the mayfly

I’m listening to a lot of Southern American rock and countryish music at the moment, especially the Drive-By Truckers. All of their stuff is great and I couldn’t possibly choose a favourite album, but Brighter Than Creation’s Dark is probably a good place to start: it’s the first one I heard. And this evening I watched most of Peter Bogdanovich’s brilliant and very long documentary on the life and music of Tom Petty – three out of the four hours! I mostly only have the Heartbreakers records, but I’ve realised that I’m going to have to get hold of some more of his solo stuff. If you don’t know Tom Petty, get on it! Here’s the video for Into The Great Wide Open: not only a great song, but it’s got Johnny Depp! ;)

Just a very quick post tonight: Pleease watch this - It’s such a beautiful song, and Hope Sandoval is just gorgeous!

Today I’m participating in ‘Five Senses Friday’, and you can too! It’s an idea I discovered over at Abby Try Again. If you haven’t already, go visit – it’s a really lovely blog. I suppose this is a kind of summary of my week – maybe something I could do every Friday. Or at least, a Friday once in a while… I never keep to these promises.

See

The sun shining across my bed when I wake up in the morning

Heart ‘graffiti’ everywhere

Lace curtains behind windows (I’ve come to the conclusion that I need one of these in my bedroom.)

Taste

Hot buttered toast from the coffee shop on the way to college

The perfect egg mayonnaise and cress sandwich

Smell

Old books in a cluttered, dusty book shop

Freshly baked bread (from our new bread making machine!!)

Warm car polish

Recently dissected fish in the biology lab (okay, so this one’s not so pleasant)

Touch

Freshly washed, soft hair

My cat lying on top of the sofa, curling around the back of my neck

Hear

The wind outside my bedroom window at night

The Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, by Wilco

It’s been beautifully sunny all day today, but sadly I had to work this morning. So this afternoon I’ve been reading, relaxing and baking cakes whilst listening to The Brave and The Bold, by Tortoise and Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy. Perfect.

Oh, and happy 1st of March!

I’ve just begun reading Wuthering Heights for the first time, and I’m kinda excited.  And obviously, before I began, I had to play Wuthering Heights by Kate Bush… “I hated you. I loved you, too.”

Apologies for the absence – I’ve been busy! Admittedly “busy” means drinking, eating chocolate, sleeping, laughing, listening to music, and playing with my new (hurrah!!) car. Specifically, I’ve been listening to early Green Day, which brings back feelings of what it was to be thirteen, fourteen… I’m sure you remember. Excitement, frustration, sunshine, confusion, boredom, longing, first kisses, that kinda thing. Ha ha, memories..

Ps. Thanks so much to Fran for having me over at Fishing For Beautiful!

Why is this blog called ‘The Mayfly’? A few people have asked, so I thought I’d explain a little.

Mayflies are kinda beautiful in their own way, and once they become adults, they live for less than a day. I guess they remind me of the idea of living each day as if it is your last. A cliché, I know, but a good one. I don’t mean you should go crazy and do all the things you’ve ever wanted to do, (although, why not?) but that no day should be wasted. Even the littlest things can make a day worth living. The little things that make us happy, which is I think all we can ask for. 

Mayfly, woken up when skies are blue

I don’t mind the sight of you

Keep me company ’til she comes again

- The Mayfly, Belle & Sebastian

 The Cartoons. Oh yeeaah.

It just started to rain, the very second I stepped outside.

Little children snuggle under soft black stars
And if you look into their eyes soft black stars
Deliver them from the book and the letter and the word
And let them read the silence bathed in soft black stars
Let them trace the raindrops under soft black stars
Let them follow whispers and scare away the night
Let them kiss the featherbreath of soft black stars
And let them ride their horses licked by the wind and the snow
And tip-toe into twilight where we all one day will go
Caressed with tendrils and with no fear at all
Their faces shining river gold washed by soft black stars
And angels’ wings shall soothe their cares
And all the birds shall sing at dawn
Blessed and wet with joy
You and i will meet one day
Under the night sky lit by soft black stars

I’m listening to Anthony and the Johnsons at the moment, and it’s just so beautiful and haunting. It matches my mood. I feel… melancholy, I think.

I’m going to see Leonard Cohen tonight