Dear Friends
First, may I wish you all a very belated "Happy New Year". It seems so long since we last met having missed meeting in January.
Most people who attended the December meeting seemed to enjoy it and I would like to record here my thanks to Wendy Jennings and Sally Wright and the committee and also to everyone who contributed in any way.
Enough of the past, now to the future-I understand the French Conversation and the "Big Conversation" (current affairs) groups have made very enthusiastic starts. Unfortunately the scrabble and bridge have not been so successful. But we do need to keep trying new subjects to attract new members.
I'm sure we will enjoy today's speaker, Mr Iain Oag, who will tell us something of the work of the Dales Millennium Trust. Next month (fingers crossed this time) the speaker will be Ms Della Cannings-Chief Constable of North Yorkshire. I hope you will be there.
Let us make 2004 a good U3A year.
Sincerely Hilary Baker
Scrabble has been cancelled due to lack of players.
Frank Pedley has started a group on "The Big Conversation" - see separate insert.
The U3A now needs a CD/tape player that can be used by various groups. Has anyone a spare one that they no longer use? The request for a projector last year brought 3 offers. Perhaps we might be lucky again.
Can I remind you that messages to me can be left on my phone (822313) or put through my letter box at Quaker Garth, opposite the Victoria Hall. If you want to speak to me try 822677, but please not between 1.00pm and 4.00pm.
Alison Tyas
News and Views from the Groups
All group leaders are invited to arrange for reports (with pictures if appropriate) to be sent in.
Art Appreciation: Our first gallery visit of 2004 was to the Manchester Art Gallery to see the Turner Exhibition: The Late Seascapes.
Turner, we learned, had a fascination for the sea. This was probably due to being born and brought up by the river Thames. He also attended school at Margate on the Kent coast. Britain was under threat from the revolution and Napoleon in France for the first 22 years of his life. So the sea had a high profile at this time.
By the time he reached his fifties Turner was financially comfortable and could indulge his passion for the sea. Many of the paintings in the exhibition have never been shown before or had not been shown for many years. The exhibition was enjoyed by all. There was also time to view other displays and the permanent collection.
As there were spare seats available on the coach a number of U3A members were able to join us and have a “Grand Day Out”. Thank you to Frank Gordon for arranging this trip.
Janet Stafford
Background to Travel: This group will meet on the afternoon of the third Monday each month from now on—at 2.00pm in the Victoria Hall, Settle. On 16 February there will be a talk, with slides, by Dr Brian Ackers, on Poland.
Frank Pedley
Heraldry:
Members of the group on their January visit to Lancaster Castle.
Literature: A touch of seasonal stock-taking …
Now vigorously into our second year, I think we feel we have weathered a little.
We all relish the wonderful diversity of experience that a group of 12 to 16
people of our vintage brings together. Variety is the one constant in our choice
of study: we have spent the past weeks in the company of John Donne and Gerald
Manley Hopkins; after Christmas we are coming back to drama and our own time
with Harold Pinter’s “Home-coming”.
Did you know that Cumbria has a Literature Festival? If you did, forgive my ignorance, because I didn’t! It lasts from March 9—14, at the Theatre By The Lake, Keswick—and offers a rich gathering of writers and philosophers. And if you want more Cumbrian-special fare, there’s “The Hired Man”, a musical adaption of one of Melvyn Bragg’s novels at the same theatre between March 27 and April 17. Tickets and information: 017687 74411.
Wendy Jennings
Philosophy: Meeting of 2 December-parts of the Prolegomena concerning the possibility of mathematics and the possibility of metaphysics were discussed. This was very poorly attended. Whether this was due to the season or the chaotic ramblings of previous discussions is not known. Some feedback on this matter would be useful.
The next meeting will be on 9 February. The intended topic is Wittgenstein on language. This follows from the "In our Time" discussion of November 2003 which is still available on the BBC Radio 4 website. Preliminary reading, which is not essential, is from the Tractatus line 1.0 to 3.02. This is available on the web but I will be pleased to provide a copy on request. It is intended that we stick to this extract for the first hour after which discussion will be free to wander.
