Snow in the Lakes
20 February

It's clear and cold at the moment.

The light is coming back into the world and I've noticed big changes in the park as I walk to the train station on my way to work. The park staff have been engaged in a project to open the park out over the past few years. Last year they cut back much of the overgrown bushes around the perimeter. This year, they have been cutting down tree.

This has caused outrage in some quarters but I think that it is good land management. By clearing out some of the trees, the others will grow more strongly and there is certainly even more light getting into the body of the park. In one area there is a field of crocuses and, this year, they have been quite luxuriant. I don't think that this is a coincidence.

Thursday brought an unsatisfactory concert at the Phil. Walton's Scapino Overture kicked us off and it was fine but felt a touch deliberate in its presentation. We then had John Ireland's Piano Concerto with John Lenehan as soloist. It was alright but didn't make the best case for what is really an unjustly neglected work. We finished with Holst's suite The Planets. This piece was part of the first concert which I attended at the Phil nearly forty years ago. Sir Charles Groves conducted on that occasion and he made a much better job that did John Wilson. Everything was slowed down and every effect was deliberately shown to us. The band played as he wanted very well. I just didn't like it.

And then we were off to the Lake District to stay at Glenthorne for the forth time. We had a holiday there in summer 2008 and then we've now attended three Quaker Gatherings there, firstly in February 2009, then in March 2010 and now this year as well.

The weather there is always interesting.

This year we had a sudden and unexpected overnight snowfall.

Luckily, we had prepared for all sorts of eventualities.

And Ross's scooter proved up to dealing with the conditions.

Although the sheep probably felt a little non-plussed after the earlier mild weather.

The Gathering went well and we used all sorts of art works to explore spirituality so I had a very good time of it.