I am all packed and ready to go for sub continent adventure. Just hope I haven’t forgotten anything!
Went bird watching with young people from Swindon at Wick Court. We saw plenty of small birds fliting in and out of the feeders.
Short blog today as it has been yet another all go day in an action packed week. I visited two schools in the North of the County today storytelling (they were both run by the same head.) Despite being tired from my exertions but we went to Cheltenham Film Society tonight to see a French film “Night of the 12th – we are enjoying our film society membership.
I am called The Story Traveller because the idea is that I will cycle to me gigs whenever possible. Today I pedalled a round journey to Nailsworth of over 23 miles to tell stories in a care home that I visited just before Christmas. Had a lovely receptive audience. I get quite nervous on these gigs because I don’t want to patronise my audience because the needs can be wide ranging. hard to get clothing right on the bike I was chilly to start with then far too hot!!!
Started packing for my sub continent adventure. nearly there! And yes I am story telling out there!!!
Went to a superb talk on the reintroduction of red kites on Wednesday night. it has been a busy few days. We did the monthly bird survey out on the River Severn on a lovely Thursday morning. Bird numbers are down but we watched a marsh harrier flying over what we call the snipe field flushing the snipe. It was quite a spectacle.
Been faffing around sorting out my visa and stuff. Apart from packing (which will be another faff).
It is a busy week before I fly out on Thursday I have a couple of gigs this coming week as well as my usual volunteering at Wick Court so I do need to be organised!
Feel I need to lay down in a darkened room! It has been all go with a large element of unnecessary stress!
Sunday till mid Monday afternoon we were in Exeter playing with our granddaughter Ellen. The main game was doctors again and again and again – she has a bag with bandages, stethoscope etc in. We bandaged many soft toys taking their temperature and giving them “medicine!
We galloped home – Clare had her Book Club at our house while I shot off to see “A Complete Unknown” the film about Bob Dylan’s early years. Superb film full of nostalgia and of course music. Felt quite emotional watching it. The acting was excellent. It obviously re-interpreted history.
Tuesday- was full of various meetings with different people.
Today has been my usual Wednesday volunteering at Wick Court. I am off to talk om red kites this evening.
The stress has come from trying to fill in my visa application for India- aaaaaaagggggggg!!!!!!
We chose this morning to do the bird count in our garden – not a great choice with strong cold winds. We were delighted to have at least 14 long-tailed tits (there were probably more but we could only confirm 14. Lovely charismatic birds. Sadly for one of them the sparrowhawk (male) came swooping in and took a bird. I watched the whole thing and sparrowhawks are amazingly agile flying deftly round any obstacles like trees, bushes and buildings. That of course meant all birds disappeared for a while! Picture below of a previous visit has been in the blog before.
Yesterday’s football was depressing two teams devoid of confidence playing a scrappy game-sadly the only moment of quality game from the opposition! seriously worried now!
Those of you who read this blog regularly (there are a few of you out there) will have noticed I haven’t written anything recently-I am sorry but I have been on the go all week. Tuesday was ridiculous going from cricket net, to gull survey and onto football. Sadly the football despite being the better team saw us lose yet again! The gull survey was underwhelming not many going over our recording point! The cricket net was good and I was actually middling the ball!!! I was glad coming off my bike the day before didn’t hamper my cricket!
Have been busy on preparing and researching for future gigs- have a few in the next six weeks.
Yesterday I was looking after my two grandsons for most of the day- Clare joined me in the afternoon and took over when I went to do storytelling at Wick Court. I was very tired last night!
Had a lovely walk this morning with my friend Moira round the village, she was thrilled when I pointed out a kingfisher flying low across the lake. (not my picture below!)
A quiet morning in here in Frampton before an all action afternoon and evening. I start with my last pre India cricket net early afternoon followed straight away by a winter gull count (I am rushing back for this). Finally I shoot from the gull count to go to Oxford to watch the Mighty Hatters (fingers firmly crossed that we might stop the rot away from home).
Last night I fell off my bike and took a battering!!!! I will approach the net cautiously!
Being a storyteller you often find you have spells when it is quiet and then boom you are in demand. I have a busy week just before I go to India for most of February. Have had some interesting enquiries this last week for future gigs after India that are certainly going to be a different! experience for me!
I went to watch the Mighty Hatters yesterday – not the greatest game but we were much the better team and lacked a cutting edge. Our position is looking perilous but it was a more encouraging display
Had a good walk this afternoon hoping to see bullfinches sadly didn’t see any but had a good view of a cetti’s warbler. which you normally only hear The picture below of one is not mine.
Last night I led the Wassail at Wick Court- using my updated verse! We had “wicked time” to quote one of the young people from Ravenstone Primary School. Our event is certainly idiosyncratic but the more I read about the history of wassail the more convinced I am that you can do your own thing! I kept some of the local traditions but wrote a verse that incorporated Wick Court in it.
Earlier in the day I took the young people bird watching (it was foggy) but we saw quite a bit. They were delighted to see a raven as it chimed with their school name!
Book Club last night (after the wassail) was different we all had to talk about our favourite character from literature. It was a wide ranging discussion.
Finally some pictures of garden visitors today!
