June 2023 will be four things every day: lots of garden; some music; a few outings; sunshine and rain.

June 1st
Something old: Hear The Voice and Prayer by Thomas Tallis
Something new: a recording of the above by The Bridge Singers in Brinkburn Priory on Ascension Day.
Something main road: Banana of the day on the north road out of Felton.
Something blue: The legs of the coal tits.

June 2nd
Daisy old.
Daisy new.
Daisy shadowed.
Daisy blue.

June 3rd
Morning bold.
Morning dew.
Morning sunglow.
Morning blue.

June 4th
Something fairly old.
Something deliciously new.
Something almost borrowed.
Something sort-of blue.

Finding that our leftovers from yesterday’s lunch were not going to be enough for today’s snaffling, I decided to make a pudding to supplement the afore-mentioned scraps. I decided upon a sticky ginger cake – a cake I had never before attempted. The sensible thing to do therefore, was to use a recipe – not my usual technique. So the old scales were dusted off and put to rare use. The blue-ish plate was given to me by my mother following a clear-out of her stuff several years ago. The cake/fish slice was given to me by my mother last week in another clear-out, so it’s not borrowed, but so recently acquired, that I am barely aware that it’s mine as yet. We had some of this cake for lunch (still warm and with ice cream), and I can report that it was delicious, especially with that chocolatey, gingery goo over the top of it- old habits die hard and I made that bit of the recipe up.

June 5th
Something old – a bit of Thomas Tallis
Something new – a bit of Crossing The Bar (new to us, that is)
Something wind-blown – a bit of  “Northumberland” by Gary
Something Blue – a bit of Blue Moon

June 6th
Bluebell old.
Bluebell strewn.
Bluebell buried.
Bluebell…

June 7th
Aquilegia old.
Aquilegia new.
Aquilegia monochrome.
Aquilegia blue.

For some reason my camera was on some sort of outlandish setting when I took this picture. I was aiming for the “new” pic, but it snapped six altogether with just the one push of the button, each one with a different “artistic effect”. Anyway, I love the dark, dark maroon and frilliness of this plant, and I also love the way it intertwines with the lancewood. Soon it will be finished, I guess, but each year it turns up more vigorous than the last. Hurrah for it!

June 8th
Swarland woah!
Swarland whoo!
Swarland doo-dn-doo-doo
Swarland ee-aye, hew!

It’s Swarland Voices from yesterday’s rehearsal at Swarland Club, preparing for their next gig at Newton On The Moor Village Hall on Saturday 17th June.

June 9th
Wagtail bold.
Wagtail new.
Wagtail shadowed.
Wagtail blue.

June 10th
Something old (Brinkburn Priory)
Something new (One Day Like This – new to us at any rate)
Something sonorous (The Bridge Singers performing in Brinkburn Priory)
Ballyhoo (from the cheery wedding guests!)

June 11th
Iris gold.
Iris new.
Iris furry.
Iris blue.

June 12th
Red things old.
Red things new.
Red things borrowed.
Red and blue.

June 13th
I did an unusual thing for me and went out at sunset. Just up to the top of the garden where you can see lots. What I saw was the sun setting behind the rooftops of Felton, and behind our lancewood, and behind the cirsium which was buzzing with the bees, and over to my right in next door’s garden, two pigeons were canoodling on the ladder. I heard lots too, including the last bus from Newcastle whirring up the hill.

June 14th
Something old.
Something new.
Something old and new.
Something else old.
Something else…
While waiting for Mum at Morpeth Station.

June 15th
Singing gold.
Springy two.
Staring feathers.
Something blue…
…not sure what, but Jamie the Botanist is home from his botany trip so I may find out soon.

June 16th
Something old (and older and older still)
Something new.
Something bonkers.
Something blue.

At Brinkburn Priory, in the house

June 17th
Something gold.
Something red.
Something orange.
Something yellow.
Something yellow and white.
Something bronzeish.
Something pink.
Something else pink.
And a third something pink.
Something blue.

June 18th
Something old.
Something new.
Something borrowed.
Something blue.

June 19th
Something derry down down.
Something with a sigh.
Something trying to break me.
Something from last night’s rehearsal of The Bridge Singers…

..which is why it’s from June 19th even though today is actually 20th.

June 20th

June 21st
Solstice… garden singing.
Solstice… drifts of swallows.
Solstice… one look at you.
Solstice… peace and happiness.
Yes – I know it doesn’t rhyme or scan, but to be honest the machines have been so difficult today, that I’m happy to even have this put together at all. This is Swarland Voices singing last Saturday in a concert in Newton On The Moor, and the reason why it’s OK to share it today is because in an hour’s time, I shall be off to rehearse with them again!

June 22nd: Something dripping. Some thrush singing. Frond unfurling. Sempervivum.

June 23rd
Something old.
Something new.
Something borage.
Something blue.

Something owl.
Something curlicue.
Something burbling.
Something wall-and-blue.

A day out with Jamie at Wallington! And it drizzled a bit. Wheeeeh!

June 24th:

June 25th
Sunrise old.
Sunrise new.
Sunrise bouncy.
Sunrise blue.
…also sunrise banana.

…also, when I arrived at the beach at 4.15am on what is a very quiet Sunday morning, a man came wandering by and asked me if we were in England or Scotland. Maybe it was still Saturday night for him.

June 26th
Newcastle old.
Newcastle new.
Newcastle bowed.
Newcastle blue.

Also, we went to see Asteroid City at the Tyneside Cinema. It’s a Wes Anderson film. I loved it…the look and sound of it.

June 27th
These are a few snippets from last night’s combined The Bridge Singers and Swarland Voices rehearsal getting ready for Saturday’s concert at Felton Village Hall “Night and Day”. Here too is the animated poster with all the details you need for tickets! See you there!

June 28th
Drizzle nettle.
Drizzle warble.
Bizzaro drizzle orange petal.
Drizzle bumble.

You cannot really see the drizzle in these, but I can assure you it was well and truly there!

June 29th
Allium old.
Allium new.
Allium shadowed.
Allium blue.

And it’s today that I learn that the spelling of them has two, not 1 l!

June 30th
Something old.
Something new.
Something folded.
Something blue.

I’ve been doing some sorting, some preparing and some rotating.

Update 2025: We continued to perform Misty Morning by Bob Marley and got better and better, and now it has come in the top three of The Bridge Singers’ all-time favourites vote! Here’s a video we made of it in 2024!
The scores of this arrangement are for sale via Sheetmusic Direct. You can read all about my arrangements for them, here!