Trees (and a Certain Flower)

One of the tools used by politicians these days to scare the people is a little thing called ‘climate change’ formerly known as ‘global warming’ and now morphing into various even more scary sounding things such as ‘climate emergency’ etc etc…

None of it scares me though. And judging by a recent chat with my son nor does it scare Dani. I say ‘scare the people’ but one could just as easily say ‘tax the people’ eh? Well work it out for yourselves. Meanwhile this is what Dani came out with the other day….

It’s all about the trees….

We were talking about oxygen (for some reason – don’t ask why). Then Dani said: “Trees produce oxygen. The trees give us what we need and we give the trees what they need”.

A phrase to knock down any eco-loon. Well maybe that’s a little unfair. What I (and many others) call eco-loons actually do have some good points to make. Not least about plastics, pollution and the general wasteful world we live in. The real offenders are the “climate change” loons. They have little or no real valid points to make apart from trying to scare the younger generation. It is a thin line between educating kids and brainwashing them. Sadly the latter seems to be more prevalent these days.

What he had to say certainly took me by surprise. He had obviously been taught that in school. Basic photosynthesis no less. I have wondered for some time now; do they still teach that in school these days? Hats off to Dani’s school at least.

You certainly hardly ever hear the climate-change-loons talking about planting trees as a possible solution do you? All they seem to bark on about (no pun intended) is paying more “carbon tax” and taking away our cars. And now, most recently (in the UK) taking away the boilers to heat our houses. Yes. With no solutions and alternatives on the table this is exactly what they are now telling us. What complete and utter crack-pots!

Which brings me to that flower.

Moonflower in fact. Not the actual flower however – a white tropical flower also known white morning glory – but that great album by Santana. It is an album that I have recently rediscovered. I say ‘rediscovered’ because I still own the vinyl (double album) version which I am sure sits somewhere in my mum’s attic. I recently bought the CD version. Even that sounds out of date now. Kids today do not realise what they are missing though.

I am actually hoping that Dani discovers it for the first time. I play it in the background while he plays. One of these days he will pick up on it and ask who it is. Then he will be hooked. This album was one of those great sounds of the seventies that kept me going through that long flight delay saga the other week.

What a great album it is! Released back in 1977 it is a clever mix of live performances interspersed with (new) studio tracks. If you have never heard it, I urge you to go out and buy it. You will definitely not regret it.

This was always (probably) my favourite Santana album. It features a cover of an old 1960s Zombies number, ‘She’s not There’ – which I also still own on 7 inch vinyl. Other tracks include ‘Let the Children Play’, a live version of the fantastic ‘Soul Sacrifice’ (a track originally recorded on their first album) and the title track ‘Flor d’Lun’ (Moonflower).

Meanwhile…waiting for another easyJet flight…

As I type this post I am waiting for another easyJet flight this time into Malpensa (Milano). And guess what? Yes. It is delayed nearly two hours. Or should that be two hours and counting?…

Time for a little Santana maybe? ….

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