21 hrs ago·edited 21 hrs agoLiked by Rosie Whinray
This is very rich, Rosie, and I'm going to read it again. But the two thoughts that came immediately to mind are that I love Ross Gay, and I love the Red Hand Files, which are just the most humane reading every time. I'd love to listen to Nick Cave and Ross Gay having a conversation.
I share Ross Gay's writing with my writing students, who are mostly boys, and didn't know you could write with feeling and passion about basketball and skateboarding and the like. About football. I'm always amazed that RG was such a serious football player. He is large, he contains multitudes, etc.
I was thinking about George Orwell's Roses in church this morning. I don't know why. Maybe because someone gave me roses recently, a totally thoughtful and lovely and surprising gift, but they had no scent. They were beautiful, but.
Every time I read your writing I find ten things I want to comment on and steadily forget them as I get engrossed in further reading. Wonderful text ⭐️ Which dog are you? I know which one I would be.
I thought about this while I was writing and couldn't decide, but looking at it now, it seems clear I'm the dog with its eyes closed, because I often close my eyes when I sing. Which one are you? I couldn't possibly guess!
Last night, just on dusk, we walked under a paulownia tree in full flower. Strong scent and a mass of purple, but the best part a thousand or more bumble bees feeding and singing joyfully. It allowed me to forgive them bypassing the broad beans; they'll be along shortly.
Yesterday Substack suggested David Knowles / Elvers by moonlight. He's another gem.
Sorry to bust your bubble about bumblebees and broad beans- but I found out last weekend that they cheat on the pollination part by biting through the back of the flower! Little scamps! Possibly this nectar-thievery is less due to their innate criminality and more to girth- as Ross Gay would say, they're 'husky'. Anyway apparently you need actual bee-bees for broad beans to eventuate.
Indeed true. There's been bumblebees all over my broad-beans for several weeks but no beans eventuated. However, today I saw an actual honeybee- albeit on a dandelion flower. on close examination I found an embryonic bean on my plants. Happy Days!
Our folklore says honey bees have tongues too short to reach the nectar, and I knew about the others short cutting into the flower base, but I just read broad beans are self fertile, so perhaps it's all the bumbling that shakes the pollen down.
Huh, you're right about the self-fertility, I think bees help though. One of my very earliest memories is sitting in the garden watching bees in the broad bean flowers.
This is very rich, Rosie, and I'm going to read it again. But the two thoughts that came immediately to mind are that I love Ross Gay, and I love the Red Hand Files, which are just the most humane reading every time. I'd love to listen to Nick Cave and Ross Gay having a conversation.
I share Ross Gay's writing with my writing students, who are mostly boys, and didn't know you could write with feeling and passion about basketball and skateboarding and the like. About football. I'm always amazed that RG was such a serious football player. He is large, he contains multitudes, etc.
I was thinking about George Orwell's Roses in church this morning. I don't know why. Maybe because someone gave me roses recently, a totally thoughtful and lovely and surprising gift, but they had no scent. They were beautiful, but.
Ah yes! Modern roses. For looks
good. great. epic.🖤
Every time I read your writing I find ten things I want to comment on and steadily forget them as I get engrossed in further reading. Wonderful text ⭐️ Which dog are you? I know which one I would be.
I thought about this while I was writing and couldn't decide, but looking at it now, it seems clear I'm the dog with its eyes closed, because I often close my eyes when I sing. Which one are you? I couldn't possibly guess!
The yellow one just behind him who’s clearly singing a different note from everyone else! And is tall 😅
Ah yes, you have the gift Rosie. Thank you.
Last night, just on dusk, we walked under a paulownia tree in full flower. Strong scent and a mass of purple, but the best part a thousand or more bumble bees feeding and singing joyfully. It allowed me to forgive them bypassing the broad beans; they'll be along shortly.
Yesterday Substack suggested David Knowles / Elvers by moonlight. He's another gem.
Sorry to bust your bubble about bumblebees and broad beans- but I found out last weekend that they cheat on the pollination part by biting through the back of the flower! Little scamps! Possibly this nectar-thievery is less due to their innate criminality and more to girth- as Ross Gay would say, they're 'husky'. Anyway apparently you need actual bee-bees for broad beans to eventuate.
Indeed true. There's been bumblebees all over my broad-beans for several weeks but no beans eventuated. However, today I saw an actual honeybee- albeit on a dandelion flower. on close examination I found an embryonic bean on my plants. Happy Days!
Our folklore says honey bees have tongues too short to reach the nectar, and I knew about the others short cutting into the flower base, but I just read broad beans are self fertile, so perhaps it's all the bumbling that shakes the pollen down.
Huh, you're right about the self-fertility, I think bees help though. One of my very earliest memories is sitting in the garden watching bees in the broad bean flowers.