Interesting moment on my ride today. I pedalled up to Bisley and across to the Slad Valley (of Cider With Rosie fame), while going under the trees on the top where of course it was much colder the ice/frost was falling off the trees as the temperature was gradually rising. At first I thought it wash heavy snow until I came out of the trees! Great ride with many birds to see.

Yesterday’s Quiz (my team didn’t play that well but won so go into the hat for the  next round!)

a) The first non-league team to beat a Premier League away was the Mighty Hatters in 2013 winning at Norwich the current England captain was playing for Norwich and got subbed at Half Time. Brilliant day out!  I went to New Zealand two days later!  b) Jose Mourinho brought a ticket for the Marine raffle (class)  c) 15 teams took part in the 1872 FA Cup  d) Record score was 26-0 Preston v Hyde  e) Oxford University were the first University winners.

No quiz today!

Of course it is that day when all football fans dream when the FA Cup Third Round takes place. A pity that economics has meant many teams don’t take it seriously-even my beloved Hatters made nine changes for their game today! Always loved listening to the draw in the past and hoping for an exciting away day at a new ground, sadly this year that won’t be the case!  It was an old fashioned day for me because I had to listen to the game (first match this season I haven’t been able to watch.) It reminded me of those sad times when I followed games on CeeFax  (younger readers brought up with the internet might not know what that is!).

Thursday’s quiz I hope didn’t tax you!

a) Drake of course is a male duck!  b) Antarctica is the only continent without ducks  c) The picture was of a Mandarin Duck -I see them from time to time in Frampton,

Today’s Quiz is all on the F.A. Cup and you can make educated guesses on all of them!

a) Which was the first non-league team to win away at a Premier League in the F.A. Cup? (clue I was there!)  b) What well known  manager in this year’s F.A. Cup Third Round has brought a raffle ticket in his opponent’s raffle ?  c)   How many entrants took part in the first F.A. Cup in 1872? Was it 15, 32 or 24?  d) What is the record F.A. Cup score?  e) Who was the first university to win the FA Cup?

The fog and frost never really dispersed here so when I went for a walk this afternoon for my daily exercise it was just like first thing this morning. Some pictures at the bottom including a Tufted Duck that was sitting in the middle of the road until I disturbed it! He did make me smile!

Still working on rewriting/ updating my web site-it does take time. I will post on here when it is done!

Yesterday’s Tree Quiz answers

a) Linden Trees are known as Lime Trees in this country  b) The Norway Spruce is in Trafalgar Square  c) Yews are commonly in churchyards  d) Sloes are found on Blackthorn  e) Eucalyptus is the tallest flowering plant and there are over 700 types!

Today’s quiz is all on ducks! Just three questions! Hopefully you can get all three right!

a) What is a male duck is called ?   b) Which is the continent without ducks?   c) What species of duck is pictured below?

My pictures below the quiz one above isn’t mine!!

First one is of the Tufted Duck after he crossed the road; that is tarmac in the background not water!

Frosted tree emerging out of the fog !

Cobweb on Cedric our camper van!

Elvis Costello song for today’s title-it felt really  cold today although no ice on the road when on the bike think it was more wind chill!

Spent time clearing apple leaves in the garden  today so guess what today’s quiz is!!!!!

Yesterday’s Quiz answers

a) Shackleton lost nobody on his 1915 expedition – I think one of the most amazing stories of endurance and bravery ever! He was a great leader!  b) Amundsen’s other achievements was he led the first expedition to traverse the N.W. Passage and the first dirigible to reach the North Pole   c) Scott’s companions who reached the South Pole were Wilson, Oates, Bowers and Edgar Evans- 

Today’s Tree Quiz!!!!

a) What are Linden Trees commonly called in the U.K. ?   b)  What type of tree is the 20 metre Christmas Tree that  is donated by Norway every year for Trafalgar Square?  c) Which trees are a traditional feature of churchyards?   d) Often used to make walking sticks, what is the more common name for the sloe tree? e) What type of tree from Australia is the world’s tallest flowering plant?  

I listed a few things that came into my head yesterday as reasons to be cheerful and I missed an obvious one.

