Waxwing Walk

The grave of English Character actor Derek Nimmo in Easton Maudit churchyard.

The Church at Easton Maudit Northamptonshire.

We started the walk from the Church in the Village of Yardley Hastings Northants.

The parish church is dedicated to St Andrew has a 13th century west tower and the remains of a Norman wall.
From there we went cross country to the Village of Easton Maudit.
The church is dedicated to St Peter and St Paul and buried in the churchyard is the English Character Actor Derek Nimmo. (19 September 1930 – 24 February 1999). He was particularly associated with upper class twits and clerical roles.
We did a circular route which conveniently took us back to the pub at Yardley Hastings.

Part of the huge flock of Waxwings seen at Wootton Northampton as we started out.



Unfortunately the light was very poor for photos as it was a really murky day with low cloud.


After searching for several weeks I finally caught up with a huge flock of Waxwings.
Ironically these were not in some isolated wood or field, but by the roadside next to a school and housing estate. They were busy feeding on rose hips, cotoneaster fruits and dogwood berries.
Waxwings are a lovely bird characterised by soft silky plumage.They have unique red tips to some of the wing feathers where the shafts extend beyond the barbs these tips look like sealing wax, and give the the common name. The legs are short and strong, and the wings are pointed. The male and female have the same plumage.

Bruce Parry Book Signing

I was working down in London at Canary wharf so it was too good an opportunity to pass to go to Waterstones at High St Kensington to meet Bruce.
There was already quite a crowd gathered as I arrived at the starting time of five- thirty.
Bruce is a former Royal Marine instructor who is now a TV presenter and adventurer, known particularly for the documentary programme series Tribe. The first series of Tribe saw Parry living with indigenous peoples in Gabon, India, Indonesia, Ethiopia, Mongolia and Venezuela.
In 2008 this was followed up with 'Amazon'. He travelled over 6,000 km down the length of the Amazon River. Parry met and lived with tribes, coca growers, loggers and illegal miners during the six part series.
In 2010, over the course of one bright Arctic summer, Parry immersed himself in the lives of people living in the Far North (Arctic), From the Inuit of Greenland to Alaskan whalers and gold-diggers, Canadian oil-men, scientists, and bands of reindeer herders in the remote valleys of Siberia, Parry encountered first-hand the threats to culture, landscape and wildlife that are being felt there.
It was to the signing of 'Arctic' that I had gone to Waterstones.
It was great to meet Bruce who was exactly as he is on TV. We had a brief chat and joke along with a photo and I was really glad I made the effort!

Thin Lizzy - Leicester De Montfort Hall

Frontman Ricky Warwick


On keyboards and backing vocals Darren Wharton.


Vivian Campbell and bassist Marco Mendoza


Scott Gorham




Nice to visit one of my old haunts 'The De-Montfort Hall' in Leicester. Have seen many great bands over the years there and its a great venue.
Bands such as: Pink Floyd, The Police, Iron Maiden, Genesis, U2 and The Beatles have all graced the stage here and maybe the biggest of them all ......The Chuckle Brothers.........
Sadly for the last few years they haven't been attracting many top Rock bands.

Thin Lizzy are one of rock music’s most recognizable names.Formed in Dublin, Ireland, in 1969 by drummer Brian Downey and bass guitarist/vocalist Phil Lynott.
Thin Lizzy were at their peak in the late 70's and early 80's with classic songs suchas, The Boys are Back in Town, Jailbreak, Dancing in the Moonlight and Whisky in the Jar.
It is now 25 years since the death of Phil Lynott at the age of 36. A new lineup has formed to take Lizzy’s music to a whole new generation of music fans. Led by Scott Gorham, Brian Downey and Darren Wharton (all of whom played in Thin Lizzy with Phil Lynott) the lineup is completed by Def Leppard's Vivian Campbell (guitar), bassist Marco Mendoza (Whitesnake, Ted Nugent) and The Almighty’s Ricky Warwick on vocals and guitar.

Full Set List

• Are you Ready?
• Waiting for an Ali
• Jailbreak
• Do anything you want to
• Dont believe a word
• Dancing in the Moonlight (It's caught me in it's spotlight)
• Massacre
• Angel of Death
• Still in love with you
• Whisky in the jar
• Emerald
• Wild One
• Sha La La
• Drum Solo
• Cowboy Song
• The Boys are back in Town

Encore

• Rosalie
• Bad Reputation

Encore 2

• Black Rose
  

It was a fantastic night and i'm sure Phil was looking down from somewhere with a cigarette , whisky and maybe a girl or two on his arm...