I bet that will never happen again :D

Well today is Burns Night which celebrates the life and works of Robert (Rabbie) Burns - the Bard (poet) of Scotland. 25th January was his birthday (b.1759) and this is traditionally celebrated in Scotland with a Burns Supper, usually formal, when the poem 'To a Haggis', amongst others, is read.
Many of you will be familiar with 'Auld Lang Syne' sung at New Year.
This is another of his many poems, about winter, I thought you might like;

Winter: A Dirge (1781)

The wintry west extends his blast,
And hail and rain does blaw;
Or the stormy north sends driving forth
The blinding sleet and snaw:
While, tumbling brown, the burn comes down,
And roars frae bank to brae;
And bird and beast in covert rest,
And pass the heartless day.

"The sweeping blast, the sky o'ercast,"
The joyless winter day
Let others fear, to me more dear
Than all the pride of May:
The tempest's howl, it soothes my soul,
My griefs it seems to join;
The leafless trees my fancy please,
Their fate resembles mine!

Thou Power Supreme, whose mighty scheme
These woes of mine fulfil,
Here firm I rest; they must be best,
Because they are Thy will!
Then all I want-O do Thou grant
This one request of mine!-
Since to enjoy Thou dost deny,
Assist me to resign.

Wow, what a neat poem/song. I'll be singing Auld Lang Syne all day now. Thanks for all the international flavor you bring to us, Knitette!

Has the February 2013 secret swap been posted yet? I want to sign up but have not seen anything unless I missed it.
Pat

No, but keep watching this thread for Lori to post sign ups.

Thank you Kathleen. This might be my last month on here as I'm a bit fed up. Neither of my December parcels arrived, although one SP has emailed a few times saying she's going to post it......
Still waiting on one from this month too.

Ohhhh PLEASE don't leave us.

I PROMISE if I have to I PERSONALLY will make it up to you!!!
even though I KNOW you received my sp gift this month. I will
send you another.

I try to help as much as I can to ALL swappers here, but our
international swappers seem to get hit hard because we can't
track out packages to them. This month was my FIRST international
swap and I would not be apposed to doing it at least 2-3 times a year.

Knitette, I mailed a package to a friend overseas August 31, 2012. He never got the package of CD's I made for him. I made more and mailed them again 2 months after the first package went out. He got that 2nd package withing 3 weeks. Yesterday he wrote to say the first package finally arrived almost 5 months later. It is a shame we can't track our packages after they leave the states. He lives in a third world country, which I am know is quiet different from Scotland. I paid extra to have my last package signed for every step of the way to make sure it arrived. I hope you won't leave us.

WHEN ARE SIGN UPS FOR FEBRUARY??????:p

fayzer, my sp
 

Fayzer sent me a great package for January! My goodies include an angle ruler, seam measure, hangers for rulers, little embroidery scissors, fabric in my favorite colors plus a panel, kleenex holder she made, tape measure, apron pattern, thread, micron pen, a daily journal, and my fabulous purse.

She also enclosed a very nice note and a card with her watercolor site on it. I'm going to check that out next. Her paintings are beauiful!

Thanks fayzer, I love it all. You were so generous.........have a loving and peaceful time with your family in February.