The Calm and the Storm

Another extraordinary Spring day here in Gloucestershire so it was a return to the Daffodil Way to walk a different woods around Kilcot.

Been a good lambing season too:







The other fascination about walks here and in the Forest are the unexpected finds you keep coming upon. At the tail end of one field was the remains of the ill fated Newent coal mine - 

click to enlarge

We took a detour to wander a stretch of the Brokemoorhead Brook and a few miles on, would you believe, we ended up back at the Oxenhall tea tent and downed another welcoming bowl of broth before retracing our steps :-p

A strange coincidence. As we left Betty Dawes Wood yesterday a convoy of classic cars went by - Ford Anglias, Minis, Rileys et al. Today as we arrived, again, at Dymock Church for tea n cakes there was a rally on the green of Morgan three wheelers. Loud, brassy and just an amazing sight!

Often started with a side mounted starting handle the front mounted open twin cylinder engines ROARED into life Though a draw back seemed to be a lack of reverse gear so when one owner failed to complete a dog leg onto the main road he had to be pushed backward on an opposite lock in order to complete the manoeuvre :)

Drama and Daffodils Part II

Repeating the success of last weekend, this week ...

The play was "The Absence of War" at the Everyman Cheltenham. We first saw this play at the National in London some years back with the amazing John Thaw playing The Rt Hon George Jones M.P. (read Neil Kinnock). Wasn't sure if that performance could be matched but it was, and with ease, by Reece Dinsdale. Congrats to the entire cast for a magnificent play!

BY DAVID HARE. DIRECTED BY JEREMY HERRIN.

A HEADLONG, ROSE THEATRE, KINGSTON 

AND SHEFFIELD THEATRES CO-PRODUCTION

It's now or never for George Jones. The charismatic leader of the Labour Party needs to get out of opposition and into Number Ten. Plagued by a hostile media, beset by divisions in his party and haunted by his own demons, George has three weeks to convince the Great British Public that he's their man. But how much compromise is he prepared to make? How can you truly appeal to the man in the street from the House of Commons? And which tie should he wear for Prime Minister's Questions? 

Headlong presents a vigorous new production of David Hare’s funny, stinging political drama on a timely national tour during the build up to the 2015 General Election.

Then off to  Oxenhall for the second of the three Gloucestershire daffodil weekends... 

... finishing with the traditional tea n cake at the Poets Church Dymock :-p

Wicked Weekend

It was the  second part of Sis's chrissie pressie (did Strictly Live in Glasgow earlier in the year) this weekend it was Wicked in Bristol.

Escaping Munchkins :)

Map to the Emerald City

A sort of adult type pantomime noir it was a solid production with strong leads 'Gravity' being the memorable number.

Sis was due back on the 10am from Gloucester but due to a terminal jumper on the line north of Bristol all trains were cancelled, no one knew for how long and no replacement bus service. Jean had a connection in Brum in an hour and a half so we grabbed her + a goerdie couple trying to get back to Newcastle, bundled them and suitcases into the back of the car n headed for the M5. The motorway was unusually clear n got there in under an hour. Almost got to the station but all the roads had been dug up due to the Bullring revamp so disgorged passengers and luggage and they ran the last few hundred yards to New Street. Jean made her train with about 5 mins :) Good deed for the day done :)

M and I returned to continue our planned day of walking the daffodil woods at Kemply (the first of the three daffy weekends in the Golden Triangle). Lovely wander but despite a fairly mild winter the daffs were not as far on as last year though there were still many pleasing clumps of gold and catkins on the walk.

... and some of our own home grown

Terry - "With his passing the world is a less fantastic place".

So much universe, and so little time

"I once had to buy a suitcase on a book tour. It had four wheels and a mind of its own. I went right, it went left. I went straight on, it veered in random directions. And because I was in America and Homeland Security searched it every time I flew, whenever I opened it, my clothes were configured differently. Inevitably, I christened it The Luggage, after Terry Pratchett’s sapient pearwood invention, an object generally announced by the patter of its many feet, and characterised by its ever-changing and apparently random contents.

And that for me is the key thing about Pratchett’s fantasy. It always has reality stitched into it, so people like me who don’t read much fantasy feel at home in his world of magic, monstrousness and mortality".

 

Val McDermid

As a family we were lucky enough to catch the great man at one of his last public appearances at the Cheltenham Literary Festival. We have, as have many, an extensive collection of Discworld novels and have visited Ankh Morpork on many occasions past and present.

So as he shares a ride on Binky into the sunset we wish a fond farewell to an inspirational writer.

A short collection from his extensive original quotes:

Real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time.

It’s not worth doing something unless someone, somewhere, would much rather you weren’t doing it.

Stories of imagination tend to upset those without one.

Fantasy is an exercise bicycle for the mind. It might not take you anywhere, but it tones up the muscles that can.

The presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be preferred to the presence of those who think they’ve found it.

There are times in life when people must know when not to let go. Balloons are designed to teach small children this.

The truth may be out there, but the lies are inside your head.

Goodness is about what you do. Not who you pray to. 

The Guardian 13/3/2015