New members will always be welcome and the content will be tailored to the needs of the group if this is made clear.
Roy Anderson
Walking: After a very successful planning meeting the list of walks up to the end of April is now to be found in the TIC and also the Library. For the computer literate it is also on our very good website (www.SettleDistrictU3A.org.uk). The Tuesday walks are generally shorter and easier than the Thursday ones. If you require information regarding a particular walk will you please contact the leader in good time. Here's hoping the weather is kind to us.
Shirley Wolfenden
Wine Appreciation: 15 January: "Does price matter?" - was the question posed to the group by Ray and Shirley. They had selected two whites and three reds informing us that four of them were each less than half the price of the fifth. Could we tell the difference?
The members set about the task willingly and general agreement was shown in the judgements expressed -
Los Pampas-Argentina-Chardonnay - delicate and unusual bouquet, smooth
and mellow.
Lyn Grove-South Africa-Sauvignon Blanc - more of a presence and generally
preferred of
the two whites.
Cape red-a blend of Shiraz, Ruby Cabernet, Pinotage and Cab.Sav. - a
rich nose, very
complex and heavy to the palate.
Wolf Blass-Australia-Cab.Sav,2002 - little nose but good legs! Smooth,
full bodied,
widely acclaimed.
Tierra Sana-Spain-Tempranillo (Organic) - gentle fruity flavours but
with a throat-
clinging finish.
We were right, the Wolf Blass was the expensive bottle (£7.99)!
G H Pattison
Wine Appreciation and Sunday Lunch: The Wine group was joined by some members of the Sunday Lunch group (15 in all) to pre-Christmas dinner at the Little House. The company included Elaine and George who broke into their holiday in the Lake District just to be with us.
We were all kindly invited to No 23 Duke Street for a pre-dinner drink and
then we all trooped to the restaurant where we were welcomed by Mine Host. There
was a choice of 4 starters, 4 main courses and 4 desserts, followed by coffee,
mince pies and chocolates. As it was Christmas it was of course obligatory to
have turkey and Christmas pudding as a choice on the menu. The general opinion
was that the
food was good. We don't forget Tilly (rapidly becoming our mascot) and a doggy
bag was found. I don't think she was as lucky as other times, but I am sure
she appreciated the thought.
It was an extremely pleasant evening with a lot of laughter and chat and let's hope we can all do it again next year. A happy and healthy new year.
Helen Williams
Members who attended last November's monthly meeting will be interested to know that when a national newspaper asked prominent personalities to name their "Top Ten" entertainers, amongst Jeremy Beadle's list, and amongst the likes of Morecambe and Wise, Tony Hancock, Woody Allen, et al, was the name of Ian Dewhirst at Number 4. Ian tells me that he did indeed share an after-dinner slot with Jeremy some years ago, and this has obviously left a lasting impression on him, since he describes Ian as a marvellous after-dinner speaker. This will come as no surprise to those who heard Dr Dewhirst's witty address on twentieth century history-a talk which mixed scholarship with humour in promoting his deep belief that "history is people".
Frank Pedley
U3A Summer Schools 2004
School 1: Tuesday 20 to Friday 23 July
School 2: Tuesday 27 to Friday 30 July
at the University of Gloucestershire, Cheltenham
Courses on offer range from Architecture to Setting Personal Objectives in Retirement. Bookings are taken on a first-come-first-served basis. Application forms from our Secretary, Roy Anderson.
Jazz Appreciation Conference/Study Day
The first Jazz Appreciation Conference/Study Day will be held on Saturday 20
March 2004 where the main speaker/performer will be Digby Fairweather, cornet
and trumpet player, broadcaster and writer-presently
a member of The Great British Jazz Band and touring with George Melly.
The meeting will be in Reading, 10.00am-6.00pm, cost £8 (buffet lunch
£6 extra).
Application forms from our Secretary, Roy Anderson.
Creative Writing Study Day
Tuesday 9 March 2004 in Harrogate.
No charge (but optional lunch £4)
Application forms from our Secretary, Roy
Anderson.
