Amsterdam Russ

You've got a point. Reckon they'd be perfect for doing 'the duck'. Now what's all this about you falling over. Drunk was it???

Flamenco - very fitting. I like the sound of that!

Many say I'm a great wit, Steve. Mind you, my hearing's not as good as it was, so it could be twit. All that Trappist beer?

Much appreciated, Dave. Trumpet vine - think I can even remember that. They add such a great splash of colour wherever they grow. Really nice to see.

Perhaps it's a listed building…

I remember buying the Kell Osborne cd on Arthur Wright's Nonstop Records label about 10 years ago in what was a very early online transaction for me. No idea how it happened, but I ordered one CD and somehow paid for it twice, although I didn't immediately realise that I'd done this. After buying the CD I got a couple of emails from Arthur telling me that there were plans afoot for Kell to perform in the UK. I think this was one of the first times ever that I'd had any sort of interaction with someone actually involved in creating the music that I loved so much, and I was absolutely thrilled at the fact that here I was several 1000 miles away on the other side of the Atlantic exchanging emails with Arthur Wright. Wow! I realised soon after that I'd paid twice for the CD, but just couldn't bring myself to go back and make a fuss about it. Thank you for the music - and for the thrill. RIP.

Thank you!

Likewise, we love Greece and Lesvos in particular. This is our sixth visit to the island. Very difficult being there this year in some respects, although without a doubt we had a great time. We feel for the local people. Not only are they suffering because of the ongoing financial crisis, but tourism is down something like 20% so far this season as a result and the worries people have about the tide of refugees, the latter concerns being unfounded. Unfortunately it seems likely the wonderful locals will be facing a tougher time than they've had already - as if that wasn't bad enough. As for me, don't go thinking that what you see in the pic is my usual attire. It's impossible to dance in flippers!

A few more holiday snaps... By the edge of the sea, a little way from Molyvos, is a freshwater pool where turtles can be found. Although naturally shy, they can be coaxed out with offerings of bread, their hunger for which will bring them right to your feet. As well as turtles there are also frogs. If you sit quietly for long enough they'll venture out of the water and come very close. Make a sudden move and they're back in the water with a single leap. Other forms of aquatic life can also be spotted. This is the rarely spotted Snorkelus Russellum, seen here on what was, unusually, a rainy day. Probably one of the top three sights photographed in Molyvos - moored in the harbour, this former fishing boat is available for private trips courtesy of skipper and friend Stratis. The fresh and totally fabulous local food is a major attraction for us. In this case, calamari... A few glasses of vino and the sound of traditional Greek music played under the watchful stony gaze of Molyvos castle. Simple pleasures greatly enjoyed.

A few snaps from our recent Greek adventure in and around Molyvos on the island of Lesvos... Molyvos harbour. In the mornings I'd occasionally swim from quite a bit out of left of the frame up to the right-hand side of the harbour and back again. Lots of great snorkelling to be had on the way! Setting sun - harbour These flowers (name?) are to be seen everywhere in Molyvos More unspecified flora Glass of wine, anyone? Bus station. Opposite is the coast of Turkey, just six miles away. It's from here that all the refugees set off in unsuitable and dangerously overcrowded dinghies - at a cost of at least 1,000 euros per person. Those supplying the crafts and inferior life jackets are making an absolute fortune.

Well pleased to have spotted a stork when we were in the Amsterdam woods for a bit of a stroll and a bite to eat early evening. Just as Steve's plovers were too far away, so the stork was well out of effective range of my 200mm zoom - hence severe cropping needed.

I'm not long back from three weeks in Molyvos on the Greek island of Lesvos. Having been there a few times now everything is very familiar, so I find myself taking less and less pics. My Nikon hardly saw any action at all and I relied on my ever-present iPad Mini to capture the photographic record. These black & whites are post processed from colour snaps using the somewhat simple but still useful Photoshop app for iOS... Molyvos castle... One-time small fishing boat skippered by friend Stratis Kabanas who takes a max of four people out on snorkelling and pleasure trips locally under the name of "Escape". A local fishing boat heading out for the night from Molyvos' small harbour. The vista from Molyvos' pebbly beach. From this location I'd swim to the outside wall of the harbour (which you can see on the far right) and back again. Lots of great snorkelling to be had on the way in wonderfully clear waters. In spite of the twin financial and refugee crises faced by the island, I have to say that the local people are incredibly generous in their warmth and support of the migrants who are now overwhelming what little facilities exist for them.

Kalimera from Molyvos on the Greek island of Lesvos. Here's the early morning scene as the sun rises over the castle behind our apartment...

​What's written on a birth certificate doesn't always reflect the truth. Let us know how you get on...

In interviews she states that Carl introduced her to Jerry Ragovoy, which eventually led to her cutting her debut album "I got love" with him. That came out in 1980, meaning the relationship with Ragovoy began earlier and that she had known Carl for a longer period of time. In one article on her own website she refers to Carl as "dear late brother/friend". She might use both as terms of endearment, but not at the same time. At least I don't think so, although I wouldn't be prepared to stand on that point alone. As for conflict in timelines, who's to say that they were siblings in the same happy nuclear family? Marriages, divorce, extra-marrital affairs, one-night stands, etc, etc… It could be that they were half brother/sister. More digging definitely needed...

As a further addendum, how about this? It's a playbill of the short-lived theatre production "Truly Blessed - a musical celebration of Mahalia Jackson", which ran for just four weeks. There are two autographs on the cover. One is from the leading lady, Queen Esther Marrow, and the other is… <doh!>

As an addendum, Carl has a sister in the form of Peggi Blu who has some fame as the "American Idol Vocal Coach from Hell"! A quick search for her via your favourite search engine brings up a wealth of information...

I've read comments online from a son of Carl's confirming his father's demise.

Just found a bit more... The company was first formed in 1956 as the Calder Valley Sound Recording Group - a recording studio in Hebden. In 1962 it becomes the Calder Valley Sound Recording Company. In 1964 it changes to Calder Recordings Ltd and starts producing microphones. In 1971 it starts manufacturing professional mixing consoles for TV and radio.

Great minds…

Interesting. Calrec was and is a specialist producer of professional audio equipment, primarily for the broadcasting industry. They started life in 1964 as a manufacturer of microphones and are still based in Hebden Bridge. Naturally they would have had their own studios for testing, recording, etc, and this is a product of that. Company history here: https://calrec.com/history/

From the article: That's what matters most. After all, it is about the music, isn't it? Put another way, is it the stupidly priced and inaccessible bits of vinyl, owned by a select few, that's most important - or is it the musical legacy? I say it's about the music…

Before you upload, click on them so they open. They should open in a basic image editing app. If not, right click when you open and the option to open it in whatever photo editing software you've got installed should come up (something like that for Windows!) On a Mac, just double click and they'll open in Preview. Press Command and L to rotate left - or Command and R for right. Then save.

Well, in a nice little development that I thought worthy of reporting here, the YouTube clip of Art Posey's take of "Find my way" has just been shared on Google+ by… Arthur Posey!

Must admit I'd forgotten all about this thread and only came across it when searching for more info on the song and the 45. The unidentified recording of the song is now on YouTube. It's only taken me nigh on four years, but I got there in the end!