Grapes of Wrath and Things

Well, I managed to harvest the black grapes OK, on Sunday 15th October, the day after Caroline's 50th birthday Ceilidh bash - which was a roaring success by the way, raising over £900 for the ME charity. (Thanks a million to all who contributed.)

Anyway, here I am with the harvest half-collected:


You'll notice I'm wearing my very stylish "Chuckle Brothers" jumper. At least that's what my extremely supportive sons call it.

Well those grapes were pretty good on the whole, and a week later I managed to squeeze out around 18 litres.


That's all now busily fermenting away in the garage ... yes!!

The green ones, on the other hand, were a complete disaster. They started off in early summer looking very promising indeed. Then they suddenly gave up the ghost around mid-July and began to go dark grey and shrivel. This is what they finally looked like. Huh...


It was either drought, shanking, mildew, vine-weavil or one of about 179 other nasties that can trouble grapes. It certainly wasn't lack of feeding 'cos I was particularly diligent about that.

On a brighter note - spotted this very attractive butterfly sunning itself on the side of my wind-generator:


The machine definitely seems to be more useful as a wild-life reserve than as a means of powering the house. Of course it would probably help if it were sited somewhere where it could actually feel the wind!

And speaking of such things, I recently invested in a second solar panel. Just finished fitting it up to the existing sytem.


The new one's on the right. That gives me a stupendous 28 watts. Or could. Theoretically. If the conditions were right.

You will have observed that it is mounted vertically. Not, you might think, the most effective attitude. But it's easier to mount that way, and if it's good enough for the CIS Building in Manchester it ought to be good enough for me.

And it seems to be enough to cope with a PIR-operated light outside the back door, another in the garage, and a couple of bed-side lights. Also provides power to the shed and the greenhouse. Of course I can't have many of them running simulataneously.

And just to "prove" it does work - here it is feeding a healthy voltage to the batteries:



The green LED on the charge controller indicates the batteries are sufficiently charged to provide power. And yes, that really is 13.7 volts.

I'm deeply indebted to Pete for designing the very nice solar logo that you can just see at the top of the pic.

Mind you, as winter draws on so to speak, I suppose I'll be lucky if it all keeps working over the solstice period, what! Ne'er mind, eh? Panto rehearsals to look forward to.

SNOW WHITE.

Don't missi it!!

Wilding Grape Harvest 2006 - Mixed Prospects

[If you're looking for the podcast of the interview Margaret & I did for KLT at Knutsford 1350 AM , it's in the previous posting - keep scrolling down ...]

Hmm. After a promising start in spring & early summer, the Madeleine Angevine grapes under our carport are looking distinctly sad.

This picture was taken today (9th September). Harvesting would normally be another month hence. Yet the grapes are shrivelling like raisins already. I only wish I could describe the above as an example of the 'Noble Rot'. Alas, I fear there is nothing noble about it.

Because something similar happened last year and, to a lesser extent the previous year, I embarked upon a very diligent regime of spraying with seaweed extract (for feed/pest-repellance), Epsoms salts (for magnesium deficiency) and Dithane (for mildew), at the regular recommended intervals. The flowers formed well, and the plant as a whole looked healthier than in previous seasons. Plenty of nice strong growth etc. We got through polination OK, and the grapes started to develop nicely. Then, in mid summer, the dreaded powdery coating made an appearance - on the grapes although, strangely, I haven't really noticed any on the leaves or stems. The grapes virtually stopped swelling, and darkened in colour, taking on a most unappetising dull grey hue. This is not how they should be: M Angevine is a green grape, intended for white wine.

And yet ... somehow, the grapes do seem to be quite sweet. Last year I have to admit that they made a wine that was (is) quite palatable, and with practically no need to add any sugar. But the yield was less than in other recent seasons. This year the grapes are, again, fairly sweet, but the quantity is going to be right down. Earlier, several of the developing berries dropped. I reckon the heat and drought of July/August are partly responsible. But why has it happened for three years on the trot? I'm mystified.

I know MA is susceptible to mildew, but I was optimistic that the spraying would do the trick. It's not as though the plant is young. It must now be around 15 years old, so it should be pretty deeply-rooted. It gets fed in February just like it's supposed to be, etc. Of course, the plastic of the carport roof may be partly to blame - stagnant air and all that.

Ah well. MA ain't regarded as the best producer of wines. I may take the axe to it. Replace it with a disease-resistant hybrid such as Seyve Villard which, this year, has a few nice-looking bunches on it.

Of course, there are other problems - notably wasps, snails (yes they CAN climb) and (occasionally) birds. I've netted some grapes, but this will cut down the amount of light they receive thus probably negating any advantage. Ho-hum.

Still, the Boskoop Glory looks to be doing fine. Famous last words, probably ...

BG is in fact a dessert grape, but I ignore that! The trouble is it makes a rather flabby wine. Still, it's alcoholic, which is the main thing, what. And of course, I have managed to prove that it is more than theoretically possible to produce wine from grapes as far north as Knuitsford. Also very important, that.

