<p>&nbsp;</p> <p>After five days of not going to bed the same day that I got up it was bliss to rise this morning NOT feeling dazed and confused!</p> <p>The Folk on the Farm events took place during the weekend and for the past week I've been running on high octane adrenaline, fueled by one crisis after another and frequent tipples from the leather bottle!</p> <p>BF1's other half insisted on having a birthday drink down the local which didn't help and then number one son broke his collar bone in a rough and tumble with his brothers.&nbsp; Wouldn't have been a problem for me except he was supposed to be running the barbeque!</p> <p>Apart from the kids that disconnected the electric to the marquee, cutting the band off mid-riff and plunging us all into total darkness the whole thing went off incredibly well!</p> <p>Take a look at my Photo Album and you'll see what a good time we had!</p> <p><a href="http://www.writelink.co.uk/community/gallery.php?action=view_falbum&amp;id=11" title="Folk on the Farm photo album">http://www.writelink.co.uk/community/gallery.php?action=view_falbum&amp;id=11</a></p>

<p><span style="font-size: small;">I'm not sure where they are, but according to BF1 we have a few in Leicestershire!&nbsp; </span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small;">When we were interviewed on local radio yesterday I could hardly believe my ears when she began to wax lyrical about the beautiful vales and mountains around Coalville!&nbsp; If memory serves me right, I think the biggest hill near us is around 2,000 ft!&nbsp; I believe they call it poetic licence! </span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small;">It was all great fun and will have hopefully provoked a few ticket sales for tomorrows performance of <strong><a href="http://www.folkonthefarm.co.uk" title="Sleet, Shoots and Leaves">Sleet, Shoots and Leaves</a></strong> at this year's Ashby Arts Festival.&nbsp; We're all ready to go so fingers crossed no last minute hitches!</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><span style="font-size: small;">Here's a sneak preview!</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p> <object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="425" height="350" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"> <param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YhLRDQjvPCI" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YhLRDQjvPCI"></embed> </object> </p> <p></p>

<p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables /> <w:SnapToGridInCell /> <w:WrapTextWithPunct /> <w:UseAsianBreakRules /> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]> <object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id=ieooui> </object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">Have you ever thought your love life might be cursed?<span>&nbsp; </span>Well you could be right if you happen to believe in fairies!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">Last night I went to see a Hijinx theatre company perform Ill Met By Moonlight, an adult fairy tale concerning a pair of rural lovers at the mercy of a mischievous Bwca, (a Puck like creature) and a desperate changeling from the world of men.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">Set at the turn of the nineteenth century when many country folk still held a healthy respect for the hidden world of fairies, demons, ghosts and goblins I saw this excellent and hugely entertaining production at a small rural community centre.<span>&nbsp; </span>Not as you might expect at one of the big provincial theatres.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">The audience was small, but appreciative and the reason work of this calibre can be performed at these modest venues is because they are part of the Rural Touring Programme funded by the Arts Council through the Local Authority.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">This is great as far as I and a lot of other arts loving rural dwellers are concerned as it means we don&rsquo;t have to drive twenty odd miles to the nearest big theatre.<span>&nbsp; </span>After listening to the Chancellor&rsquo;s spending cuts though, I&rsquo;m wondering how long this will last.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">I may have got this wrong, but it looks as if the Arts Council has had its budget cut by 25% which by any reckoning is a lot!<span>&nbsp; </span>Now I&rsquo;m not a big fan of the Arts Council as you may have gathered from past eperiences. <span>&nbsp;</span>I think far too much of their funding goes on obscure and minority projects with a very narrow focus of interest, but some things they do get right and the rural touring programme is one.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">At the various venues around my village I have seen a whole range of top quality drama, literary and music acts which would never be affordable outside the city venues.<span>&nbsp; </span>Not only is this scheme providing another income stream for the performers, but it is a positive effort to bring the arts to the doorsteps of the ordinary public at a reasonable cost.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">It&rsquo;s early days yet, but I for one am hoping that the Rural Touring Programme will not be one of George Osbourne&rsquo;s casualties.<span>&nbsp; </span>Perhaps we should call for the return of the Bwca, now where did I put that cream and honey!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">&nbsp;</p>

<p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables /> <w:SnapToGridInCell /> <w:WrapTextWithPunct /> <w:UseAsianBreakRules /> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]> <span class="mceItemObject" classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id=ieooui> </span> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {color:blue; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {color:purple; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> <!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong><a href="http://www.folkonthefarm.co.uk" title="Sleet, Shoots and Leaves">Sleet, Shoots and Leaves</a></strong>, our major, <a href="http://www.ashbyartsfestival.co.uk" title="Ashby Arts Festival">Ashby Arts Festival</a>, cross genre folk event takes place this Friday and our publicity efforts have just received a big boost courtesy of our local radio station!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.hermitagefm.com" title="Hermitage fm">Hermitage fm</a> has invited some of our <strong><a href="http://www.folkonthefarm.co.uk" title="Folkonthefarm">Folk on the Farm</a> </strong>team, (including me!) to take part in its afternoon show this coming Wednesday, 26^th May.<span>&nbsp; </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">We&rsquo;ll be on air from about 2.15 p.m. onwards.<span>&nbsp; </span>Not quite sure what to expect, but hopefully we&rsquo;ll get to read some of our poems which are featured in the show and they&rsquo;ll play some of the songs as well.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">You can tune in on 99.2 fm if you are in the Leicestershire area or you can listen on the web.<span>&nbsp; </span>Go to: <a href="http://www.hermitagefm.com/">http://www.hermitagefm.com</a> and click the Listen Live button top left corner.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">Hermitage fm is a community radio station and they have been incredible helpful so far!<span>&nbsp; </span>I&rsquo;ll keep you posted as to what sort of response we get from our broadcast, but it might be something worth considering for your own off line marketing activities.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;">(By the way, if you want a guaranteed topping night out and don&rsquo;t mind a trip out to Ashby de la Zouch, I&rsquo;d love to see you at <strong><a href="http://www.folkonthefarm.co.uk" title="Sleet, Shoots and Leaves">Sleet, Shoots and Leaves</a></strong>!).</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></p>