Stonehurst Farm, Becoming a Land Girl, Afternoon Tea & Photographing the 1940s!

Opening With The Fleets in Port Again!

I’d like to begin by thanking every-one for your kind messages wishing Paul well as he get’s over his ear infection. It’s a particularly nasty one, as Paul continues with his course of antibiotics. Paul thanks you all for your good wishes and he looks forward to getting well and singing for you all again very soon.

It’s such a tragedy Paul wasn’t able to be with me last weekend as we had booked a few extra days and I had arranged for us to do a photo shoot on the Monday with photographer Angela Adams. Despite Paul’s absence it was an amazing weekend, as Stonehurst Farm went back in

Dressed for My Stars & Stripes Show!

time to the 1940s. I had been booked to perform 3 x 45 minute costume shows daily plus 2 x 45/60 minute sets for the Saturday night dance. Stonehurst is a wonderful venue and it is a working farm where children can get up close and meet the animals.

I’ve never known it so hot and I’m pleased I had decided to perform only two uniform shows at the start of each day. That’s the wonderful thing about having 11 x 1940s shows. I have lots of choice and it’s good to mix things up and not do the same show plan every-time.

Inside the Motor Museum!

This year I concentrated more on 1940s glamour and it was good to add in my new musical arrangements. I forget sometimes just how many wonderful arrangements I have. All down to my musical arranger Richard Whennell of course and his incredible genus. I was so pleased to perform “Busy Doing Nothing” along with a full re-masted version of “I’ll Be With You in Apple Blossom Time”.

It’s been on my mind for some time to perform a Land Army show and although there are a lot of

Setting Up in Shirt Sleeves!

numbers from the 1940s which would fit this brief it takes time for me to invest in the songs and get the arrangements completed and through production. Musical arrangements really matter to me and I’m such a stickler. “Busy Doing Nothing” and “I’ll Be With You in Apple Blossom Time” are two numbers I would include in a Land Army show plus I have a whole list of others I hope I can get through in time for next summer.

Richard is the best in the business and he is worth waiting for. Like all talented people he is extremely busy and greatly in demand. However I

Dressed in my Pearly Queen Costume for Underneath the Arches!

can’t think of anything more exciting than a new Richard Whennell musical arrangement. He has the extraordinary talent of being able too turn ordinary songs into something sensational and I’m extremely proud of all his arrangements.

Talking of talented people I was thrilled to work with photographer Angela Adams on Monday. I had engaged her to document more of my costumes from the 1940s and 50s. I’m always looking for interesting venues and this time I wanted the girl next door look rather than Hollywood movie star. I like to work on location and Stonehurst Farm has so much to offer not

Between Shows in the Farm Shop!

only because it’s a working farm but because it also has it’s own motor museum too.

Social media is a hungry animal and this time I was keen to capture a collection of shots of me as a Land girl with the animals, on hay stacks and with tractors ect. It’s important to get the shots right because later I can then develop them into videos and I have a couple of projects in mind I want to use these shots for.

I’ve had the pleasure of working with Angela Adams on a number of occasions and it’s

Land Army at Stonehurst Farm!

important to work smart and not waist time. We work well together and on this occasion were able to capture eight of my out-fits combining jodhpurs with dungarees along with a couple of my pretty 1940s dresses too. As yet I haven’t seen the photos but I hope to have them next week and I look forward to sharing them with you.

Since returning home I’ve hit the deck running and I’ve not stopped performing as I continue with “Song for Summer” and vintage shows. This weekend I’m taking a little time out to catch up on

Down on the Farm!

house work and sort out my costumes as I haven’t had time to unpack properly from the weekend.

Next Tuesday I will be performing at The Poplars Garden Centre, Harlington Rd, Toddington, Dunstable LU5 6HE, for afternoon tea, songs from the 1930s, 40s & 50s. For more details please click the link below as this is something new and we hope the afternoon will be a great success. I’m booked to perform my “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree” show and I already have a wonderful show planned. To book a place please follow the link below and it will be delightful to see you.

https://poplars.co.uk/vintage-afternoon-tea/

Dressed for the 1950s by the Pumps!

Next Friday is Lynda’s funeral. The family have asked for no flowers but if any-one would like to make a donation to do so to Help Musicians. This charity helped Lynda during the pandemic and donations can be made by clicking the link below. Lynda was my best friend and the world has lost one of it’s loveliest stars. I will miss her enormously!