It has been a surprisingly  action packed day here. I went for a long ride with my friend Martin and we got a good soaking. Did a few jobs and then had to go and collect the car. It had just had its catalytic converter replaced I was expecting a hefty bill but thankfully it was still under guarantee. “Phew!”

Yesterday’s Quiz

a) Asgard is at one end of the rainbow Bridge  b) The colours of the rainbow Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet  c) Richie Blackmore was the guitarist d) Dark Side of the Moon was the album e) Rainbow Warrior was a Greenpeace ship

Today’s Quiz on rain!

a) The Rain in Spain comes from what musical?   b) Which ancient latin word means rain storm?  c) Who was the Greek Goddess of Rainbows  d) In the Nursery Rhyme what is the old man doing when “it is raining and pouring”  e) Which band sang “Why does it always rain on me”.

It was our monthly bird survey out on the Severn this morning and of course because of Covid lock down restrictions  it was different! A blustery morning meant many birds were hunkered down behind hedges and bushes. No surprises on the bird front but there was an unusual rainbow on the other side of the river that looked more like a fountain (my pictures below don’t really to it justice!) Also below is a Kingfisher it was some way away but if you look carefully it had just caught fish (might need a magnifying glass!)

Yesterday’s Quiz Answers

a) 1605 (Gunpowder Plot)  b) Gettysburg Address (Lincoln’s speech)  c) November is the 9th month in the Roman Calendar  d) Gun N’ Roses  e) James Bond (was born in Germany according to Ian Fleming’s assistant)

Today’s Quiz is on Rainbow’s of course!

a) The Rainbow Bridge reaches between Midgard and where? b) What are the seven colours of a Rainbow? c) Which Deep Purple guitarist formed the band “Rainbow“? d) Which Pink Floyd album has a rainbow and a prism on its cover? e) The Rainbow Warrior belongs to what environmental group?

A Stonechat I saw at the end of the survey!

A typical stereotypical dismal November day today. Think of the well known Thomas Hood poem about November. It has been dull and drizzly most of the day. Got wet cycling back from dropping car off in Gloucester. Think tomorrow looks promising weather wise!

I am working on finding a variety of bird stories for telling. The Two Severn Bores are investigating doing some short pod casts on birds. Dan is working on songs so I need to adapt some stories. One of the first stories I ever wrote I called Quest for Camelot and it played with the idea of merging the bird of prey  (Merlin) with Arthur’s  wizard. I may rewrite it for an older audience.

Yesterday’s Quiz answers on Horrible Headteachers

a) Gillian Cross wrote the Demon Headmaster  b) Wackford Squeers of Dotheboy Hall was fin Nicholas Nickleby  c) Miss Trunchball from Matilda  d) Dolores Umbridge was the Headteacher briefly at Hogwarts  e) Mr Brocklehurst was from Jane Eyre.

Today’s Quiz on November

a) November 5th (Bonfire Night) -what was the year of the Gunpowder Plot  b) What was the name given to Abraham Lincoln’s famous speech November 19th 1863?  c) Which number month was November in the ancient Roman calendar?  d) Which group had a hit with November Rain?   e) Who in Literature was born in Wattenscheid, Germany on November 11th (might be better to think of the films!)

I went for a socially distanced walk with one my old Head Teacher friends this afternoon so guess what today’s quiz theme will be?

Again there was a marvellous murmuration to watch and a noisy Water Rail giving an additional soundtrack to the wing beats!

Yesterday’s Answers on Paul Simon

a) Scarborough Fair was the traditional song that Simon and Garfunkel recorded  b) Widnes is the railway station (Warrington also claims it but Widnes had the plaque on the wall!) c) Graceland broke the Apartheid cultural boycott d) America was the song e) Tom and Jerry was the first name Simon and Garfunkel performed under

Horrible Head Teachers and Teachers in Literature (I might do a positive one in a future blog!)

a) Who wrote the Demon Head Master?  b) Who was the cruel teacher in Nicholas Nickleby and the name of his school?   c) Who is the horrible Headteacher in Matilda? d) Who was the unpleasant short term Headmistress of Hogwarts?  e) Which book does Mr Brocklehurst and Lowood School come from?

We have just been sitting listening to the wonderful Paul Simon, had forgotten what a superb musician and songwriter he is.  He is someone I would of loved to see perform live not sure why I haven’t!

Maybe some time next year we will be able to see live performances again missing music, theatre and sport!

Creeping closer to my 5,000 miles on the bike for the year. Hopefully will reach that in the next week to ten days!

Today’s Quiz  all on Paul Simon.

a) Martin Carthy claimed he taught Paul Simon what traditional song that he recorded with Art Garfunkel?   b) What English railway station is said to be where Homeward Bound was written?  c) Why was the record Graceland so controversial?  d) Which song did the lyrics “I said be careful, his bowtie is really a camera”?  e) What was the first performing name of Simon and Garfunkel?

Short Blog today but with Bill’s pictures (well it is good to use them!) We had a High Tide on the River Severn this morning that flooded the fields. When you look at the picture the River is normally a couple of metres behind that distant hedge line. It meant that the Snipe were tucked in close to where I took the photo because normally they will be in rough grass in front of the reed bed. They moved before I could photo them!

Also took the picture of the Buzzard nearby.

Yesterday’s Theatre Answers

a) The Crucible is in Sheffield  b) Shakespeare’s plays were probably first performed in either The Theatre or The Curtain (Globe built afterwards) c) Stratford  upon Avon  d) Bulls-Eye was Bill Sykes’ dog  e) Break a Leg is wishing someone good luck in the theatre     No Quiz today-more tomorrow.

