A yellowhammer sings on a power line at Stancombe

I returned to the farm shop again this morning to bring new stock to replace the previously sold cards. I like to ring the changes there and always bring new images. The customer base is extensive but regular and I start to notice what sells and what doesn’t over time.

I heard from Ashley, one of the three sibling owners of the farm, that their decision to close the farm shop to concentrate on the farm products alone, has been changed. Hooray. Kate and Martin B, who are their local suppliers of meat from their Copsegrove Farm, have agreed to take on the running of the shop independently, allowing Ashley to concentrate on farming their own land. I know this will keep the very many customers happy, for whom the farm shop is a pillar of the village, who were shocked by the thought of the farm shop closing.

On my way home I decided to pop back to yesterday’s blip location, which is only a few hundred yards away from the farm.  When I parked in the same place as yesterday I spotted a yellowhammer perched on a Cotswold stone wall nearby, but it flew off before I could get my camera from the boot. I then spent another ‘happy time’ pottering about the lane and watching the life around the farmland, with several skylarks seeming to sing continuously from on high.

As I returned to the car, I looked up at the high tension power line that was overhead, after crossing many fields and this ancient trackway at right angles. A yellowhammer had landed on the power line and despite being aware of me standing close by it proceeded to sing its heart out. What a delight.

My use of the words ‘Happy Time’ has now reminded me of the wonderful musician Tim Buckley, whom I discovered in the mid-1960s and his album ‘Blue Afternoon’ in particular. I saw him perform live with his trio in concert at the Royal Festival Hall in 1968 (recorded and released as a live double album). While in London the BBC2 Late Night Line Up arts programme also recorded them live in their studio playing this song – ‘Happy Time’. (The musicians were Lee Underwood, guitar, Danny Thompson, bass, and Carter Collins, conga drums)

Tim died very young, as did his son Jeff Buckley, who became much better known than his father, though I've always preferred his dad’s music.