'Only if You're Lucky', sychronicity and a large water tower!

Yo my merry men, women, children and all animals alike!

I'm trying like a good 'un to inoculate myself from the dismal skies that seem to have descended upon rural France and have to admit to watching rather a lot of TV and sport of late .... been good though - thoroughly enjoyed seeing England take a bagful of Pakistani wickets in the 2nd Test in Dubai (about time!), super football match last night and hats off to Cardiff City for reaching the league cup final and of course Masterchef is as good as ever ... I think the young Asian girl (Raki?) will win.

Now before I sing another song for you, this is what it's like stepping out in the countryside at the moment  .... the other day, feeling somewhat dulled by the overcast weather I stealed myself to go out and take one, just one good photograph .. be good if it was a good bird, a stray fox, a nice looking bit of mossy bark even! This is all I could come up with - a water tower, albeit a fairly impressive one though don't you think?

I know, I could do better in terms of subject matter but us photographers need inspiration and LIGHT!


Right, on to some music. Here is a super little tune from Ryan Adams called 'If You're Lucky'. I'm just getting into the Adams after catching him on the Jools Holland show a while back and must say I'm mightily impressed. Bizarrely, whilst I was taking a break from committing this song to file I heard a snatch of the tune on TV ... backing track to a poignant scene on Holby City! Now I think there must be a word for that kind of coincidence .... synchronicity maybe or I think something German that I can't remember, anyway enough .... enjoy the track!

Grey is the New Blonde ... a song for middle aged lovers!

Much the same outside in the dank, damp countyside out there and as I speak it's drizzling and just not nice to be out in ... so nothing much doing out there! So I've been spending more time indoors recording songs (and watching TV ..... masters snooker and masterchef mainly!)

So here's another song for you. It's called 'Grey is the new blonde' by Henry Priestman (ex of the Christians) ... a great little tune for middle aged lovers! Enjoy!

TimboBaggins sings a couple of songs for you

Ok, as promised and finally uploaded, here are a couple of songs I do live now and again. The first is my version of an old John Sebastian (ex frontman of Lovin Spoonfull) song 'Stories we can tell' and then I do a more energetic tune by Tom Petty called 'Last DJ'.

Overall I'm pretty happy with how both songs have turned out, especially since I was fdeeling much less than 100% when I was recording them. I would have preferred a better recording sound and better quality video but the HD recording I attempted using my Canon 550D played back in slow motion!

See what you think anyway. The experience has certanly honed both songs in readiness for any forthcoming solo gigs and I'll be posting more over the next few weeks.

Martin Simpson

A very quick post because I'm definitely suffering the after effects of too much fine food and wine last night ...... why does Christmas always have to equal excess?!

My mum sent me some CDs in the post, some she thought I would like .... she picked well because one of them was by Martin Simpson, one of my favourite guitar players. Nice one mum!

Said I'd post one of his songs on here by way of thanks as I think she's tuning in today, so here he is performing 'Never any Good with Money'

Born at the right time



I love this song, it could almost have been written about me ..... except I don't really get the whole fishing thing!

Thinking of covering it when I play my first solo gig next month

Back from Blighty!

Yes I know, not many posts recently but Baggins has been back in the UK and with 6 days, lots of folk to see and things to do, the blog had to take a back seat.

It was great to see my 2 girls looking so well, parents buoyant after yet another cruise, my sister coming on a treat with her guitar playing and her partner doing likewise on his double bass (can't wait to get them back over here so we can start gigging again!) and of course my lovely girlfriend Gabrielle – funny and beautiful as ever!

Set off back to France in new vehicle I bought over here, a 2nd hand Astra estate with LPG fitted - a snip at £640! I departed at 6pm Wed and took the pic (above) of York Minster looking splendid in the sun just after I set off. 18hrs later I was taking Baloo out for a stroll around the fields of La Macherie and here's a pic (right) of said new car doing its job ....getting Baggins out n about!

Whilst I was in the UK I caught up with my best pal Mark  and here's a thing – we only had an hour or 2 birding and ended up tramping around Sherwood Forest at Edwinstowe. Great place, some of the oak trees there are said to be 800 yrs old and they looked it. Anyway, there we were scanning the skies and as well as nabbing a flock of 35 Fieldfares & 15 Redwings over from the North, we spotted a completely naked man strolling along one of the forest tracks! All very bizarre and not a little unsettling for the middle aged couple who we also spotted walking the other way! Why was this man naked I ask myself? Well my friends, there is a small but growing number of 'ramblers come naturists' across Europe that are trying to promote some kind of ancient right to roam free in one's birthday suit – so bare that in mind next time you step out for a Sunday stroll I the woods! 

Treated myself to a new guitar whilst back in ole blighty – and here it is (pic right) sat next to my other baby … always wanted a decent jazz guitar and have to say it plays like a dream!

Stay tuned, going to try and post more snippets of the ordinary and sometimes not so ordinary adventures of of an ordinary bloke enjoying his retirement!