The tomatoes, are OK too - better late than never...

Is it just me, or do other people feel that toms are ripening later each year? Sommat odd going on there. Shouldn't global warming be bringing them on quicker?

And that reminds me - D & I went to an interesting workshop on renewables today, at Tegg's Nose Park, Macclesfield. Seems I'm at least heading in the right direction with my "wind generator" ...

Because of where it's sited (subtely hidden from view - and the wind - by a nice green screen of trees) it doesn't turn that often, even when it's windy. And it produces a meagre amount of electricity when it does - being based on a bike hub alternator producing 5W absolute MAX. But, in tandem with an 8W solar panel, an old car battery and a DIY inverter (WIRELESS-CONTROLLED), it means we can now at least power a couple of bedside lamps and a radio/CD player. From small acorns, and all that. Ah, me.

RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET opens Monday.
Yikes!

KLT ON-AIR

Knutsford Little Theatre goes ON-AIR

If you missed it, why not have a listen to ...
Margaret & Mike being interviewed by Knutsford 1350 AM
(Knutsford High School's radio station)
Sorry about the background hum, by the way. It wasn't us!

KLT was also featured on Granada TV's Go Northwest
Broadcast last night

... all 2-minutes'-worth.
I'm on the hunt for autographs now!!

-------------------------------------------------

And don't forget
RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET ...

12-16th Sept.
Make sure you get your tickets now - they're going fast.
phone 01565 631237 - ask for Margaret.

Oh, yes, and the music for the show is provided by ...

of Chedigny (France) Blues Festival fame!!!

Have fun!

Return to the Forbidden Planet

Our next production at Knutsford Little Theatre is imminent...

Poster designed and produced by Bob Jennings

Performances September 12-16th.

-----------------------------------------------------------
And...
listed below are the main songs from the show. I've recorded some of them on my Yamaha keyboard. You should see them as links to .mp3 files.
Members of the cast may find them useful reminders for between rehearsals.

By the way, the first one in the list isn't officially from the show. It's my rather facile attempt at composing an atmospheric "pre-flight" piece - to be played in the auditorium. See what you think, anyroad.

I'll add links to more titles as and when I manage to do any further recording.

ANDROMEDA TRAIN
WIPEOUT
IT'S A MAN'S MAN'S MAN'S WORLD
GREAT BALLS OF FIRE
PLEASE DON'T LET ME BE MISUNDERSTOOD
GOOD VIBRATIONS
YEH YEH
AIN'T GONNA WASH FOR A WEEK
I'M GONNA CHANGE THE WORLD
TEENAGER IN LOVE
YOUNG GIRL
SHE'S NOT THERE
SHAKING ALL OVER
GLORIA
WHO'S SORRY NOW?
TELL HER/GIMME SOME LOVIN'
WAR PAINT
ROBOT MAN
SHAKE, RATTLE AND ROLL
GO NOW
ONLY THE LONELY
THE YOUNG ONES
BORN TO BE WILD
MR SPACEMAN
I CAN'T TURN YOU LOOSE/MONSTER MASH

Bye for now.
M

SALT OF THE EARTH - last chance...

'Ow do, chums.

Just one final plug ... If you want tickets for our production of Salt of the Earth by John Godber, you need to "act" fast. We open tonight and close Saturday.

Here's a review based on Monday night's dress rehearsal - courtesy of The Knutsford Guardian ...

If you open it at 100% size you might just be able to read the print!

Tickets are available via the Ticket Secretary on 01565 631237, or in person from the Tourist Information Office on Toft Road, Knutsford.

Standard adult ticket price: £6.00

Shows start 7.30pm.

More info on

www.knutsfordlittletheatre.com

Hope to see you there.

Bye for now.

Mike, AKA Harry

Salt of the Earth - Knutsford Little Theatre

Pics courtesy of The Knutsford Guardian.

Hi again folks.

Just a quickie to plug the play wot I'm in next week (14-17 June).

For anyone interested tickets are available from the ticket secretary 01565 631237 or in person from the Tourist Information Office on Toft Road, Knutsford.

Standard adult ticket price: £6.00

Shows start 7.30pm.

Lots more info on www.knutsfordlittletheatre.com

Hope at least one or two of you can make it. (Apologies to my friends in Mauritius and the USA - it's a bit far to come just to see me make a fool of myself!)

Cheers for now

Mike

Knutsford Royal Mayday 2006

Hi again folks. Sorry for the longish silence. Anyway. Saturday 6th May was Knutsford's "Royal Mayday".


Now this has nothing to do with Mayday as such, but I thought you might like to see some cherry blossom across the road from our house.

And also some in our back garden. And yes, that really is a wind turbine you can see over to the right. Made from bits, including an old bike dynamo. Together with a small solar panel it provides lighting and radio-power for my shed and greenhouse. But I digress...

As I was saying, Saturday 6th May was the Knutsford "Royal" Mayday festival. For those who don't know about it, this is the town's most significant annual event, dating back to 1864. On one occasion many years ago, it was allegedly attended by HRH. Hence the name. On the first Saturday of May a procession makes its way through the town's streets, ending up on the Heath (ie the common), where the "May Queen" is crowned by the "Crown Bearer".


