* Mungo Says Bah * Bushcraft Blog: music

Showing posts with label music. Show all posts

Souad Massi - Raoui

Mungo says it is time for another musical interlude. This time from Souad Massi - shhh and relax.

Have a great night,

Mungo

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Happy Christmas everyone.

Neil Young's Journey Through The Past always reminds me of the holidays and all other things. My old guitar went to a kid who needed one three years ago. I think it is time I find another one to replace that old battered Yamaha 410 with the action that was too high. I was moving books around the bookshelves today and came across some Neil Young, Rolling Stones and other music books and got a bit wistful. So have a listen:

And one last one to end the night - Out On The Weekend:

Sleep well,

Mungo

Traditional / Ancient Woodworking Skills Videos

I came across a series of terrific videos showing off some old woodworking skills. Antoni Ross demonstrates and teaches workshops on these 'ancient skills'. He engages in traditional woodworking: making foot-powered lathe turning, bowl & plate turning, spoon carving, bowl carving, cleaving, trimming, and shaving. The music accompanying these videos is pretty cool - have a look and listen:

Carving A Wooden Ladle

Carving A Traditional Wooden Cup

Cherry Log To Country Chair

Charcoal Burn

Trug (Basket)

Friendship Bracelet

"Hobo Flower" Carving

Hope you enjoyed them as much as I did,

Mungo

Turn On Your Love Light, Brokedown Palace & Slab Bacon

Now that the warm evenings are upon us, I've been watching less and less television when I get home from work. Work is going well, I am really enjoying the new position and department. And evenings like this are made for listening to music and relaxing.

And there is nothing quite as relaxing as some Grateful Dead. This song brings me back a couple of decades to when I first listened to this - to summer evenings, and parties. And it's fine times tonight too. Plus I picked up slab bacon at the shops the other day. Just like I said I would. Fine times and slab bacon - can't be beat.

Turn On Your Love Light

Without a warning you broke my heart, takin' it baby, tore it apart
And you left me standin' in the dark, said your love for me was dyin'.

Come on baby, baby please come on baby, cause I'm on my knees.
Turn on your lights let it shine on me shine on your love light
Let it shine on me let shine, let it shine, let it shine.

When I get lonely in the middle of the night
And I need you darlin' to make things alright

So come on baby, baby please and I'm beggin' you baby cause I'm on my knees,
Turn on your lights let it shine on me
Turn on your love light let it shine on me
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Without a warning you broke my heart, takin' it baby, tore it apart
And you left me standin' in the dark, shine your love for me was dark.

Come on baby, baby please come on baby, cause I'm on my knees.
Turn on your lights let it shine on me shine on your love light
Let it shine on me let shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Brokedown Palace

Fare you well, my honey, fare you well my only true one.
All the birds that were singing are flown, except you alone.

Going to leave this brokedown palace,
On my hand and knees, I will roll, roll, roll.
Make myself a bed in the waterside,
In my time, I will roll, roll roll.

In a bed, in a bed, by the waterside I will lay my head.
Listen to the river sing sweet songs, to rock my soul.

River going to take me, sing sweet and sleepy,
sing me sweet and sleepy all the way back home.
It's a far gone lullaby, sung many years ago.
Mama, mama many worlds I've come since I first left home.

Goin' home, goin' home, by the riverside I will rest my bones,
Listen to the river sing sweet songs, to rock my soul.

Going to plant a weeping willow,
On the bank's green edge it will grow, grow, grow.
Sing a lullaby beside the water,
Lovers come and go, the river roll, roll, roll.

Fare you well, fare you well, I love you more than words can tell,
Listen to the river sing sweet songs, to rock my soul.

Mungo

Uninspired and Unimaginative List Of Posts From Last Year

I am feeling completely uninspired - I can't think of anything original to write about.

First I thought I might predate on my posts from last year.

Then I thought I would simply put links to them all below.

You could poke around if you'd like. I'll get my blog-mojo back soon - honestly.

Cheers,

Mungo

Camping and Halloween

This weather has been amazing for the last week - perfect camping weather. But I have been busy writing proposals in response to RFPs for work. Writing those proposals (about 65 pages each) have reminded me of writing essays for university, with the initial scramble to organize content, then getting lost in the content, then staring at it hopelessly and wondering what the hell has been written on the pages, then a burst of clarity as the content seems almost all written, then a sense that nothing is in the right order, then after a bit of formatting and ordering, the whole goddamn piece comes together and all is well.

My evening walks on the marina though give me pause for reflection. So while that's been a lot of fun in a weird way, camping is much more fun, and with this nice weather - well - I'd rather be camping.

Given that I didn't get a chance to go camping a few weekends ago, and given that I have taken to ruminating about camping, and given that I'd like to provide something of interest to my hundreds of thousands of readers, what follows is a description of some of my core camping equipment - the rest are little things that don't need a product description (e.g. fork, cord, socks) - it isn't complete, but I'll complete it along with way.

Oh, and by the way, here's the pumpkin we carved tonight.

