On my exercise ride today as I was climbing up Stouts Hill I caught the early scent of wild garlic-should be more pungent in the next couple of weeks. I will look forward to Bluebells later this month. The good news from the garden we are seeing the male and female Blackcaps regularly; normally only see them in Winter hoping we might have a nest nearby!

Yesterday’s Answers

Substitute by The Who       Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits         No Surrender by Bruce Springsteen (The Boss)        Time by Pink Floyd    Bat Out of Hell by Meatloaf

Today’s idea for questions came from looking at my Book Case -it is First Lines of Poems name the Poet and the Poem-fairly straightforward I think-maybe in a later blog maybe a poetic theme for the questions. Good luck!

a)  “Twas brillig, and slithy toves”     b) “Yes I remember Addlestrop…”        c) “If I should die, think only this of me…”      d) “The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees…”  e) “He clasps the crag with crooked hands…..”

Always looking for ideas for blog questions; I do  hope you all appreciate the wide breadth of questions -thanks for the many comments you have emailed me.  So people do read it!

Today’s title acknowledges  where the idea for the questions came from-yes doing the ironing! In the past I have often done the ironing when cricket is on because you can watch each ball and then iron while the bowler goes back to his mark. No sport, so a change of approach!  Today I was rocking away while ironing (I apologise if that image is giving anyone nightmares!) The first question is from one of the songs I was semi dancing/ironing  to today! I apologise to any teachers past or present for the third quote!

Yesterday’s answers first on animal homes- Otter-Holt   Eagle-Eyrie  Hare-Form Squirrel-Drey Crocodile-Nest       

Guess the song and the artist/s-those of a certain generation should find them easy- I may do songs/ballads for future blog questions.

“I was born with a plastic spoon in my mouth”

“There’s so many different worlds…….. so many different suns  ………..And we have just one world……..but we live in different ones”

“We learned more from a three minute record than we have learned in school”

“Then one day you find, ten years have got behind you. No one told you to run to run you missed the starting gun……….”

“……..There’s a man in the shadows with a gun in his eye…….and a blade shining oh so bright…”

Finally a picture from the time when football was in black and white before the Premier League! I wondered whatever happened to him?

I was moved last Thursday by the national outpouring of support for our wonderful NHS. One thing this awful virus has shown is how vital to our nation our Public Services are. It is a pity they have been under such sustained attack over recent years and chronically underfunded. There is an irony that the people who so attacked them are now depending on them! Enough of the soapbox!

Picture below is one I took last year with surfers surfing the Severn Bore-thought we needed something different!

Yesterday’s answers to the quiz

The opening line of Sunny Afternoon is “The tax man’s taken all my dough“- written by the brilliant Ray Davies.

Anna Mae Bullock is of course Tina Turner.

The Stones formed in Dartford.

The second person to get an album Grammy three times was Stevie Wonder.

Leonard Cohen wrote “Hallelujah” -many of you will probably remember the Jeff Buckley version -there are quite a few!

Today’s questions-name the animal homes of the following – not too difficult.

a) Otter  b) Eagle c) Hare d) Squirrel e) Crocodile

Currently trying out some ideas for a poem using the acrostic format that Robert Macfarlane used for his wonderful book. My lost words are all topical -ideas so far are Pub, Hug, Handshake, School, Sport, Shopping (well  I don’t miss that one) and possibly Holiday. New words I’ve been musing on are Covid 19, Testing, Spreading, Lock Down, Social Distancing, Self Isolating, Ramp Up, Significant Time. Anyone got any other thoughts?  Unlikely I will do all of the above.

Music theme for today’s questions. A mixed bunch-enjoy!

1. What is the opening line of the Kinks song “Sunny Afternoon”?
2. What is the stage name of Anna Mae Bullock?
3. What was the town where the Rolling Stones formed?
4. Only two artists have won Album of the Year on three occasions in the first 60 years of Grammy history. One is Frank Sinatra. Who is the other?
5. “Hallelujah” is a song written by which Canadian singer?

Thought I would make the Wren today’s title because I’m currently reading a book on the Wren by Stephen Moss and have been watching them in the garden. A wonderful charismatic bird with a surprisingly loud song for a little bird.

Talking of books I’ve just finished “Rings of Saturn” by W.G. Sebald for Book Club -we are aiming to discuss it on Zoom which will be a first for us.

Today’s exercise was a ride starting with the strong wind behind me so I was hurtling down the A38 but a real shock as I started the return leg!

Yesterday’s answers to the Quiz

!) Ellen MacArthur was the sailor   2) Jim Hines the first sub 10 second 100 metres 3) Richard Whitely the first face on Chanel 4.

No Quiz today as it is a Sunday (could say every day feels like a Sunday!)

It was a bitter wind today and I don’t mean the metaphorical one! Supposed to be a colder one tomorrow! Short blog today here are yesterday’s answers.

The first female newsreader was Angela Rippon   2. The first England player to be sent off was Alan Mullery 3. The first Sherlock Holmes story Was A Study in Scarlet.

Today’s questions

1. Who was the first woman to sail round the world single handed in under 100 days?
2. Who was the first man to run 100 metres in under 10 seconds?
3. Who was the first person to be seen on Channel 4?

Not sure if you have heard Ralph McTell’s new verse for Streets of London which certainly resonates with the crisis we are all facing. It is the first verse he has added in over 50 years. He is still an excellent song writer as well as an outstanding guitarist. I have followed him ever since I first heard that wonderful rich voice painting vivid pictures in words at Cambridge Folk Festival; it was a memorable weekend in my formative years.

Yesterday’s answers to the Food questions are…..1)Vermicelli is little worms    2) Toffee Day is in January (8th) 3) Red Onion originated in Italy 4) Paella’s name  comes from the pan that it is cooked in  5) It is the root of Tumeric that is the spice we know.

Today’s questions are all Firsts

a) Who was the first woman to read the news in Britain? b) Who was the first footballer sent off playing for England? c) What was the first Sherlock Holmes story?

More firsts tomorrow!

Last night was a bizarre experience performing for Folk Tales in Bristol over the internet! Not sure what it was like for the audience but Story Telling to a lap top was certainly surreal for me-normally I feed off my audience and react accordingly. All I could see of the audience was individual squares most of them shaded in and a few who had their cameras switched on. I suppose it is an experience to build on! The Two Severn Bores are looking to record a pod cast in the future so we won’t see an audience then, our problem will be recording in separate places.

We are fortunate where we live in Frampton-on-Severn because you can walk and easily keep your distance from others. I do get on my bike (once a day of course on the days I haven’t walked )and know lots of country roads where you hardly see anyone. I sympathise with all those people in flats or in densely populated areas. It is imperative we stick to the rules.

Quiz Time:

Last questions were on beer here are the answers a) Stella Artois-Belgium b) Moosehead –Canada c) DAB-Germany  d) Kronebourg 1664-France e) Breda Royal Beer –Holland

Today’s Teaser: I thought I would do food for today’s theme as we all have more time to cook!

1. Which type of pasta’s name  means “Little Worms”?
2. English Toffee Day is in what month?
3. In which country do red onions originate?
4. How does Paella get its name?
5. Which part of a Turmeric plant is dried and used in Indian cooking?

Stay Safe Folks!

We will be starting at 8.30 tonight and not sure how it is going to work!

Hope this works-several performers tonight from 8.

Try this link https://meet.jit.si/FolkTalesTV

failing that we are on Jit.si and it is Folk Tales TV you end up being able to see the performers including Dan and I and we see you as our audience-maybe more later.