Sunday, January 27, 2008

















































How Do You Know When You Are Dead?

I suppose posing this question is a bit too deep for this light-hearted blog?

The effects of global warming on these last few winters would suggest that the answer is: when the rain stops.

Relentless rains & strong winds haunt these snowless winters for me. Regular roof tile replacement & a spring/summer battle with the slabs in my driveway & the moss & mushrooms/toadstools on the lawn, stop me from getting bored.

I should really read up on fungi as some of them could be edible. This reminds me of the doubt & my confidence in my father’s knowledge of fungi as he grew older.

In the cold dark winter mornings time slippages seem to occur too. My alarm is set at 7.15 a.m. I awaken & turn it off & have a quick snooze, only to find at least half an hour just disappears.

By the time I pee & get the coffee made, another half hour vanishes. There are indeed mysterious forces at work in the winter.

It is small wonder that in northern europa, there are so many pagan & Celtic festivals in the depths of winter. This tradition carries on today…. .e.g. Celtic Connections has just finished & Instal @ Arches just around the corner.

Perhaps this was to appease the gods that controlled, light, time & the weather.

There is a doubleplusgood side to these long dark nights. You can listen to Drum Circus – ‘Magic Theatre’ from 1971………its well crazy (missed it first time around) & you can puzzle over the issue date for Simaril – ‘Voyage of Icarus’ (2007) as it sounds as if it was recorded at the same time as Drum Circus.

Like I mentioned above, there are many strange forces around during the dark days of winter.

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