Gifts

It was Mendelssohn's birthday yesterday and we celebrated it today by rehearsing one of his quartets.  We all gathered in my little practice room and enjoyed one another's warmth for three-and-a-half hours while we watched the intermittent snow falling–something that only seems to happen on beautiful cold sunny days in this area of Japan.  When we finally looked at the time, we decided we had gifted Mendelssohn as much as possible and "Otsukare"d one another as we packed up our things.  Our violist shared some treats he had brought back from Tokyo and I shared some roasted soybeans from Setsubun.  My table is full of givings.  Tomorrow a concert for Mendelssohn.