Eagle Huntress

A short blog about the above film. We went to watch it last night a delightful film about a young Mongolian girl learning to be an Eagle Hunter normally a male occupation! Scenery was stunning and a good advert for tourism to Mongolia. The shots of the eagle flying were great especially when they were in the snow laden mountains.

Mockingbird

Been wracking my mind for bird songs and came up with this one for today by James Taylor and Carly Simon. For younger readers they were both quite big in the 70s. I wanted a song about a Bittern but I don’t think one has been written yet, if I was a singer-song writer I would do it but be grateful I’m not with my voice! I had a marvellous view of a Bittern on Friday flying quite close to me, I was ecstatic ! Also saw a Peregrine, Cranes, Stonechats, Goldcrests among many others. I also went to an interesting talk on Barn Owls last week and the news is encouraging as habitats have been restored. While on the bird theme my pals have been busy building us a bird hide for the children at Wick Court (The Farm for City Children) and it is great!

The story learning is in full flow as I have my busy spell of Gigs coming up next month. I  do enjoy the challenge of new story and you can be stretched doing 8 or 9 stories throughout a day in a school. I am also putting some ideas together for a new story of mine.

Football report in the next blog!

Take the Long Way Home

Been trying to  think of weekend type of songs for today’s title. Not sure if the above fits but it sounded OK!

Last week saw me clock up a few miles on my bike one long social ride with friends on Friday. I am making sure I get in a few hill climbs to prepare me for the Pyrenees in May.

Story Telling is now back in full flow with several diverse Gigs coming up. Pleased with the Coyote story I learnt last week and told on Thursday although I look it as a story in development!

I managed to see one of the most inept performances by a referee yesterday. I was surprised he wasn’t arrested by the police for inciting both sets of supporters in the crowd!

Paperback Writer

Obvious song title when I am going to mention Book Club! Tomorrow we meet for one of our research meals. The book we will be discussing in February is “His Bloody Project” by Graeme Macrae Burnet is was short listed for last year’s Booker. So the theme is a Scottish Meal as the book is set in the Highlands of Scotland. I am doing a fish soup called Cullen Skink. I haven’t quite finished the book so I won’t make a comment till I have got to the end.

Yesterday I took part in a Gull count for the WWT. Over three thousand Gulls went over where I was standing by the Severn in the two hours from 3 p.m. and dark. I also have the bird survey on the Frampton Estate later this week.

I am trying out a new story on Thursday, so busy learning it at the moment.

My White Bicycle

A song title right from the days of psychedelia that I only came across recently not sure if I was aware of it before, by a band called Tomorrow and Steve Howe (pre Yes)was in it! The reason for choosing the title I had a bit of a disaster on Monday night. I had been to a Children’s Centre Meeting when I had a catastrophic  mechanical breakdown about six miles from home. My chain somehow came off and got caught in the back wheel. You can imagine the difficulties of trying to untangle in the dark, I must have spent a good 40 minutes trying to sort it before I called International Rescue. Even in daylight and on the bike stand the next day it took about another 30 minutes or so to sort! I am trying to get in the miles on the bike because we are cycling in the Pyrenees in May, so need to keep climbing the hills here regularly.

First Story Telling of the year will be next week. and then it gets busy as we approach February. I am spending time finding new stories for Telling. I am investigating ways using modern technology to add music to a couple of my stories.

Where Do You Go To My Lovely……..

Had to have that song title as I’ve just heard Peter Sarstedt had died. What a wonderful song that is and so evocative of that time.

We have just been up in London for a couple of nights. We went to the British Library (what a marvellous building!), Natural History Museum to see the Wildlife Photographer of the Year pictures, and the V and A. I went to a superb exhibition at the V and A called “You Say You Want a Revolution? Records and Rebels 1966-70” It is finishing soon; I recommend a visit if you get the chance. It encapsulated the amazing music and a dynamic period in History.

We also saw our Peter and Nicola while there.

 

Listdoonvarna

As I am sitting at my desk about to do some writing I am listening to Christy Moore so that is where today’s title comes from!

Happy New Year and let’s hope 2017 has more hope than the gloom of last year! having said I was reading there were a lot of positive happenings in 2016 many breakthroughs in medicine, the recovery of some notable species like the Panda (although the natural world is under greater pressure than ever.) And of course my favourite football team came up with wonderful plans for a new stadium in the town centre that will regenerate the town. On a personal note the Story Telling has developed superbly with some great gigs in different parts of the country and the stories keep flowing!

I have watched two games of football this week and talk about Jekyll and Hyde. Still fingers crossed we will make it come May.