Dear Friends
On Monday (30 January) twenty-four members attended a performance at the Ilkley
Playhouse, a comedy with some poignant moments and clever dialogue, which was
enjoyed by all. May I take this opportunity to thank all the car drivers who
got us all there and back safely when the coach did not arrive although booked
by Shirley Wolfenden; we have received an apology from them. What could have
been a disaster turned into a very enjoyable social event which will be well
remembered.
Sincerely Janet
Click the following links to see this month's photographs.
The enraptured audience enjoying last month's
lecture by Alan Hemsworth.
James Innerdale talking to the Looking at
Old Buildings group.
All group leaders are invited to arrange for reports of their group's activities to be sent in for publication here.
Art Appreciation: Our visit to Abbot Hall, Kendal, on 24 January for the exhibition "Morandi's Legacy" was a great success. I think there was more discussion and debate over this show than any we've been to; who said Still Life was dull? The exhibition runs until 25 March and is highly recommended.
There are still a few seats left on the coach to the Lady Lever Gallery at Port Sunlight, Liverpool, on 21 February, priced at £8.50. We leave Settle Swimming Pool at 9.00am and depart from Port Sunlight at 4.00pm. As is well known, Lord Leverhulme made his fortune from Sunlight Soap and first began buying art in the 1880s to use as advertising. The present collection grew from there and includes much Victorian painting and sculpture but also Greek vases, Roman sculpture, a distinguished collection of Wedgwood, Chinese art and more. Currently, an exhibition of Pre-Raphaelite drawings adds to the interest. The associated village of Port Sunlight is also well worth a look as an outstanding example of a nineteenth century model village, "neat and cheerful" which fulfilled Lever's desire to share his profits with his workers and combined with his interests in housing reform. Related web-sites are www.ladyleverartgallery.org.uk and www.portsunlight.org.uk. FG
Cookery: Yeast cookery proved an excellent choice for our January meeting. We had some very interesting and different breads to sample, all produced by members of our Group. We had honey bread, blinis, brioche, seed and herb rolls, Gary Rhodes cucumber bread, dried tomato and cheese ciabatta, and the only really sweet tea bread, the Welsh bara brith. One member who had never baked bread before produced some tasty little baps. All of us were encouraged to keep trying new varieties. Our next meeting in on Monday 20 February at 2,00pm-Valley View, Station Road, when the topic will be Pulses. Kathleen Kinder (tel 822444)
Family History: In January we looked at an album filled with copies of old picture postcards which was of interest to all of us. This developed into a discussion of the family records we had found, eg old photographs, newspaper cuttings, local history books. Those who had an ancestor with a "hoarding gene" are lucky. Traditionally the teaching of Family History begins with the phrase "Ask an older relative" but as we are now the Senior Generation it has become "What do I already know?" After all these years of research we are still finding answers to that question. We meet again in February. Audrey Daykin
Great Lives: At our next meeting, on Wednesday 15 February (10.30am at Victoria Hall) we shall be taking an objective look at the lives of Napoleon Bonaparte and (another hero of one of our number, controversially no doubt) Fidel Castro. Do join us if you can. Frank Pedley
Heraldry: Following on last month's talk
on the Heraldry of the Cliffords,
on 16 February we will visit Skipton to see the heraldry in Holy Trinity Church.
I suggest we meet at 10.15am in Booths Car Park.
On 16 March we have a talk on "The Heraldry of Bradford" by David Krause, who is an Honorary Fellow of the Heraldry Society. Everyone welcome, especially past members of the Heraldry Group. HB
Looking at Old Buildings: This month, James
Innerdale talked us through the renovation of three very different buildings
including Hellifield Peel, with detailed illustrations using the U3A's digital
projection system. He finished with a practical demonstration of how to make
lime putty and mortar and showed chemically why this was the best material for
building and re-pointing old brink and stone buildings
(see picture on cover).
