Alton Ellis

Jah Stitch

Easter birds

On Good Friday we saw several wheatear plus a pair of golden plover on a lovely walk with Richard and Jan to the trig beyond the golf course. However the birding highlight of the holiday weekend was a pair of gargeny at Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB reserve Avocet, bar and black-tailed godwit and gawall were also send on a bit of a "flying visit". I think we'll be going back again, maybe in the autumn, to what is a great reserve with friendly helpful staff

Wear your natural, baby

Easter plans

My plans for Easter involve hopefully having a bit of down-time prior to my stag night next weekend, and our wedding the week after. With reports of pied flycatcher and common sandpiper arriving in the local area along with wheatear and golden plover I'm very keen to do some bird-watching walks. Roding woodcock is a possibility because outings might have to be early or late if the weather is good. Ring ouzel is another target bird, especially if we venture further up the dale at some point

From the King to the Queen

More Elvis

Swallows

Four; last night. Ace

Elvis

I went to see a customer on Friday afternoon (my last meeting of the week), and he greeted me with a big grin and a 22 track live Elvis CD. What a lovely way to wind up the week. Oh, and he gave me a very nice order too

Fells and Bells Blonde

Fells and Bells Blonde is labelled and ready for our big day 

Whisper to me

The List

It was a big night last Wednesday evening; the time when the list of pubs for our mid-week summer social runs is pored over, scrutinised and finalised. Several old favourites (Fleece in Haworth, OWB, Slaters at Bradley) were approved with a nod; some candidates were rejected, "that landlord is a miserable sod", " Tetleys", "Up for sale. There's a note on the door asking the coalman for no more deliveries for the foreseeable future" but consensus was gained in an hour or so

Last night was the first of our "summer runs". Someone forgot to inform the weather gods because it was cold, misty and gloomy running from the excellent Kings Arms in Silsden. Gloomy enough for us to not reach our intended target of the Doubler Stones, but not gloomy enough to spoil a great start to the season for 23 Keighleyites and Poppy the dog. Top marks go to the legend that is PetShopPete for bringing some new runners into the fold and to the Wensleydale Brewery for their superb Semer Water ale!

The Spellbinders

Rita and the Tiaras

Northern soul

Martyn made me a CD up last year with what I thought was 50 or maybe 100 classic Northern Souls songs. To be honest I think I played it one day for a few tunes but wasn't in the right frame of mind. Yesterday, on a trip down to the East Midlands I got round to a proper listen at last

Now I'm not a soul music afficinado. I love Tamla and "rare-groovey soul-jazz" and funk but have never really got into Northern. The first thing that struck me was maybe only a third or even a quarter of the songs were "obviously Northern Soul". There were actually quite a few different types of sounds: early 60's black sounding R&B, very white sounding 60's "pop-soul", what I think of proper Northern Soul (stomping back beat, piano, brass, harmonies, and great songs about love). The surprise was the Philly sounds, the early disco and the late 80's modern R&B

I'll be posting few favorite tunes through the week. Many thanks Martyn and hey, it seemed appropriate to listen to the tunes in and around the Midlands. It's just a shame I don't have customers in Stoke, Blackpool or Wigan!