Lawrence Dallaglio on Desert Island Discs

Quotes from this morning's Desert Island Discs:

"Only a life lived in the service of others is worth living."  Albert Einstein

"You can earn a living from what you get but you only get a life from what you give. Take it from me baby, giving is always best."  Andy Ripley

Verdi Requiem in Tewkesbury Abbey

I'm very much looking forward to singing in this event which is being held on June 4th.
For more details, see here:
http://www.tyndale-choral-society.org/SCCG/SCCG-R1-BS.html

The Bluebird Project

I can't wait to see Bluebird rebuilt.

http://www.bluebirdproject.com

Mont Blanc

Just found this video about Mont Blanc which gives a good idea of what's involved in climbing the highest mountain in western europe.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/fast_track/9255987.stm

Backups

For my own reference, here is my backup regime.

Desktop
Carbonite subscription automatic
Windows backup weekly automatic to hard drive
McAfee free selected files

Laptop
McAfee free selected files
VStuff free selected files
Dropbox free selected files

Mobile Phone
Windows MyPhone
PPC Pim Backup from FdcSoft

Today programme

Heard on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme that 13 of the top 20 choirs in the world are British.  (Source: Gramophone magazine.)  See below for podcast.  Apparently, the judges were not all British!  The reason given for the quality of our choral singing is the Anglican tradition of church music.  Hurrah!  John Eliot Gardner's Monteverdi Choir (THE BEST) and Polyphony (singing music by Eric Whitacre) were featured.  Richard Harries commented on 'Thought for the Day' afterwards - a positive report on the Anglican Church for once.

http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/today/today_20101210-0940a.mp3

Eurofighter

Caught this plane by Coniston Water on my camera using burst mode.  Turns out to be the eurofighter!

Brocken spectre

Saw my first Brocken spectre on Tuesday on Bowfell.  What a great sight.  This picture doesn't do it justice.  I thought I would never see one.  It was there in a  flash and then it was gone.

Here is an explanation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brocken_spectre

Sparrowhawk

Saw a sparrowhawk in my garden yesterday.  It looked more like this:

than the kestrel:

Trekking in the Alps

Here is my webpage with routes and pictures of my holiday in the Alps: http://www.whitecottage.org/trek-alps2010.htm

Sanders Reproaches

I recommend this blog entry http://5-against-4.blogspot.com/2008/03/reproaches-stark-unanswerable.html which has a link to a stunning performance by St John's Anglican Church Choir, Elora in Canada:

I have now bought the Naxos disc http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.554823 here: 
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Psalms-Soul-John-Sanders/dp/B00004VXDB
We performed this at St Mary's Church, Thornbury yesterday (Good Friday).

Ordnance Survey launches OS OpenData

For more information see here:
http://openspace.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/openspace/index.html

Floods in the Lake District

Here are some pictures which show the flooding around Coniston Water last month.

Bouthrey Bridge over the river Crake at Water Yeat

Lake Bank Boat Club boat house

Coniston Water overflowing on to the A5084

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/travelnews/local/cumbria.shtml for more information.

Carnedd Uchaf becomes Carnedd Gwenllian

See here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_west/8275729.stm

PLBs - a good thing or not?

Walkers: see this interesting article here:
http://www.walkingworld.com/home/index.asp?id=1&nid=621
What do you think?

Data Developments

This is a note to anyone interested in sharing information, tips, questions, etc about Data Developments software for charities: Donations Coordinator, Finance Coordinator and Membership Coordinator. Thornbury Church have started using this software this year and are keen to exchange ideas with anyone else new or experienced with these systems. If you are interested (and may have come across this blog using a search engine), then do please contact me using the webmaster e-mail address or comment on this item.

A mystery

This is currently the subject of an archeological dig and is in a local wood.

5 spot burnet

There are many of these moths on the golf links at Lower Hazel this year. I've never heard of them before, never mind seen them (that I recall).

Green woodpecker

I've often wondered what bird makes this call as I see a green/yellow back disappearing near local woods. Now I know. See here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pH3hP3Lt_Sk.

Britain's Favourite View

Here is Britain's Favourite View taken earlier this evening.

Charles Valentin Alkan

I bet you haven't heard of this composer. Neither had I until this morning. But he is an eye-opener - or should I say ear-opener. He was a neighbour of Chopin and contemporary of Chopin and Liszt. Have a listen. His organ music should be interesting. He composed funeral music for a dead parrot 100 years before Monty Python! He sadly died pinned to the ground by a falling umbrella stand.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00k121z

Latin saying

I heard a Latin saying on the radio this morning: Solvitur ambulando, meaning "It is solved by walking".

Coast to Coast on BBC4 starts next Thursday

BBC4 are starting a new series following the success of the Wainwright Walks. Julia Bradbury is walking Wainwright's Coast to Coast Walk (ref http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00jqp0m). The first episode of six starts next Thursday at 8.30pm. You must see it - or, better still, walk it!

Haydn: The Seven Last Words of our Saviour on the Cross

St Mary's Church Choir and Cadence are performing Haydn's The Seven Last Words of our Saviour on the Cross at 6pm on Palm Sunday evening, 5 April at St Mary's Church, Thornbury.

Letters to Myself

Listened to an interesting programme on BBC radio 4 "Letters to Myself" this afternoon based on letters written by people to themselves sometime in the future. Some of them were from this website: http://www.futureme.org.