating a cappella version is available at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1VSBJHH2-Y.  From this link, you’ll find other a cappella songs if you enjoy this style.

That got me thinking about a song called “I Bid You Goodnight” - one of my favourite numbers - by Aaron Neville. At https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81vWrOAE1vA  you will hear this song which is destined to feature at my funeral when the curtains close behind me as I go down the chute. Sorry to drift into such a morbid arena but I would like to choose the music at my funeral. You’ll be arriving to several versions of Nivram by Hank Marvin with various of his friends. Make yourself comfortable, I have at least four versions and find it difficult to choose between them so you may get them all. Depends on how many turn up and how long it takes to get you seated. That’s the start and Aaron Neville will sing ‘I Bid You Goodnight’ at the end. Just need one or two for the middle to illustrate my attitude to life. You know me well - any suggestions?

I’ve been taking a lot of photos of everyday things; work in the garden, ducks on the golf course, the golf course itself, and the weather. This is a composite landscape of four photos – a view of the first fairway to the car park - from the putting green, when dark clouds came over as I was practicing. Two minutes later the Heavens opened but I was in the car – happy ending.

 

The arrival of kinder weather masquerading as Spring brought a growth spurt. Trees and bushes expressed their joy by growing like Triffids chugging Baby Bio. Frankly, Nature is shameless when it’s in a good mood, causing a bit of a nuisance. Luckily, the electric hedge trimmer is a powerful ally and I became Edward Scissorhands. It’s been a while since I’ve been compared to Johnny Depp.

My old and dear friend Lynn doesn’t like me climbing ladders at my age. Having known me for 45 years, she thinks, rather unkindly I feel, that I'm an old man, Consequently, I mention it now that it’s over and I haven’t broken anything. This was the two trees before I lopped the tops and then the ‘after’ condition, plus the debris. Twelve sacks went to the tip and there’s plenty still laying around for my collection of bugs to nest in.

 

 The ever-informative, all-knowing radio wisdom that is Gardeners’ World advises that there should be no bare ground in your garden. Apparently, you should shred twigs and leaves and use that pre-compost to cover bare areas. Some favour bark chippings but garden waste is recommended. That way you (a) feed the garden via the Circle of Life and (b) create small bug communities.

The birds have wised up to this leaving it a while for the communities to get established with lots of tiny creatures scurrying around, and then come in for raids of fresh food; a sort of Tesco Live.

It was a nice day. There I was, 20’ up a ladder, happily lopping off branches with the secateurs, concentrating on not including fingers in the harvest, a light breeze playing around my face bringing a degree of comfort in the sunshine, until the breeze decided it wanted to try its hand at being a grown up wind. In this endeavour it was moderately successful and after a while rather than give up and go in for a cup of tea, it seemed a good idea (?) to carry on - clinging to the tree with one hand while trying to hack at it with the secateurs in the other. Ironic eh? Biting the hand that feeds you - but the red-leaved tree was kind and supported me generously and gamely till I had finished, despite my decimation of its upper new growth which was adopting S Club 7's advice to 'Reach for the Stars' and making a pretty good fist of it.

The green-leaved tree being of softer wood, was another matter entirely. Cunningly, it took the aluminium ladder’s weight deceptively, giving no indication that me on the ladder as well would be too much for it. Waiting till I was about 6’ off the ground, the branch against which the ladder was resting, snapped without warning and fell into the tree causing the ladder to drop about 4’. Being the graceful athlete that you know me to be, I jumped off landing safely – ankles together, knees slightly bent, arms extended in the classic dismount favoured by Olympic gymnasts. You could almost hear the drum roll plus “Tah Dah!” Nothing broken, happy ending again.

For Lynn and any others who worry about these garden antics, let’s keep it in perspective - I fell 4’ while still on the ladder - and jumped all of two feet. I suppose a tuck and roll might have got me extra marks but it all happened too fast.

There hasn’t been much watching of TV since the last letter. Life has brimmed with nothing of consequence. This seems to be how I pass most days. Each day flies by filled with the unremarkable  – and yet there is no tedium, just entertainment and fascination everywhere. Since the last letter, the daffs have budded, blossomed and died. Below, are scenes that I pass every day. Fields were awash with daffs in March and April then Rape seed in April and May. 



The pond on the 13th.

Donovan sang in celebration of Mellow Yellow. This is the colour of Lincs in March and April. Our roadsides are lined with daffs. Many more photos to follow next year, celebrating String's Fields of Gold.

 

 

 

Camera Club wants to attract new members. As part of the push to publicise our work, I asked the golf club management if they would have some of our photos on the walls of the restaurant and clubhouse. In that discussion, Chris, the senior pro, asked if I would take some photos of the course. Here are a couple. This is a view from the patio. The other is a 200 yard Par 3.

 

Well, there is it. Lots of nothing much. This is my life. And yet, in amongst all of this quiet solitude there is company, affection and occasionally, intrigue. Friends here and in Essex get in touch now and then by email and phone. I return to the Mothership that is Basildon every few months for a week of lunches and dinners and many of you kindly make yourselves available for yet another reunion.

Separately, in my daily life, the News is awash with sex scandals involving clergy that are not just the Catholics, Cancer cures, MPs still promising Jam Tomorrow and only just beginning to realise that they are universally disliked and mistrusted, and now FIFA wants a bit of the spotlight. We are spoiled for entertainment. “In my humble opinion, Claude, Life is too serious a business to be taken seriously.” – Rumpole of the Bailey.

I hope I have made this easier reading than the last letter. It is not hard to find the humour in most situations. But you have to go in with that attitude.

Let’s close with something from the news. Although I don’t watch too much TV now due to bounteous other distractions, I still like to watch a lot of BBC News which includes The Film Review with Mark Kermode where he tells you about the latest releases.

This week, he recommended a new film called ‘Tomorrowland – A World Beyond’, where a teenage girl finds a button that, when she touches it, transports her to an alternative universe. Intriguing, eh? I suspect many of you will be rushing to get the DVD.