Finally watched some more Murmurations tonight involving a few thousand birds the picture below is one group!

I am going to start with yesterday’s answers and you will see why as you read the rest of the blog.

Horse Answers from yesterday.

a) Sam Gamgee (Frodo’s right hand man) rode Bill the Pony    b) Michael Morpurgo wrote War Horse (more in the blog)  c) Anna Sewell wrote Black Beauty   d) A Hand is Four Inches   e) Appleby Horse Fair is in Cumbria f) Incitatus was Caligula’s Horse he wanted to make him a Consul!

The War Horse question reminded me of an event from four years ago when I saw War Horse performed twice in a year! We watched the play with a predominantly adult audience and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Many of you will know that I volunteer at Wick Court one of the three  Farms for City Children that were set up by Claire and Michael Morpurgo-the charity was celebrating its 40th birthday and booked the Drury Lane Theatre for a matinee of War House where all the London schools that come to the farms and all the staff and volunteers from the farms were invited. So when we were walking into the theatre we met many excited young friends who had spent a week on the farm. The audience participated in certainly a very different and lively way to the adult one and it must of been special one for the actors! One magical moment was during the interval when I bumped into one young man who obviously remembered me from taking him Bird Watching at the farm because he greeted me with a twinkle in his eye and the immortal line.

“I know you! You are the one who taught us about Great Tits!”  

Following that I thought today’s quiz should be on Theatres!

a) What is the name of the Sheffield Theatre hosts the World Snooker Championship? b) Which Elizabethan Theatre, built in 1587, was the first purpose built playhouse to ever stage a production of any of Shakespeare’s plays? c) In which town is the Royal Shakespeare Company based? d) What’s the name of Bill Sykes’ dog in Oliver?  e) Which superstitious alternative is used in the theatre to wish someone good luck?

Michael and Joey below!

I went for a ride this morning and although I didn’t fly like Pegasus I had to keep stopping because I kept meeting horses out on the road. Guess what tonight’s quiz will be? It is a puzzle to me  why horses are allowed to leave their offerings on the road so you have to have your wits about you to avoid the muck! I do sound a grumpy old man so I won’t go on about horse riders on the road on their mobile phones!!!

I spent this afternoon on cleaning bikes and maintenance. The roads are wet and muddy and much ends up on the bikes! It was quite a performance washing them down as the hose had a mind of it’s own! They look so much better until tomorrow!

Yesterday’s answers

a) The Major Oak is in Sherwood Forest and thought to be about 800 years old. b) Tannin is used in tanning leather c) The Druids met in Oak groves  d) Oak is for the 80th wedding anniversary (wow!)e) Oxfordshire has the Oak on its flag f) Dendrochronology is the counting of the rings in the trunk.

Today’s Horse Quiz (I did do famous horse in a previous lockdown quiz!)

a) Bill the Pony was ridden by who?  b) Who wrote War Horse?   c) Who wrote Black Beauty? d) We measure horse in Hands -how long is a Hand (imperial)? e) Appleby Horse Fair is held in what county? f)  Incitatus was the favourite horse of which Roman Emperor?

Today’s title came from the inspiration of seeing many majestic Oak Trees today. Clare and I cycled South along Sustrans Route 41 and the many subtle coloured Autumn Oaks looked absolutely stunning in the sunshine. I think they are my favourite trees!

I am now actively contacting schools offering them Virtual Christmas Story Telling for free! Get in touch if you want a Christmas Telling-can be anywhere because there is no travel involved!

Yesterday’s answers on birds

a).The Wandering Albatross   b) Kiwi*  c) Dunnock  d) Avocet e) Bee Hummingbird (only found in Cuba)

• The Kiwi is the only one of the above I haven’t seen in the wild-have heard them in the wild at night and I saw one in a wildlife centre.
• The Albatross picture below isn’t a Wandering but just an excuse for me to put into the blog one of my thousands of Albatross pictures!

Today’s Quiz is obviously on Oak trees! I once read that 270 species are associated with an Oak Tree (I won’t ask you to name them!!!)

a) Where will you find The Major Oak possibly the most famous tree in the UK? How old is it thought to be? (will give you some leeway!)  b) Tannin in Oak trees  was traditionally used for what purpose?   c) What group of people who gave the Romans a hard time practised rituals in Oak groves?  d) Oak stands as the symbol for what Wedding Anniversary?  e) Which English County has the Oak on it’s flag?  f) What is Dendrochronology (about trees not just Oak)

One of the traditional stories that I often tell is King of the Birds -I often embellish it with little extra parts. I have used it for today’s title because we have just finished our Book Club Zoom on How to Be A Bad Birdwatcher by Simon Barnes. I asked my fellow Bookies to nominate their favourite British Bird and the Wren was a popular nomination and he is the King of the Birds -I often make her the Queen!  It was a positive discussion that cheered us all up in these times.

Yesterday’s Quiz Answers

a) Northumberland   b) Dennis Potter  c) Cleeve Hill   d) South Africa  e) Dylan Thomas

A bird quiz of course for today!

a) What bird has biggest wing span?   b) What is the national bird of New Zealand?  c) Which bird is known as the Hedge Sparrow?  d) What is the bird is on the RSPB logo? e) What is the largest bird in the world? f) Which is the smallest bird in the world?