Snow lambs

 First Sight

Lambs that learn to walk in snow

When their bleating clouds the air

Meet a vast unwelcome, know

Nothing but a sunless glare.

Newly stumbling to and fro

All they find, outside the fold,

Is a wretched width of cold.



As they wait beside the ewe,

Her fleeces wetly caked, there lies

Hidden round them, waiting too,

Earth's immeasureable surprise.

They could not grasp it if they knew,

What so soon will wake and grow

Utterly unlike the snow.

Philip Larkin

Actually not quite as the header suggests - these were the heavy snows we had last early spring, but we've had a sprinkling and trekked up to the Marches again this weekend to enjoy the real thing. Heard this lovely poem on Radio 4 as we drove home, read beautifully by David Walliams - I had to admit surprise. Arrived back in time for Advent carols in our village church, above. So Christmas is early this year! P.S. The snow fell for real on Monday and has stayed crisp and even just a couple of inches deep all week thanks to max temperatures of 0c.

Night out!

Just got in from a good night out at the Rex, our local, beautifully restored cinema. I went for the first time around 1970 and it is much improved now with luxurious seats and lots of gilding. And a bar. Tamara Drewe is the new Bridget Jones and just as funny and endearing. I used to read the Guardian in my mum's kitchen on Saturday mornings and have always followed Posy Simmons so well done her! Actually it was the second time this week. Couldn't face anything heavy and also really enjoyed Made in Dagenham. Quite nostalgic - of course not many of the women looked like that, I have seen the newsreels, but a great little British film. My legs were restless as always but the g&t helped and it was easy to slide back in my seat and relax on a wet mid week evening. We don't go much in the summer but now that the dark evenings have arrived I will be a regular again. So lucky to have a great screen so nearby!

streets of London

Spent the day around Regents Park and Little Venice. In all the years I had never walked west from Regents Park and after a gloomy stretch of canal found the picturesque village around the basin where film stars mingle with boat dwellers. Ate fabulous baked orange cheesecake in a tiny cafe right over the water, followed only hours later by Lebanese supper and is was ok because we walked, walked, walked from noon until after dark. Beautiful Georgian townhouses and in the back streets behind Marylebone every sort of business and building including one amazing fascade supported by scaffolding as the entire rest of the building is rebuilt. I did a bit of research into this incredible piece of engineering/architecture and found that it is part of the old Middlesex Hospital, part of the ill fated Noho Square development with a fascinating story behind it. The Lost Hospitals of London website tells the story... incredibly, even the drainpipes are left in place as the site awaits development.

It was good to be in the noisy, busy city again but even better to come home to the peace and quiet of the country. I 've realised lately that I've been struggling to turn off and learn to be quiet again. Once upon a time I could meditate but now my mind jangles day and night. I am looking for a retreat....

Obama mama

Someone sent me this link and being a fan of the President I didn't know that I would appreciate it.............but I did and I would like to think that he would too!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y54FRMedT_s

I particularly liked the choruses! I did a bit of a Google and am now a Ronnie Butler Jnr fan too. What a talented guy!