Knutsford's main square - Canute Square - taken the previous evening, before the cars are ousted and replaced by parade characters and crowds of spectators.


Oh Yeah! (Oh Yea! actually). The Town Crier is always near the head of the procession. Closely followed by


Jack in the Green. Or local lad disguised as a Leylandii.

Hard on their heels comes a varied and colourful array of characters. Some examples:












The Sedan Chair is indeed occupied, by the way. Well he could at least look as though he's enjoying it, don't you think?


Now I never did see any Celtic connection with our very English town, but there always seem to be bagpipes involved somewhere along the line. Not to worry though, because there are no sound files in this posting! Come to think of it, the crown-bearer wheres a kilt. Odd that. Still, I suppose it's supposed to be a microcosm of our actual royalty.


Penny-farthings, bone-shakers and other forms of suicidal two-wheeled transport have become a regular feature over the last decade or so. "Suicidal" particularly here, at the top of Adam's Hill - the steepest hill in town. (Knutsford is not like the rest of Cheshire in that it isn't as flat as a pancake). I don't think they have brakes, by the way.

Now, first-time visitors to England - England mind, not Britain as a whole - may be alarmed by a chance encounter with one of these.


This is known as a Morris Troupe. [Note added 31/07/2011: NO IT ISN'T!! I wrote that in my days of ignorance - some 4 years before I actually joined Ringheye myself (note the extra "e", btw) as apprentice accordionist. The official term is Morris "side". Occasional use of the alternative description "team" is, I believe, almost acceptable! But "troupe" would have been enough to get me drummed out of the Morris Circle, had I been in it to start with!]

The principal function of its members is to hop and skip around in circles in the middle of the road wearing silly outfits with bells on, occasionally waving handerkerchiefs in the air and belting each other over the head with a dwile flonking stick - or somesuch. Very good they are at it, too.

And here's another one:


You see? The country's full of 'em. In fact we have some good friends who are in the first morris troupe pictured above - Ringheye. I was only teasing back there, because they are actually very talented, and put on a great show.

Then there are Dixielandish (or maybe that should be Dixie-outlandish) bands like this one.



And horse-drawn floats ...



pirates ...



You name it.



Any child (or adult, come to think of it) is eligible to join in the procession, but the May Queen herself must reside within the town's boundaries.

It is naturally extremely popular with the children, but also very much a family tradition amongst Knutsfordians. For instance, when he was a lad, my Dad paraded as one of these "Beef-eaters" (Yeomen of the Guard):


So did I in my turn, and eventually also my son Pete.
Another favourite was "Grace Darling" and her father, in the life-boat.


Both David and, in his time, Grandpa Wilding, have played the role of Grace's Dad. When I was little I always heard the name as "Grey Starling". I could never understand why there wasn't a bird to be seen anywhere in it!

David and Peter used to take part regularly - until it became seriously un-cool to do so, of course. The oddest choice of character was given to David one year - a native American. That was really convincing - him with his whiter-than-white blond hair and blue eyes!

Now here's a very important local "hero":


Edward Higgins. AKA Higgins the Highwayman. From about 1756, Higgins became one of the town's most colourful - if shadiest - characters, who doubled as a gentleman and a trickster. There are numerous tales about him, some no doubt apophrycal. Whether or not he really was a highwayman, he certainly had an adventurous lifestyle, though. He was eventually caught and subsequently hanged, I believe, at Carmarthan in 1767. (Incidenatlly, there is an interesting biography of him at http://www.cheshiremagazine.com/Archives/higgins.html).

After the Proletariat - the walking characters and the floats - comes the "Court". The big-wigs of the procession. Assorted "dignitaries" etc. They tend to travel in state coaches

except for the poor old (well young) Crownbearer and his guards! They actually walk in front of the Mayqueen's coach:


The CB is the lad at the back there, with the crown on a cushion. See what I mean about the tartan connection, by the way?

And finally, the May Queen herself. She's the one in the red cloak:


While all this is taking place, Knutsford Heath (famous a few years back for "The Battle of") is also playing host to what is probably the Northwest's biggest amusement fair...





The fair usually arrives a week or so in advance, and stays over a long week-end from Thursday to Sunday. However, because this year the official Mayday - ie 1st May, which is a public holiday - fell on a Monday, the fair has been here a week or so longer than normal.




Hmm. Now what did I once say about an ice-cream vendor in Mauritius? Something about Jingle Bells? ..... Maybe I'd better take it all back!












The Royal Mayday festival is totally non-commercial; apart from the fair and the occasional brewery dray which - let's face it - doesn't really count, does it?


So there you have it.

And, a propos of nothing in particular, here's a photo of Knutsford Little Theatre where I tend to spend quite a lot of my spare time.


And just as a tail-piece (err - on second thoughts, maybe not an appropriate term...), meet one of my gardening chums. Photographed just the othe day.



Ta-ta for now.