a song for every season

Now that we are into the "borrowed days" it seems appropriate that bad weather is the order of the day.  As you are obviously aware, there is a story - around since the sixteenth century - that March "borrowed" three days from April. John Brockett claims in Glossary of North Country Words (1846), that:

March borrowed of April

Three days, and they were ill

The one was sleet, the other was snow

The third was the worst that ever did blow.

Unless you live in sunnier climes, if you look out of your window you may have noticed that these words are, indeed, prophetic.  Having spent tonight at a parents' evening for our forthcoming DofE venture, I feel sure that our trip to Kinder Scout two weeks hence, may require some rather warm clothes.  And the power of prayer.  Not being a terribly Christian fellow, some thermal underwear may be a better bet.

If days are being borrowed, surely July or August may be better months to borrow from?  Just a thought.

Bob Copper's wonderful book A Song For Every Season tells us of how when the sudden change from Winter to Spring happens it's "quite unmistakable when it happens".  Simon Barnes talked of a similar feeling in Saturday's Times. Despite tonight's weather, there's a definite feeling that the seasons have changed.  After a funny story about his grandad Jim, Bob quotes the traditional song O Good Ale:

It is of good ale to you I'll sing

And to good ale I'll always cling

I like my glass full to the brim

And I'll drink all you can bring.

O, good ale, you are my darling

You are my joy both night and morning. 


Well, come rain or shine; seasons come and seasons go, but the beer goes on forever.  Cheers.