A bit of "culcha"

Sunday was a nice slow start. H has a streaming cold so was not doing anything for the day. I went to the lottie; planted out some more plantlets, hoed of the potato bed, pulled the black plastic off the Bed2 and stowed it on the path adjacent in the hope of killing some of the weeds. Then the best job. I harvested a plateful of Asparagus and took them home in triumph. It cheered H up. She like a bit a Asparagus. So do I at £5 per bunch in the shops.

I went up to the apiary. The bees were flying as expected on the old hive and were not in the new hive. That is now it should be. I listened to the hive and could hear a contented buzz. I looked through the box and found all in order. There was a good number of bees and they were drawing wax. Always a good sign, on few different levels. I open the old box. I did not smoke them and the wind was from the north still chilly which the bees did not approve of. They piled out of the hive to see who pulling their house to pieces. They did not string just whirled around my head...lot of them. All was in order but I do not think the swarming instinct has been satisfied.

I went home via the petrol station and picked up an indicator bulb for Degsy. Whe I got there H was sat in the garden with a glass of wine. Feeling better then? Apparently it was medicinal. We had a chat about this that and came round to the Ivy. It wants to take over the house and next door but not content with covering the walls it wants to get inside next doors garage. I cleaned some of it off and before long had a big pile of cuttings on the floor however you could not really see where it had come from. A decision has to be made. Having tidied up I ran a bath. I had to make myself presentable. We were going out for a bit a "culcha".

H had got tickets to see the Halle Orchestra at Derby Assembly Rooms. H used to see the Halle a lot in Manchester. I have seen them a few times. A full orchestra in full flow is impressive. Their home used to be the Free Trade Hall. It was not known for its acoustics but it was a great venue. I did not look at the tickets until we gave them to the usher who sent us down to the front row just right of centre, seats A15 & 16. In any other case you would be happy with that but not us. We like to be higher up to, as H puts it, to keep a eye on the percussion section. As it was we got a very good view of the first cello, cello and bass section and the conductor himself. He was giving it some jip, waving his arms about, stamping and growling. I am not sure if he is really needed. The program was Spanish themed music from Charbrier, Rodrigo and Falla. There was a bird doing some singing in the mezzo soprano style. There was also a chap playing a couple pieces on a guitar. He was genuinely impressive although it was not my cup of tea. After the interval there was crowd pleasers, excerpts from Bizet's Carmen and all of Ravel's Bolero. They played Bolero to its with gusto to its climax and famous collapse. It had folks cheering, stamping feet, clapping and whistling. It was like The Quo at the Free Trade Hall Hall except it was all tweed and paste colours at the Assembly rooms. They soon ran out of steam the clapping stopped. We were allowed home. We had that thing where you don't want to look hasty but want to leave. We were just getting to our car when the First Cello came steaming past. He had no such qualms when you think he had to get changed and put away his instrument and lug it to the seventh floor of the car park. He was on his toes. H was very happy to have seen Halle, I was too, after my fashion. We are to see John Cooper Clark, the Bard of Salford supported by Frank Sidebottom, if his mum will let him out. That might be more my level.