MSR DragonFly Stove
Loud, adjustable flame, runs on naptha white-fuel, lightweight, awesome. Boiling time for 1 liter of water, 3 1/2 minutes. Love it.

Cooking Pot & Lid
Cheap aluminum pot and lid, holds 1 liter of water. Blackened on the base from soot, excellent heat conduction. Lid useful. I think I'd like to get a pot grabber.

Folding Frying Pan
non-stick folding frying pan. Excellent for bacon and eggs, a luxury cooking piece, but folds down, and easy to store. Useful but not vital. I try to bring it in case I catch a fish and want to fry it up.

Nalgene Bottle
This terrific invention is good obviously for storing water in a spill-proof way, but I think the fact that it does not hold on to stain or odours makes a big difference over conventional plastic. Also, on a cold night, you can fill it with boiling water and use it as a hot water bottle.

Stainless steel mug
For tea. For tea. For tea. For tea. For tea. For tea. For tea. For tea. For tea. For tea. For tea. For tea. For tea. For tea. For tea. For tea. For tea. For tea.

Camping Mattress
Primarily I use this for insulation. But it sure helps protect you from bumps and stones and sore hips. This mattress rolls up small, and when you take it out of the storage bag, and undo the valve, the foam structure within expands and draws air into the mattress. Fill the last bit of it with a few well placed puffs of air and seal the valve, and you have a guaranteed warm and comfortable night ahead of you. Heat conduction is a very important principle to keep in mind while in the bush - water conducts heat away from your body 27 times faster than does dry air. The cool earth saps your warmth less so, but still significantly. This is why if you don't have a sleeping bag, at the very least lay down a bed of spruce boughs for insulation.

Sleeping bag
Barring a bed of spruce boughs, my sleeping bag is a mummy-style bag - the hood easily holds a pillow (I always bring an empty pillow case and stuff it with cloths or leaves for a pillow), and it is rated down to -20 Celsius. I've slept in it at that temperature and the only part of me that was cold was my nose. Do not be tempted to stuff your face down into the sleeping bag though - condensation from your breath will moisten the bag and reduce its insulation qualities and make your night miserable. Make sure not to lay it too close to the fire too, sparks will make holes in the synthetic fabric. Mine contains synthethic insulation - down is more expensive and heavier. As long as your sleeping bag is dry, I'm fine with synthetic. I don't need to wear clothes inside it as it is warm, but you can buy a cotton liner for washing.

Compression sack
This is an awesome piece of equipment, ensuring that your sleeping bag is squished down as small as possible for transportation. Remember to store your sleeping bag at home unpacked, preferably hanging in a basement (dry basement), or in a closet. That way you don't risk reducing the insulation qualities of your bag.

Tent
I bought my dome tent at a house-sale in Parkdale one night a few years ago. A couple was going to go to BC and live on an island and were selling their old gear and I picked this 2 person tent up for $40. 2 Folding fibreglass rods assemble as the main structure, and a third provides form to the fly which affixes to the top of the dome. The fly adds a layer of insulating space above the tent, which in turn increases insulation, decreases condensation and makes the structure water resistant. Some really cool tents like some from Hilleberg tents in Sweden have the fly layer part of the main structure. I want one of these:

Compass
It is a good idea to know how to use a compass for camping. Otherwise a compass isn't much use. Basically, use it as a reliable indicator of direction. Stop, observe the needle point to North, and rotate the circular section until the North on it matches the North the needle is pointing too. With the pointy bit, take a bearing on a distant object in the direction you would like to go. Note this object, perhaps on a piece of paper or map. A tree, a ridge, a river bank. Walk to it. Wash and repeat. This way you navigate a series of straight lines, and keep on track. During a clear evening, note the direction of the north star. That helps at night if you are out on a lake. Saved me one evening years ago out on a lake in the fog - I could see above the fog into the sky, but not around me.

Firesteel
This is my primary method of starting a fire. I do not - on stubborn and likely misplaced principle - carry matches with me. I tried making a fire bow on my last solo trip. I used pine for the shaft and baseboard. This was a bad combination. I had everything working but the resin seems to have made the going tough. I'll try next time and keep y'all updated. A classic flint and steel works well as long as you bring char cloth or have tinder fungus prepared (boiled in a solution of ashes for saltpeter and dried out). I'd like to try that too.

More below - but I'll write up some details when I have more energy.

Fishing rod, gear, license
Hatchet
Sharpener
Headlamp
Radio
Lantern
Sheath Knife
Folding Knife
Bucksaw
Stuff bag
Chair
Tarp

Ducks Quacked Tonight and a Year Ago I Had Some Thoughts.

A year ago I had some thoughts. I've been at this blog thing for over a year - not including the original Wonko Web.

Pablo got a good saw too, similar to the one that I was interested in. It was warm enough today that when I walked Monty out in the dark by the marina, I could shut out the lights of the island and pretend that I was camping. The stars shimmered, the ducks quacked, the wind blew and the night was dark.

