A really Blue day!!

It was the second Jinney Ring Blues Festival on Saturday (21st) and quite a day it was....

The garden was pretty busy in the three days running up to the festival with marquees going up, beer arriving and mowing all going on but, as Saturday came closer, there there was growing concern about the black clouds over the Malvens!  The, apparently well known, adage from these parts was heard several times "If you can see clouds over the Malvern's it is going to rain - if you can't - it is raining already!!"

Saturday morning dawned and we ducks could not see the Malvern hills - it was like we were inside the cloud, and it was raining!.  Never-the-less work continued and more marquees went up, a trailer with bales of straw arrived and it was clear that the Festival was going to happen.  As the morning passed and the festival gates opened the real stalwarts arrived, some in wellies, all with coats and umbrellas - there was a really good spirit in the air!

"Pete-the-Wagon" turned up in his shorts, (clearly an optimist) - his two girls helped the team finish off the preparations on the site as Pete set up (see below)

"Pete the Wagon" - An old fashioned wheel rite from Stratford,  restores these lovely old wagons and makes mushrooms!

Gloomy over the Malverns - but at least we could see them at this point!

Happily the weather brightened up considerably in the afternoon and we saw no more rain until just before the end of the evening.  There were six great bands playing during the day covering a terrific range of music - one band had a harmonica player leading the music!  There was plenty of beer, lots of food including Chef Shirley's homemade burgers and kebabs on top of the normal suppers and lunches.

Despite the damp it was a really good spirited occasion and at the end of the evening there was dancing and some pretty "happy" folk.  We ducks thought it best to stay on the water for most of the time but we did get a pretty good view throughout the event.  Surprisingly the baby ducks asked to go to bed (in their cage) at about 6pm and slept through most of the evening!.

Simon "Honeyboy" Hickling - quite a harmonica player!

Some chilled out, some chilly! The sun was out most of the afternoon and it was warmish - honest!

Andy Ford of Hanbury band "Reflections" enjoying the day with family and friends

Many of the visitors stayed over in campers or tents, they were rewarded by a beautiful day on Sunday and had breakfast in the farmhouse restaurant.  "The Big Blues Tribe" Band leader and organiser Oliver Carpenter of Jigsaw Community Festivals  arrived about 9:00 to start dismantling the massive tent and even as they did this the team were planning for next year!