Winter in Cumbria and Robbie Burns

One thing we have learned during our time here in England is that the weather word for almost any day is "rain". After historic rainfall during the summer months, and just when we didn't think it could get any worse, or wetter, it did. Occasionally, however, the temperatures are cold enough that, at least in the fells, the rain turns over to snow, and there were a couple of good snowfalls during January and February. Scott has picked out the best of our winter photos to share with you!

Castlerigg Stone Circle

Bassenthwaite

A snowy day in Whitehaven is a real rarity!

Some of Scott's fishing fleet on a rare sunny day.

Robert Burns, the poet, came from Scotland and the Scots are quite proud of that. In this part of England he is seen as a hero as well, and each January on the anniversary of his birth, "Burns Suppers" are held all over the area. Scott and I joined some friends for a dinner this year at a local restaurant. There is quite a protocol for these dinners and most follow a prescribed order. 

First the guests gather and are welcomed by the host. Then a grace is said, usually the "Selkirk Grace", and it is spoken in the Scots native language. Give this a try!

"Some hae meat and canna eat,

And some wad eat that want it;

But we hae meat, and we can eat,

And sae let the Lord be thankit."

After Grace, the ceremony continues with the entrance of the main course, which always includes haggis. A large tray containing the haggis is carried in, usually by the cook, followed by a piper playing a Scottish tune. The platter is set on the host's table and another long poem is recited. Somewhere in the midst of this poem there is a line about a knife being plunged into something and it is at this point that the cook takes a big knife and sinks it into the haggis splitting it open from end to end.  After the poem a Scotch whiskey toast will be proposed to the haggis, then everyone sits down and the food is served. Frankly I couldn't decide which would be worse, choking down the whiskey or the haggis. I finally decided that I might need the whiskey to actually eat some of the haggis! The haggis was served with tatties and neeps, thank goodness. Don't know what that is? Tatties are mashed potatoes and neeps are mashed turnips. Following dinner there are usually speeches and more poems can be read. Typically the evening ends with a "Toast to the Lassies", followed by the ladies' retort, a "Toast to the Laddies".  We were seated at a distance from the action, so our photos are not the best, but I have included a few anyway. 

The haggis are piped into our dining room. You cannot tell from the photos, but the two gentlemen in "suits" are wearing traditional Scottish garb, right down to the kilts. 

The reciting of the poem. I think the cook looks as if he can't wait for the big knife plunge!

During the winter months here it is not only cold and wet, but there is limited daylight. Early in January Scott and I decided that we wanted a "sun break" at some point, so we booked a trip to Barcelona in mid-February. We are looking forward to some warmer temperatures, more daylight, and, hopefully, a bit of sun.