Spring is in Atlantic City winning cash galore, so I'm in the condo with all the lights off except for my computer screen and a lantern with a candle quiet in the background. I am listening to this David Bowie song. Listen to it too. It will bring you back to the days when you listened to it more.

Oh You Pretty Things

Wake up you sleepy head
Put on some clothes, shake off your bed
Put another log on the fire for me
I've made some breakfast and coffee
Look out my window, what do I see
A crack in the sky and a hand reaching down to me
All the nightmares came today
And it looks as though they're here to stay

What are we coming to
No room for me, no fun for you
I think about a world to come
Where the books were found by the golden ones
Written in pain, written in awe
By a puzzled man who questioned
What we were here for
All the strangers came today
And it looks as though they're here to stay

Oh you pretty things (oh you pretty things)
Don't you know you're driving your
Mamas and papas insane
Oh you pretty things (oh you pretty things)
Don't you know you're driving your
Mamas and papas insane
Let me make it plain
You gotta make way for the homo superior

Look out at your children
See their faces in golden rays
Don't kid yourself they belong to you
They're the start of a coming race
The earth is a bitch
We've finished our news
Homo sapiens have outgrown their use
All the strangers came today
And it looks as though they're here to stay

Oh you pretty things (oh you pretty things)
Don't you know you're driving your
Mamas and papas insane
Oh you pretty things (oh you pretty things)
Don't you know you're driving your
Mamas and papas insane
Let me make it plain
You gotta make way for the homo superior

Box Of Rain

Box Of Rain - Grateful Dead - Album: American Beauty

Look out of any window
Any morning, any evening, any day
Maybe the sun is shining
Birds are winging, no rain is falling from a heavy sky
What do you want me to do
To do for you to see you through?
For this is all a dream we dreamed one afternoon long ago

Walk out of any doorway
Feel your way like the day before
Maybe you'll find direction
Around some corner where it's been waiting to meet you
What do you want me to do
To watch for you while you're sleeping?
Then please don't be surprised when you find me dreaming too

Look into any eyes
You find by you; you can see clear to another day
Maybe been seen before
Through other eyes on other days while going home
What do you want me to do
To do for you to see you through?
It's all a dream we dreamed one afternoon long ago

Walk into splintered sunlight
Inch your way through dead dreams to another land
Maybe you're tired and broken
Your tongue is twisted with words half spoken and thoughts unclear
What do you want me to do
To do for you, to see you through?
A box of rain will ease the pain and love will see you through

Just a box of rain, wind and water
Believe it if you need it, if you don't just pass it on
Sun and shower, wind and rain
In and out the window like a moth before a flame

And it's just a box of rain, I don't know who put it there
Believe it if you need it or leave it if you dare
And it's just a box of rain, or a ribbon for your hair
Such a long, long time to be gone and a short time to be there

This Must be the Place (Naive Melody)

Talking Heads - This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody). It is from their Speaking In Tongues album.

This Must be the Place (Naive Melody)

Home is where I want to be
Pick me up and turn me round
I feel numb - born with a weak heart
(So I) guess I must be having fun
The less we say about it the better
Make it up as we go along
Feet on the ground
Head in the sky
It's ok I know nothing's wrong . . nothing

Hi yo I got plenty of time
Hi yo you got light in your eyes
And you're standing here beside me
I love the passing of time
Never for money
Always for love
Cover up + say goodnight . . . say goodnight

Home - is where I want to be
But I guess I'm already there
I come home - she lifted up her wings
Guess that this must be the place
I can't tell one from another
Did I find you, or you find me?
There was a time
Before we were born
If someone asks, this where I'll be . . . where I'll be

Hi yo We drift in and out
Hi yo sing into my mouth
Out of all those kinds of people
You got a face with a view
I'm just an animal looking for a home
Sharing the same space for a minute or two
And you love me till my heart stops
Love me till I'm dead
Eyes that light up, eyes look through you
Cover up the blank spots
Hit me on the head
Ah ooh

Hunky Dory

A week ago tonight I heard a snippet of a song on the radio and it threw me back in time, hurled me back to when things were different and I still love this album. This is one of my top twenty seven albums of all time.

Eight Line Poem Lyrics
The tactful cactus by your window
Surveys the prairie of your room
The mobile spins to its collision
Clara puts her head between her paws
They've opened shops down West side
Will all the cacti find a home
But the key to the city
Is in the sun that pins
the branches to the sky

Paranoid

Years and years ago I listened to Black Sabbath's Paranoid album over and over as loud as I could while Matt's parents were in South Africa and he was away at university I guess or maybe in Sudbury.

It gave me peace of mind and helped me rock my worries away.
I also listened to AC/DC a lot.

My Uncle's Old Band - The Liverpool Roadrunners

The Liverpool Roadrunners - one of Liverpool's best-loved 60s R&B bands

My Uncle John was in this band.

David Byrne

Well this makes me quite happy - I've chanced upon David Byrne's Blog... Talking Heads was magical for me in my teen years - David Byrne is a magician now.

I never saw them live - wish I could leap into a time machine and give it a go.

I feel like they saved my soul and mind when growing up.

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