A great couple of days for me.

Yesterday we went for a walk on Cam Peak to see the bluebells- always unusual because they aren’t in woodland. Some pictures below.

I followed this up by searching for Black Terns up at the sailing lake here in Frampton. These birds are rare visitors as they pass through. I saw three of them- a grainy picture below!

We then went to watch the ancient prog rockers Focus playing in Stroud. I saw them over 50 years ago when I was at college. They are fine musicians and it took me back in time! To quote Lou Reed just about ” A Perfect Day”.

I went to watch the Mad Hatters today who managed to scrape home and still keep our faint Play Off hopes alive. We have been on a super run but possibly too late.

I love the British Spring lovely fresh green , blossom everywhere and animals busy!.

Our pond is now full of tadpoles and we are seeing newts regularly – both grandsons spotted them at the weekend. Migrants are arriving all the time I saw my first Whitethroat today and I did hear the Nightingale- which I found quite emotional after such a long time. A few pictures below I took today- a Greenfinch in the garden, a Speckled Wood butterfly, and a disappearing Heron. I am going out regularly so maybe more pictures tomorrow.

Finally I am getting a lot of hits on my website from overseas especially the USA. I hope it is not some sort of AI trawling – please send me a message so I know it is not a robot!

Just heard a nightingale was heard singing last night in Frampton which is great news the last time one was heard was eight years ago. Fingers crossed we will continue to hear this iconic bird!  When I was teaching I used to bring young people to listen for nightingales in the village – we would then in those days have two or three birds singing in the Spring.

I paid for travelling so much over the last fortnight combined with cycling and a cricket net with a painful bad back. Could hardly move yesterday but better today. I am hoping to play cricket on Thursday!

Lovely day here with spring sunshine and migrants passing through. I heard my first Reed Warbler of the year and then saw it pop up from the reeds. Also my first Willow Warbler. Blackcaps were singing and a few House Martins  were over. The best photo I could do is the Chiffchaff below (with a leaf in front!)  We all feel better for sunshine!

I of course am on a high following my Wembley visit yesterday. A great day and The Hatters beat The Hatters!!! It was lovely to be at an occasion with so many families of all generations. My support over the years has seen a few highs and many lows -so  when those highs come they are special and are savoured! It is probably too late for the league now but it is the hope that gets you!

One or two pictures from Wembley yesterday as well below.

Some pictures from our stadium tour on Thursday of the aging but very idiosyncratic home of the Mighty Hatters. I went with my eldest son Dave and we had a lovely day. We managed to go places we have never been before. One part was the gantry built for our season in the Premier League and it had a fantastic view. Tomorrow of course we are at Wembley to see us against the other Hatters.

Short blog today. I was back story telling this morning in Bristol. Once again I was employed by Carter’s Construction Company to tell a story around safety on a building site. I have now done a few for them and another possibly in the pipeline.

Book Club tonight where we are discussing “Villains in Literature” – we each have to say who is our number 1 Villain! Will report back later this week- should be fun!

Well I hope you all know the saying “one swallow doesn’t make a summer” . The picture below is of a swallow this evening on the wire near the church in Frampton. Seems apt after watching yesterday’s football where my team played their best football of the season but…… is it just a one off? Apparently that saying is attributed to the philosopher Aristotle!

As a footnote I have seen a few swallows already this spring!

A short blog that is all football related! I have a busy week or so that has a strong football theme! I went yesterday to watch the Hatters win and play some decent football. It has been grim this season watching them but maybe we are at last developing a clear playing style. We even managed to win despite the most awful set of match officials! The referee made some howling errors and the lino missed the ball being out of play on three occasions one leading to the opposition’s goal.

I am off again on Monday to Wimbledon a new ground (it will be the 3rd different ground I’ve seen Wimbledon play the Hatters on.

Thursday we have a stadium tour booked and of course next Sunday I will be at Wembley wearing my boater cheering them on. The picture below is of our last Wembley visit (four members of the family in the picture!)

The Two Severn Bores met for a planning session on Monday night. We are aiming to add a bit more to our Merlin show- adding another story and a couple more songs. We are also looking to see if my Pirate Pete story (for schools etc) we can add some music and songs to. Dan has gone off to work on the music! So watch this space!

Picture below is of a female Reed Bunting I took yesterday- I usually get a picture of the showy male but I watched this one for a while.

A week with no story telling for a change! Hopefully it will be a chance to learn some new stories to tell and to write. But pigs might fly!!!

Had a lovely time with our two wonderful grandsons at the weekend but tired now!

Took Clare on our bikes to see the Common Cranes this morning and lucky to see 3 Swallows and a House Martin (first for me for this year) My pictures below are not as good as Paul’s last week! Also a Dunnock I took last week! I ended up getting a thorn in my tyre so had to walk home!