Over recent years I have developed ‘green finger’ and spent some time growing my own vegetables. It has taken a while, but finally I have grown a bumper crop of carrots. The boy’s and I harvested some of the carrots and a few onions this morning for Sunday lunch.
The colour and aroma of the freshly picked vegetables is fantastic, something the shop vegetables seen to lack – let’s hope they taste as good as they look and smell.
Death and or glory on the battlefield where many a hero fell - not great day for the Confederate Army into the second year of the civil war.
The Battle of Pea Ridge (also known as Elkhorn Tavern) was a land battle of the American Civil War, fought on March 6–8, 1862, at Pea Ridge in northwest Arkansas, near Garfield.
In the battle, Union forces led by Brig. Gen. Samuel R. Curtis defeated Confederate troops under Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn.
The outcome of the battle essentially cemented Union control of Missouri. The battle was one of the few during the war in which a Confederate army outnumbered its Union opponent.
Politics is not really my thing, I do occasionally keep tabs on matters that interest me - this was one of those occasions that interested me.
On Wednesday afternoon, on the BBC Parliament programme, I watched Lord Norton (Conservative Peer) give a great talk 'The Centenary Lecture' on the life of J. Enoch Powell.
It was wonderful to hear in great detail - although squeezed into a 1 hour presentation, the life of one of the most famous and controversial British Politicians of the 20th Century.
Famed for his 'Rivers of Blood' speech in the 1970's he was subsequently made a villain by the English tabloid press because of it, nevertheless, Enoch Powell was a fascinating character of high intellect and a committed Unionist.
Many interesting facts were revealed, including one - Enoch held a deep mistrust of the Americans, who he felt, were the greatest threat to his beloved British Empire – I share that view!
If you have an hour to spare view the lecture here -
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0122hdn/1911_Centenary_Lecture_Enoch_Powell/
HMA
Well folks, I have been back on my tin whistle again, after a several weeks without a tune - here is a beautiful tune I have blogged before and love playing - Lorena.
On this video there are some fantastic photos from American Civil War - battlefields, guns, regiments, sweethearts, graves - oh the futility of war!
In some of the schools where I teach the whistle - I encourage the children to learn this tune (slow version). I tell them the story of the tune, all the sadness of the soldiers leaving their sweethearts behind and why the song was banned by the Generals on both sides, because so many soldiers were running off home to their loved ones.
They are all so very quiet! but it soon becomes a firm favourite with them - oh yes and me!
