Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1494132
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 5 MARCH 2023 7 ALMANAC Nature Notebook 856. White Mustard ONE of our most common flowers is surely the white mustard. Look into a field that hasn't been worked for a year or two and if you see a carpet of white, that's probably them right there. Thing is, the white mustard in that field wasn't sown there by the farmer, it's totally wild. So why is it so common? The reason is that white mustard (M. ġarġir abjad) has learned to occupy farmland, which at 51% of Mal- ta's land area is by far our most common habitat. If a plant can sprout and grow quickly in soft, recently tilled earth, and can run its entire life cycle in a single season, fallow fields are ideal des res. The white mustard meets all these requirements, so finding a place to live is not a problem. And why is it called mustard? Well, nibble one of its leaves and wait for the aftertaste … there! Restoration of the Comino Bakery Did you know that there is a bakery on the tiny island of Comino? This small limestone building in the middle of unspoiled nature has not been used for decades and has now fallen into a state of disrepair. The longer the building is not renovated, the more difficult it will be to preserve it. That would be a great pity, because such a treasure should not remain unused. That is why we are doing something about it! Our goal as an environmental NGO is to turn the old bakery into an interpretive cen- tre that creates space for education about sustainability and a non-profit space for people to use it as a campsite, for example. In this way we cre- ate awareness about the fact that Comino is a Natura 2000 site. For that we started a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for the renovation of the run-down building.We have set ourselves three milestones for the campaign: First, we want to reach 16,500 euros to purchase security measures such as windows, doors, and simple cameras. Our second goal is to raise another 11,000 euros to install basic facilities such as a simple bathroom and to equip some areas with electricity. And as a third goal, we would like to raise an additional 2,500 euros to properly clean the space. So, with this campaign we want to raise a total of 30,000 euros. Victor Falzon, Alex Casha www.birdlifemalta.org Green idea of the week 744: Learn more about the bakery and donate https://zaar.com.mt/ projects/restoration-of-comino-bakery-foe/ Visit Friends of the Earth's website for more information about our work, as well as information about how to join us. You can also support us by sending us a donation – www.foemalta.org/donate Don't miss this Rock Classics of the 60's & 70's 11 March 2023 Place: Mediterranean Conference Centre Rock Classics of the 60's and 70's" is the latest rock orchestral collaboration in a series of outstanding events brought to the MCC by The Gozo Youth Orchestra and 7SPP. The concert is scheduled to take place on Saturday 11th March 2023 at 8 p.m. The line up will feature The Gozo Youth Orchestra under the direction of our Musical Director, Maestro Joseph Grech. The Orchestra will once again be joined by Gozo's finest, CASH & Band, led by John 'Cash' Cassar. Also appearing on the night, will be a hugely talented line up of guest performers. Dorothy Bezzina, Sarah Bonnici, Kurt Cassar, Ludwig Galea, Neville Refalo, are among the best known singers on the Maltese music scene. The backing vocals will be provided by The 7SPP Choir, under the direction of Dorothy Bezzina. Give nature a voice. Become a BirdLife member Pathétique 18 March Place: Hilton Resident conductor Sergei Smbatyan leads the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra in a tour de force performance of lyricism, brilliance and pathos. The concert opens with Christopher Muscat's third movement from his highly evocative symphony Bahr al-Mawt. Acclaimed soloist and Principal Horn of the Berlin Philharmonic, Stefan Dohr, showcases two repertoire staples, Mozart's delightful Horn Concerto No. 3, and Richard Strauss' masterwork Horn Concerto No. 1. Tchaikovsky's deeply moving Pathétique Symphony is the epitome of passion and emotion, with its poignant melodies and sublime orchestration. A GOOD WEEK Good Week/Bad Week A BAD WEEK Tickets for this year's Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool will go on sale on Tuesday 7 March, the BBC has announced. Fans will be able to pay to attend nine shows - two live semi-finals and the grand final, as well as six previews doubling up as dress rehearsals. Justin Bieber has cancelled all of the remaining dates of his Justice world tour, following health issues. The 29-year-old singer had postponed the tour several times, telling fans last summer that he was suffering from facial paralysis, after a diagnosis of Ramsay Hunt syndrome (RHS). Prices range from £90 to £290 for the live semi-finals and £160 to £380 for the live grand final. He said in September 2022 that he wanted to make his "health a priority".