24th April 2017. A message from winter.

The snow today should not have come as a surprise- there's been plenty weather forecasters warning us that it was coming. This poem came on the tail of a wintry blast.

VOICE OF WINTER.

I regret  I've not yet done

and must leave a clean slate.

From a blizzard of snow and hail

I'll scour shoulders of granite

scrub boulders of gneiss

scrape stonecrop off stones

soak moss from its hosts.

Lustre to lochs needs frost

but to tidy leaves I'd want help.

The North wind will do that,

chill-blow them to heaps,

let sleet shift snow from peaks.

I've feather dusted daffodils

trying to trumpet Spring's here

and will write white on bold petal gold

Winter's not done yet, I regret.

B.B.C GROWING UP IN SCOTLAND.

There's to be a documentary on B.B.C.2 Scotland . The series starts on Thursday (23Feb.) 9p.m since you ask. In the absence of that delicious but now sadly finished series, THE MART, it's great that we're to have something else with a Scottish flavour. I'm devoted to ALBA but I've always to be close up to the telly to read the sub titles and can end up cross-eyed
Following the first programme on education, Laura Mitchell is responsible for the second which has home as its subject. She and camera man David Williamson met me at my old childhood farm where a wintry blast kept us and several spectating 'coos', company.
How strange and how clear the memories! Check them out if you like.( 2nd March). I'm unsure what if anything will be used, but I'd certainly recommend Laura's interviewing technique, easy charm and David's photographic skills and mischief.

-- --
Visit my website at:
www.janeyeadon.co.uk

Reeling in Stuttgart.

-- --
Visit my website at:
www.janeyeadon.co.uk

 We're back from visiting Stuttgart after a time made memorable by our generous hosts of Stuttgarter Spielkreis e.V. It's a talented group of musicians, singers and dancers who specialise in keeping musical and dancing traditions alive. They'd made such a full programme of activities and sight-seeing, I'd trouble remembering the reason for our visit but waiting for a train to take us to the main event was a prompt.
An audience of surprised passengers watched as we practised on the platform. The players' fiddles  had been left with our hosts, so in the absence of his, husband David sang several verses from that well known Scottish ballad, 'Deet deet deedle deedle deet deet deet.'
 Suitably accompanied, we managed the Circassian Circle without going into orbit whilst the Virginia Reel took reluctant dancer but expert fiddler William James to such a level of levitation, surely, we reasoned, we could also inspire our new friends.
  The January festival to which we'd been invited, was held in the old Kelterbeg 5 wine press. The plain wooden-beamed place came alive as the dancers took to the floor, hands clapping, coloured skirts swirling and polished shoes twinkling. 

 The beautifully measured folk dance shown above, is unlike, our Orcadian Strip The Willow, unlikely to land the dancers anywhere, but on their feet. Their verve and style was matchless but dancing partner, Charlie and I with the help of German Ingrid, managed to demonstrate the Dashing White Sergeant without too much collateral damage.
As back up, Ena,  the Fine Blend Music group leader of the Scottish fiddle contribution and accompaniment to our dances, talked everybody through the steps and by the time Sunday came with a follow up visit to an Old People's Home, that listening and clever  German group had added the St Bernard's Waltz, Canadian Barn Dance and Virginian Reel to their repertoire,
Hopefully the group will visit us in Scotland and show us how to do some of their dances, tho' the fact that they know a huge number could be a little daunting to those with the concentration of a blancmange.

Dancing in Stuttgart

Husband David is a member of the Elgin Strathspey and Reel Society. Often a group of musicians come to our house to practise for an event where some of the members have volunteered to play. It's always lovely to have our house filled with the sound of their music, particularly with the toe tapping rhythms which accompany the reels.
I love dancing, so,imagine my surprise and delight when asked to accompany the group on a visit to Stuttgart.
'You and Charlie can demonstrate some of the dances,' explained Ena, the group conductor and leader. She handed me a list.  'Look! They're easy- you'll manage fine.'
One of the dances is the Circassian Circle and there's several versions on You -tube showing how to do it.
Now, Charlie's a gifted musician. He composes, plays the fiddle, guitar and sings as well, but between  us, I bet that age wise, we could easily tot up more than just a century.
 Let's hope Charlie goes for the douce and stately version rather than the Cossack one. I fear its high kicks might be beyond our reach.
Still, and if we go for the dramatics, and don't land in an orthopaedic ward, I'll let you know.




Visit my website at:
www.janeyeadon.co.uk