The gates of sweet hell, Babylon

A musical safari today (well the X-Factor starts (yet) again tonight (has it not run its course yet?) .

The gates in question are the back garden gates.The hell is painting all those edges and in-betweeny bits, but the sweet bit is the sound of wifey belting it out on the karaoke machine. Isn't it great when the neighbours p**s of away on holiday and she can give it a 'proper' go!

Whilst painting, wasting one of the few sunny days of the summer, we could have been out safari-ing but chores have to be done, the work was made much easier listening to Mrs McG giving absolutely superb renditions (yes I know its easier in your living room than in front of Simon Cowell and his crew but it was that good) of a variety of artistes, Abba, Robbie Williams, Jamelia, numbers from Les Miserables and The Lion King. Then stunning versions of songs by musical divas (and I don't use the term lightly) like Shirley Bassey and Dolly Parton.

Painted Lady, Red Admiral and Large White butterflies flitted round the last of the flowers on the Buddleia. The heat was hot in the yard but 'Wichita Linesman' had me coming out in goosebumps - brilliant - not my favourite song by a long way.

'Mississippi in the middle of a dry spell' Alannah Myles' bluesy tones simply oozed out of the living room window. How well Mrs McG sings this!!! 'The sun is setting like molasses in the sky' (for a recent Blackpool sunset see here on 16th August). I can feel the sweltering heat, the tension in the still Southern air and even hear the Cicadas rasping in the trees along the levee (if levees have trees). Never liked Elvis much but I'll forgive him for being the inspiration for this song.

Interruption - - - the gulls go up in a cacophony of yelling - a Buzzard is spotted disappearing over the rooftops, a desperate scrabble for the bins ensued - missed it. J.D on the South side had a Honey Buzzard as a garden tick yesterday and B.A had an Osprey. 99% probably a Buzzard but that niggling 1% could have had as something else...It did put up the local female Sparrowhawk which kept the gulls squawking a bit longer.

Goldfinches (the new House Sparrows?) and Greenfinches work their way through the sunflower seeds in the feeder.

Finished the painting - hands are sore and going to suffer out on safari tomorrow. But at least the dang gates are done for this summer. A few Swallows twittered southwards as the afternoon cooled.

Posty has brought the latest Subbuteo Books catalogue and in it I notice my mate Johnny- Boy Poland's cracking book 'The vegetative key to the British Isles' I recommend anyone with an interest in botany to get themselves a copy, a bargain at 25 quid. Now all I need is a publisher for my own book and that's my next job this evening!

Where to next? First up a dash out to the beach with Frank to play in the surf. Then tomorrow, depending on the weather, could be a safari to try to get a 'north of the river' tick.

In the meantime let us know who's been singing in your outback.

PS. A prize to anyone who can give the artist etc responsible for the title of this blog - no googling now!!! Answers on a postcard again to......

A late PPS - Les Paul as in Gibson guitars died recently...RIP...that guy was responsible for some awesome guitarists and guitar music including, amongst many many others, Slash (English not American - born in Stoke-on-Trent), Bernie Marsden (underrated) and the superb Gary Moore (better in Colluseum II than Thin Lizzy but never a slouch), oh and Eric Clapton of course.