The right word

I was at the Burns Birthplace Museum in Alloway this morning , presenting a paper at the "Two Bards" conference . There were some excellent contributions and the place is always inspiring.

This is on the outside wall by the entrance - one of Tim Chalks wonderful crows and words - and it was never more apposite as the temperature hardly struggled above freezing on the drive down and there was frost all around the museum itself.

Weather also necessitated me leaving early as Cathleen had sensibly suggested I came home if it started to snow in Glendaruel , which it did mid morning.

In the end I was glad I made the choice as the final part of my journey through Glen Leann was quite tricky and I had difficulty getting the courtesy car I am driving at the moment ( as my Land Rover is still being repaired after the accident with the deer on Christmas Eve ) up the last fifty yards of our track to the house. Two hours later it is still snowing.