this time from Jeff:
This is the month that I’m supposed to be telling you all about the fish that I caught on my return to the riverbank after the three month closed season but I’m afraid that story is for another day, simply because I have yet to make the return. And you know what makes that so daft? Aside from the best part of a week spent at Glastonbury I’ve been too busy doing this, Caught by the River, to get time out to go. Four years ago, when our love of fishing inspired Andrew and I to start a blog in the first place, that was not part of the plan, but I’ll tell you what, I’m not complaining (much). Our book turning up on June 16th has given me enough pride and pleasure to realise what a good decision we made back in 2007. I am overjoyed to say the least. It really is a case of who’d have thought it.
Aside from On Nature another book I can also recommend this month, is Fire Season: Field Notes From A Wilderness Lookout by Philip Connors. Connors had me fascinated as he tells what he sees from his observation tower in New Mexico’s Gila wilderness and joins the dots between Aldo Leopold and Jack Kerouac with a subtle nod to Thoreau – “Every day in a lookout is a day not subtracted from the sum of one’s life.” It’s a good read and it’s out in the UK in September. Review to follow.
On the turntable is the new Gillian Welch record and it’s a thing of real beauty. Warpaint knocked me out when I saw them for the first (and second) time at Glastonbury and my mind was properly blown by this young guy, Michael Kiwanuka, when I walked in on his sold out gig at The Social a few weeks ago having no idea of who he was. He’s jaw to the floor good and I cannot recommend you see him loudly enough.
Laugh of the month came about at Glastonbury, in the company of mates Carl Gosling and James Endeacott. 3am on Thursday, when I asked if they knew what was causing the occasional burst of cheer followed by absolute quiet, I was told it was the ‘silent disco’. Somehow, I got the wrong end of the jazz fag and this became a gathering of deaf people. You probably had to be there. I’m glad I was. Over and out.