Easter sunshine

Beautiful weather this morning, as it was yesterday. It makes such a difference doesn't it? It gives a real Easter new life feeling to everything. The cherry blossom tree in front of my window is in bloom, adding its pink tone to the grounds of St B. And the daffs are late, of course, this year, so they are out at the same time.

I attended a Requiem at the Cathedral yesterday, and was delighted to meet some canon lawyer colleagues there. Eithne, the wife of the deceased, is that rare commodity in the UK, a lay canon lawyer, and is very involved in the Canon Law Society of Great Britain and Ireland, our professional body. I was particularly glad to see Fr James O'Kane, who was flying down from Glasgow and back for the funeral. James was my opposite number as Judicial Vicar (ie boss) of the Scottish National Tribunal when our Welsh one was set up three years ago. He was very helpful to me when I called in to see how their set-up worked in Glasgow, so I was happy to meet up again. He asked if I was going to Derry this year - that's the location of this year's Conference of the CLSGBI. I'd answered "Er - no" in a slightly disparaging voice, before I remembered that he is currently General Secretary, and therefore the organizer of the event! Whoops...  I went last year, but it is an expensive jaunt, and a whole Monday-Friday out of the parish. I've vaguely pencilled in Harrogate for next year...

I'm still pondering "Babette's Feast" and have read some interesting stuff about it on the net, especially about the hidden but fairly obvious Christian allusions in the film. Several commentators add that it's one of those films that definitely benefits from repeat viewing, so I'll try and watch it again, perhaps over the weekend. Also on my "getting into" list at the moment is Bach's Easter Oratorio which a kind soul gave as a present for Easter.

Meanwhile on iTunes I've been revisitiing one of my favourite bands from the 70s, the Strawbs. I've always liked some kinds of modern, electric folk music, of which they were an early example, with others like Fairport Convention. Later on I was, and am, a great fan of the Scottish band Runrig. Any fans of any of these out there?