Awful weather yesterday across the country – it was bad enough here but not as dire as elsewhere especially South Wales.

This picture above is from my brother’s upstairs window in Nantgarw in South Wales looking out on the road! Luckily they kept water out of the houses by collectively digging a trench to divert the water. We found our road into the village under water that was just about passable.

At least today has been quieter and thankfully dry (although it is now raining as I write). We went looking for starling murmurations at dusk We only saw a 1,000 or so birds and they went down as groups and not as one mass. A couple of poor pictures below of the birds and one of a leafless tree (I love tree shapes and their silhouettes make interesting pictures.)

My goodness what an awful couple of days with wind and rain! Certainly won’t be getting on a bike today! However, the good news we are expecting a visit from our two grandsons later (and their parents!)

Yesterday I did travel up to watch the not so (at the moment) Mighty Hatters. Despite the weather we had one of our best drives up for a while. The football was as dismal as the weather, my team are certainly lacking confidence at the moment. Still at least we won (the referee didn’t help). We now face two difficult away games this week- I will have everything firmly crossed!!

This we just got back from ill be a fairly short blog today! We have just got back from a talk at our Village Society. These are monthly on a wide range of subjects. Talking of cultural things I didn’t mention last week at the Film Society we saw a stunning French film Anatomy of Fall – brilliant acting and direction.

Tomorrow I am off to watch the Mighty Hatters – actually a Saturday 3.00 kick off- only our second home game to kick off at a sensible time! Fingers crossed!!!

A bitterly cold day at Wick Court yesterday with young people from Gosport. At least the sun was shining and we had some good spots. I went back tonight for my regular story telling gig.

I have been busy writing this week trying to finish the story I am telling at the pub. Hopefully I will finish it in the next few days.

Hoping to get a ride in tomorrow!

I am not talking about the snow today! I spotted our first blackcap this winter on the feeders. I am sure the birds we see on the feeders are the continental birds that come here for the winter that are almost becoming a different species to the birds that are here in the summer. Occasionally catch a glimpse of one in the summer and hear them often. The pictures below I took this morning (yes I know I have posted pictures of blackcaps in my garden before!) I will try and take some better shots during the winter months!!!

Well after all that rain last month we have certainly had some today! I did manage to get in a ride before it came! Looking at the forecast it looks like we are getting a cold blast tomorrow so will need to find my winter gear!!

Finally below is a poster (click on the link below!) for our now traditional Beer and Books Christmas Entertainment. This year we are at the Ship at Framilode. Please join us – I will keep reminding you readers!

Ship 5th

Not from storytelling!!! We have been looking after our granddaughter Ellen for the weekend. As well as the family dog. We are jiggered!!! Great fun and a privilege but hard being on the go all the time!!! She plays lots of make believe games and we are expected to participate fully!

Not such a busy week ahead on the story telling front but busy with some varied gigs coming up. Will list them this week.

I took the young people from South London bird watching at Wick Court yesterday. The sunshine after many grey days was welcome. Despite only having two groups go out instead of usually three we saw 29 species. That equalled the record set last week! We were delighted to see a deceit of nearly two hundred lapwings. The other pleasant surprise was seeing our first bullfinches for five years at Wick Court.

I have just come back from story telling for this group.

Even managed to do my tax return today that has been hanging over me!

Book Club last night we discussed The Moon’s a Balloon by David Niven– an interesting discussion. A different world!

I am busy constructing a telling of a well known mythological story for our pub entertainment next term.

The pictures below are not mine.

We took our lives in our hands this morning doing our second winter bird square! There was no footpaths in the square we were given in Upleadon in the north of the county. So had to record birds from the side of a busy road (not easy). A lovely old church (picture below) was one of the few places I could bird watch safely!

This afternoon I went for a walk with an old friend catching up. I took her to see the starling murmuration -numbers are building up!

We enjoyed the film on Sunday although the subject matter was depressing – it did keep true to Claire Keegan’s beautifully written book.

Had a good ride into Gloucester yesterday to meet a friend. I am clocking up the miles for November!

I think I have mentioned before that we are giving two map squares in different parts of the county every November to do a bird survey. This year we were given Soudley Ponds in the Forest of Dean. 

We had a brilliant start down by the actual ponds where we had 24 mandarin ducks and 4 nuthatches! Sadly there wasn’t that many birds later but we had a super walk through the last of the Autumn Colours. A few pictures below.

We are off to see the film Small Things Like These based on the book by Claire Keegan which we read for book club.