• Marcus Rashford -those of you who know me will know Manchester United footballers don’t come high in my thoughts! However, this remarkable young man has been absolutely brilliant over the last few months and is wise beyond his years. Well done Marcus!

Yesterday’s answers on January

a) Rio de Janerio means January River in English   b) Scott reached the South Pole in 1912   c) Janus is the Roman God  d) 6th January is the date of Epiphany (also a significant date in the Church household!)   e) Garnet is the January birthstone

As I mentioned Scott some Polar exploration questions for today!

a) How many of the 28 members of Earnest Shackleton’s 1915 expedition survived?  b) Roald Amundsen was the first to the South Pole what other polar exploration  was he the first to achieve ?  c) Name the companions of Scott who reached the South Pole?

Thought I would use Ian Dury and the Blockheads for today’s title because my goodness we need it! The news has been so depressing, the incompetence and indecision of our government just adds to the depression. So some random positive thoughts!

• Oxford Astra Zeneca -brilliant collaboration to get to this point
• NHS brilliant but we must look after it!
• Jacinda Ardern a politician who is honest, compassionate and competent a real beacon of hope!
• David Attenborough a truly great man and a national treasure

I could of added more things but they are the first things that came into my head.

Anyway it looks like more quizzes on the Blog today’s is all about January.

a) Which world city’s name means “Rivers of January?”   b) On the 17th January Robert Falcon Scott reached the South Pole in what year?   c) From Roman mythology January is named after what god?   d) Which date on January  is the traditional date for the Feast of Epiphany?  e) What is January’s birthstone (hint – the name comes from the 14th century  English word meaning “dark red”)

Thought I would go with the Chemical Brothers for today’s title and their offering that was the cycling theme for the 2012 Olympics. Not that I was in a Velodrome today but outside on two wheels cycling into a bitter wind – balaclava on and my warm merino base layer!. My first decent ride of the New Year and sadly it looks like I will be going for plenty of solo rides for some time. Hopefully we will still be allowed to exercise!

I am currently working on revamping the web site so hopefully in the near future it will look different. I will have a new page for the Two Severn Bores that will have our River Severn  podcast on (hopefully more will be added through the year.)

Yesterday’s Swan Quiz answers – hope it wasn’t that taxing!

a) Swan Lake the ballet was written by Tchaikovsky and was based on Russian and German folk tales.   b) The two species of swan that come here in the Winter are Bewick and Whooper -I have seen both here in Frampton and also bizarrely a Black Swan one Christmas *  c) Female swan is called a Pen  d) Six Swans story was collected by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm-I have told this story many times and always add something new to each telling.  e) It is Seven swans a swimming in the 12 days of Christmas.

• I have to say when I saw it I did rub my eyes in disbelief I can only assume it had escaped-one interesting fact is although there have been  several generations of Black Swan in collections like WWT  they still breed according to Southern Hemisphere seasons!

No blog today but a quiz! Saw a couple of swans today flying so the quiz is on swans!

a) Who wrote Swan Lake?  b) I saw mute swans today what are the other two species of swan that visit us in the UK?  c) What is a female swan called?   d) Who wrote the Ugly Duckling (spoiler alert) which of course turned out to be a swan!  e) Who collected the story Six Swans? f) How many swans a swimming in the 12 days of Christmas?

Happy New Year to all my readers and let us hope for a better year for all of us. I look forward to seeing friends again properly and hopefully Story Telling again to a live audience.

Yesterday’s Winter Quiz answers

a) The Shakespeare quote was from Richard the Third– I always enjoyed Laurence Olivier’s wonderful performance although Shakepseare version is not that popular in Yorkshire!  b) The Winter Palace  is in St.Petersburg and I often tell a wonderful folk tale that is a trick story that ends up in the Winter Palace and having visited the Palace three years ago it has certainly added texture to my telling!  c)  Christina Rossetti’s poem was “In the Bleak Midwinter” -my favourite carol!  d) Narnia was where the White Witch wouldn’t let Christmas come  e) Frost Fairs were held on the Thames the last one was held in 1814 -the last time the Thames froze over was in the 62-63 winter.