We continue the occasional series wherein Winston expounds on things that currently make him happy.

Last week it seemed Winston might have reached his Peak Happiness Threshold but – to our great surprise – he's even happier this week. Here's why.

The Remarkables.

149) The Remarkables! At the moment I feel like someone very generous is arranging gigs in Tauranga simply to please me. Joel Fafard hoed into the blues at Tauranga Art Gallery last week. And today – Friday 24 April – my favourite pop band Model Train
Wreck is playing at Major Toms. Entry is only $5 – you'd be crazy to miss them!

And next weekend the group which recorded the CD that's spent the most time in my CD player this year is coming to town. I can hardly believe it. Kudos to Apollo or whichever minor deity looks after music programming in Tauranga.

The Remarkables is a quartet, three from Auckland and one from Tauranga. They play old-timey music; music that sits in that strange nexus where country meets jazz and bluegrass and blues, and all of it swings.

That means tunes such as ‘Honeysuckle Rose' and ‘You Always Hurt the One You Love', and jug band standards such as ‘Stealin', jazz instrumental ‘Limehouse Blues', and songs about mythical characters, from John Henry to Frankie and Johnny.

The Tauranga part of the equation is the group's not-so-secret weapon, Robbie Laven. Robbie plays everything that the others don't – mandolin, fiddle, guitar, and a souped-up washboard that has to be heard to be believed.

That's in support of main singer Neil Finlay, who also plays guitar and has been prominent on the Auckland folk-blues scene for decades. Then there are two players probably familiar to folk audiences for their work with the group Wire and Wood – Bryan Christianson plays banjo and Garry Trotman upright bass.

Together it's a thing of wonder and I have absolutely no reservations about recommending The Remarkables next Sunday, May 3, at the Historic Village Hall. Things kick off 7pm and cost $20.

150) Anzac Day! Actually, and of course, Anzac Day is not a particular reason to be cheerful, though it's heartening to see the increased focus and understanding for the commemoration that's developed in recent years.

But it's an opportunity to celebrate more Tauranga musical talent, in this instance Julia Turner.

The ex-Bethlehem College student is a prolific songwriter and wrote ‘Soldiers' as a tribute to the fallen. Julia recorded it at Auckland's York Street Studio and sang it at Te Papa last year to an audience of invited dignitaries to commemorate the beginning of WWI. Anzac weekend seems like a good time to share the song. I'll be featuring Julia more in the near future. In the meantime you can watch the video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBRxTb3RsTg.

151) Feijoas! I'm a bit of a sucker for the ‘pineapple guava'. A couple of trees are currently fruiting heavily here at the Watusi Country Club and this year I'm determined not to waste them. So every morning I wander out in my dressing gown and pick up the windfall.

Then I make stuff from it, so far three different chutneys and three different jams. The only problem is getting enough jars. And, because it's bringing me such pleasure – and tastes really good – I'd like to share the simplest of the jam recipes. After all, I'm a simple chap, not to mention lazy; this is as easy as jam gets.

Take 1kg feijoas, top and tail and cut off any brown bits. Don't peel them, just slice then blend to a chunky mush in a food processor. Saucepan them, add half a cup of water and juice of a couple of lemons and bring to a boil. Stir in 1kg of jam-setting sugar. Dissolve and simmer for five minutes.

That's it. Scoop off any gunky foam and put it into sterilized jars – 40 seconds in the microwave will sterilise a jar. Let it cool and then go yum, yum, yum!

Next week: More exciting ideas for feijoas. No, not really, but there will be more music. In the meantime, drop those unneeded jam jars at the front desk of The Sun!