Folk Tales

A short blog today and for once no music title. last night I was Story Telling at Folk Tales in Bristol. A delightful evening by the docks. Folk Tales takes place on the last Wednesday of each month and is a mix of music and the spoken word. I am hoping to go next month to see other Story Tellers perform.

I also resumed my residency at Wick Court in the wonderful Round House that has been upgraded with wattle and daub walls over the Easter break.

The Fool on the Hill

Another fab four song title for today’s short blog. Guess who the fool is?

I have just ridden up Haresfield Beacon. I think it is the hardest hill to ride up locally there is a really steep ramp at the end. I played my first game in cricket (in England) this season. It was for the Gloucestershire Old Men against Worcestershire and we won! sadly I only went in to bat with two runs needed and yes you have guessed it I didn’t trouble the scorers!

Tonight I am Story Telling for adults in Bristol and I am back for my regular Thursday Gig at Wick Court tomorrow.

Good Day Sunshine

The fab four for today’s song title. I have had a busy few days on a self indulgent front. On Friday a delightful Bluebell Walk in Randwick Woods with SP3. One of my favourite flowers so a Bluebell Walk is an annual event for Clare and I. Later I cycled to meet my David cycling up to us from Exeter. It wasn’t until afterwards I realised I had done 64 miles!

On Saturday Dave and I went to watch the mighty Hatters. It was our special day in hospitality (another annual event). A cracking day and we found an old school chum of mine who I went to my first ever Luton game with (back in the Stone Age) was on our table. The game was much better than of late and we managed to avoid another draw by winning!

Sunday morning in splendid sunshine I had a lovely hour bird watching by the canal. I saw a spoonbill, spotted redshank, 3 common redshank, a greenshank and 5 frisky lapwings. Finally today Clare and I wondered up onto Rodborough Common by Stroud and were delighted to see the ground festooned in cowslips interspersed with a few orchids. Fantastic!!!!

Magic

Listening to the Boss (Springsteen) as I write so took that for today’s title. I thought a singer with a social conscience might be appropriate with this week’s major news. Would be good if our wonderful Health Service slowly featured in the Election stuff as well the fragmentation of our education system. Sadly our press has a clear agenda and those issues will be glossed over. Enough of that!

I have been busy writing both the Ming Story I have mentioned previously as well as a poem. I also have some projects looming that will require more writing will expand on that in future blogs. The summer is already filling up with Gigs in some fairly diverse places. Next week in Bristol for an adult performance at Folk Tales.

I surprisingly got a soaking doing the Bird Survey this morning out on the banks of the Severn. Saw my first Whitethroat of the Spring as well as Greenshank stopping off on migration.

 

 

 

The Keeper

Could be a song about football but actually it is a Show of Hands song about the First World War. I said in my previous blog I couldn’t comment on the set until the concert began (it is happening as I write)! There were a couple of songs and a Sassoon poem read by Jim Carter that featured the War, very moving. They have such a wonderful collection of songs you are never quite sure what songs you will hear. I suppose there was a theme running around exile and the final encore with backing of a choir of Santiago made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

Had a lovely couple of days with my brother Mike who stayed with us. We did go to the football on Friday and we visited some of old haunts in Hitchin the town we grew up in. Sadly the not so mighty Hatters spluttered to a draw against the bottom club!

I am now in training for our Pyrenees trip at the end of next month. I am cycling with my boys so I have to work on my climbing. Went for a good ride today.

Just finished re-writing the pages of the web site. Hopefully it will be revamped soon!

Show of Hands

We went last night to the wonderful venue of St. Georges in Bristol to see Show of Hands warming up for their Albert Hall Gig this Sunday. It was superb can’t do details of the show till after Sunday.

Had a good ride with old friends yesterday.

Plenty happening on the Story Telling front with bookings building up for the next two months.

Happy Easter!

 

 

High Flying Bird

A tenuous link today with an obscure Jefferson Airplane song for the title. We spent the weekend in Dorset mainly Bird Watching so I was looking for bird titles!

The weather was stunning and we camped in our lovely camper van “Cedric”. We saw a mixture of sea birds at the coast on Friday and then had a wonderful day at the RSPB Arne Reserve. We went looking for Dartford Warblers and we had a marvellous view of two in the gorse. It is one of favourite places and we took our time ambling and looking. Sunday saw us on Brownsea Island looking for red squirrels but didn’t see any but saw some lovely birds in the lagoon including Sandwich Terns my picture included on the blog!

“Pain”

Never had a Joan Armatrading song for a title so a first for everything!

I had plans for a busy week in the garden, on my bike and tramping off with telescope on my back looking out for migrants. Best plans thwarted yesterday when I hurt my back in the usual stupid way lifting heavy things and stretching across at the same time! Idiot!!!!! So the 30+ mile ride planned for yesterday with some decent climbs never happened! Can’t do anything in the garden. Idiot!!!!!!! Taking things carefully and slowly things are getting easier. May try a gentle ride tomorrow.

So it means I am writing more of the Ming story. I am also researching some new stories to learn. I have an adult Gig in Bristol later this month so re-learning an old Scottish Folk Tale I’ve told before where gender changes!

Our House

Don’t think I’ve had a Madness song title before so it almost fits with being back at home. I thoroughly enjoyed my trip; good company, decent weather and of course some cricket! The walks were good as well especially getting away from the coastal sprawl. A picture of the rock I climbed off Calpe below.

I was straight back into Story Telling on Thursday at Wick Court. A delightful school from Kilburn and a super day, the Round House was a fitting setting. I did the “Golden Apple” the story of Paris having to choose which goddess “The fairest” to give the Golden Apple to. I was pleased with how I have tailored this story to my audience.

Currently writing up the story I wrote a year ago in Cuba about “Ming the Dragon”. Still haven’t quite worked out how to conclude it so it can still go off at tangents!

Went to an enjoyable game yesterday and we won! The quality of football from both sides was a credit to the 4th Division. Out on the bike tomorrow!