New Range of U3A Clothing
All items are embroidered with the U3A logo:
Jerzees "539"Polo shirt-various colours @ £12 + £1 p
& p
Uneek "102" Polo shirt-various colours @ £10 + £1 p &
p
Uneek "201" Sweatshirt-various colours @ £12.75 + £1 p
& p
Beechfield "B50" Cap-various colours @ £6 + £1 p &
p.
Order forms from The Third Age Trust, 19 East Street, Bromley, Kent BR1 1QH.
WANTED! OLD TOWELS AND BLANKETS
If you have any old towels and blankets you don't want, Pam Servant is collecting
such to take to the Leeds branch of the Dogs Trust (formerly National Canine
Defence League).
Please ring (01729) 822768 if you can help.
GIFT AID
Settle District U3A can claim money back on subscriptions if income tax paying
members sign a Gift Aid Declaration. Forms will be available at the 5 February
Thursday meeting from the Treasurer, Shirley Wolfenden-so please ensure that
you complete one!
Group Leaders' Meeting
All Group Leaders are invited to a meeting at 10.00am on Thursday 5 February (ie before the Thursday Lecture Meeting) in the Victoria Hall.Chairman and Groups Organiser
| Yorkshire Dales Millenium Trust | Iain Oag | 5 February 2004 |
| Talk by Chief Constable of N. Yorkshire | Ms Della Cannings | 4 March 2004 |
NEW (and POSSIBLE NEW) GROUPS
"The Big Conversation" U3A style:The Government has launched its "Big Conversation" about future national policies on major political issues. This new group will look at the various themes suggested, including the economy, poverty and inequality, anti-social behaviour, pensions, the environment, transport and immigration, dealing with each theme on the second and fourth Mondays at 2.00pm in the Victoria Hall. This is an opportunity to share our visions of the future with others and to clarify the problems which confront society in the twenty-first century.This does not mean that a collective view will be reached-simply that members will have an opportunity to discuss a problem and then to decide individually whether or not to make their own representation in whatever way they may choose.Contact Frank Pedley or Alison Tyas. A second Wine Appreciation group:If anyone is interested in forming a second group, please contact Pat Dewey (01729 823855) or Alison; when enough names have been collected we'd be glad to offer any assistance necessary.Cookery Chat group: Kathleen Kinder is offering this new group for those with an interest in cooking to talk about their craft (art?) and exchange recipes. If you're interested, ring Kathleen on (01729) 8224444. The first date will be Monday 16 February at Valley View, Station Road, Giggleswick. Just for starters, we give Kathleen's recipe for Pork with apple in cider/apple juice.
Kathleen Kinder's Pork with apple in cider/apple juice (for 2, for 1 in brackets)
|
Ingredients (6oz/170g) 12oz/240g pork leg steak (or lean chop, boneless equivalent) For the marinade (½) 1 tsp mild curry powder (Rajah or Morrison's, both more Method Mix the marinade in a shallow dish. Coat the pork on both sides and leave for at least ½ hour. Turn pieces after ¼ hour. Chop the onion and crush the garlic. In a cooking pot, braise the pork
on both sides. Lift out when brown on to a plate. Sweat the onions and
garlic in pot. Add the washed, chopped, unpeeled apple just before returning
meat to the pot. Stir-fry together for 2-3 minutes. Add the cider/apple
juice and bring to the boil. Stir in crushed pork stock cube. If the gravy
is too thin, mix 1-2 tsps cornflour in a little cider/apple juice and
stir into the contents of the pot. Add cashew nuts (optional). Transfer
to an oven proof casserole (if necessary). Cook in oven for around (1)
1¼ hour on 170°C/ 325°F or Gas 3. |
Next time - a vegetarian main dish!
All copy for publication in the February issue (there will be
no January issue) should reach the Editor
(Pam Servant, Brayshaw Cottage, 23 Duke Street, Settle) by Friday 20 February.
Settle U3A website
The website address is www.SettleDistrictU3A.org.uk and if you want to post a notice, please contact Frank Woodhams on fwdw@sys.uea.ac.uk or phone 01729 824458.