Next meeting: Thursday 23 February at 2.00pm. Meet outside the Victoria Hall for a look at more buildings of Settle, again led by Phil Hudson.
23 March: we are trying to arrange a visit to Hellifield Peel. The renovations should be nearly complete. See March Newsletter for details. JS
Needlework and Natter: Now that the group is well established we have enough expertise among us to be able to help you with almost any type of needlework. We can show you how to knit or crochet, different embroidery stitches, patchwork, rug-making and much more.
I have lots of spare needles, cottons, embroidery threads and material for
you to practise on. If you would like to try something new, or just carry on
with your own current project, come along any Wednesday afternoon, 2.00-3.30pm
in the Victoria Hall. Alison Tyas
Singing for Pleasure: This is held on Wednesdays, 10.30am-12.00 noon with Sally Wright.
Our repertoire is growing enormously and has recently been jazzed up by Alan Richer. We enjoy singing Linden Lea as much as Lullaby of Broadway or Keep on the Sunny Side. At the moment we are getting to grips with the Beatles' Here, There and Everywhere. MH
Sunday Lunch: Next gatherings-19 February Falcon Manor Hotel, Settle, 12.00 for 12.30pm; 19 March Black Horse Hotel, Hellifield, 12.00 for 12.30pm. HB
Wine Appreciation-Group 1: January - An evening with Chilean wines, and all single varietals for us to identify … The first white, Chardonnay-Carmen, Maipo Valley (14 % £7.00) showed an outstandingly pleasant nose, complex tastes and even an after-after taste. The tastes were interesting but did not fulfil the promise of the nose. The second, Sauvignon Blanc-Casillero del Diablo, Central Valley (13% £4.99) was generally preferred; while having little nose it was full of fruity flavour and smoother.
The reds were all universally appreciated and enjoyed though they were more
difficult to identify. Each had interesting personalities and there were no
adverse comments. They were: Cabernet Sauvignon, Casillero del Diablo (13.5%
£5.49)
Carmenere, Casillero del Diablo (13.5% £4.99)
Merlot, Valdivieso, Central Valley (14% £5.29). GHP
Wine Appreciation-Group 2: January - All wines from Spencer's Wine Shop.
1 Chilean Trio Viognies 2003. Choice grapes grown in the Casablanca Valley-rich
perfumed nose with floral peachy and apricot undertones. Very pleasant lime
and zesty fruit on the palate. A dry finish with breezy acidity. 13.5% and at
£6.79 a nice white.
2 The second white-Spanish Vina Esmeralda 2003, 85% muscatel 15% gewürztraminer,
was delicious with a rich fruity and floral perfume with hints of thyme, bay
and green apple. 11% £5.95.
3 The Italian Shiraz 2003, with rich spicy fruit of the Shiraz grape grown in
Lazio. A very limited production, 14% £5.49, was very enjoyable.
4 Last of all the French Bordeaux, Chateau la Côte de Mons 2002, 60% Cabernet
Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc. Nicely concentrated wine, deep crimson
colour with violet tints. Aroma of vanilla, underwood and spicy hints of fruit.
Well-balanced wine. Very harmonious with richly structured fruit and a hint
of oak. 12.5% £5.99.
The evening was enjoyed by all, the wines were interesting and very satisfying. Some of these will find their way to our dinner tables. TM
Click here for the forthcoming Monthly Thursday Meeings.
If you have any ideas or suggestions for whom you would like us to invite as future speakers, do please let Janet Stafford know.
All copy for publication in the next issue should reach the Editor (Pam Servant,
Brayshaw Cottage, 23 Duke Street, Settle) by Sunday 26 February 2006.
The website address is www.SettleDistrictU3A.org.uk and if you want to post a notice, please contact Frank Woodhams on fwdw@cmp.uea.ac.uk or phone 01729 824458.
Egotist: A person of low taste, more interested in himself than me.
Education: that which discloses to the wise and disguises from the foolish their lack of understanding.
