Magpies, Wombles, and Books, Books, Books

This motley collection of books are a few of the ones I have plucked from my bookshelves this week.    Most have cost just a few pence, from charity shops, book sales, etc. 

The weather lore book on the right hand side is the youngest of them, it was published in 1981 and is packed with 1900 sayings from the English countryside.    Interestingly, they have also been 'tested' and star rated as to their truth!

Following on from Sue's post about Magpies I thought it would be fun to add these sayings:

For anglers in spring it is
always unlucky to see single
magpies; but two may always be 
regarded as a favourable omen.
And the reason for this is, that in cold
and stormy weathr one magpie
alone leaves the nest in search
of food, while the other one
remains sitting with the eggs or
young ones; but when two go out
together, it is only when the 
weather is mild and warm, and
favourable for fishing.

Star rating: *


Magpies flying three or four
together and uttering harsh cries
predict windy weather.

Star rating: *



Given the particularly mild and sunny days we have enjoyed this week, the following saying is a bit worrying - especially as it is given a star rating of ****.


If there's spring in winter, and
winter in spring
The year won't be good for anything.


February is fast running away with us, but tomorrow, 24th February, is St Matthias' Day, apparently he is the patron saint of alcoholics.

Sayings for his day:                               

If it freezes on Saint Matthias' Day,
it will freeze for a month together.   

Star rating: *



Saint Matthias breaks the ice;        *
If he finds none, he will make it.    **


Saint Matthie
Sends sap up into the trees.


The Hand to Mouth book is an old Women's Institute cookery book,  originally published in 1933, my copy dates from 1944. 

The Lotions and Potions book dates from the 1960's, another Women's Institute one.    It is fascinating, full of very old recipes for creams, unguents, medicines and cures, many dating from centuries ago.

Today has been spent bread making, visiting family, and doing a little Wombling.


I decided I could no longer ignore the discarded aluminium cans, coffee cups, bottles, sweetie wrappers, chocolate wrappers, plastic bags, dog dropping bags (full), old lottery tickets, and general detritus, which was strewn along the lane.


I hitched up Toby, grabbed a rubbish bag, my litter picking stick, and set to work.     I cleared both sides of approx 500m of lane and ended up with a large bin bag full of trash.   

The vodka drinker seems to have stopped drinking though, or perhaps they have moved, for there wasn't a single alcohol bottle, whereas previously there would have been at least half a dozen, sometimes more.

A short time later, I went back up the lane to buy some eggs from one of our neighbours.   On the way home I had to pick up another can which someone had discarded since I cleared the verges.

Hey ho!

Rainy Day Baking and Little Gems

Today began with heavy rain so the dog and I got drenched - but I am very happy about that.

Ever since Dobson came to live with us he has shown a marked reluctance to venture anywhere in the rain, even if he is desperate, he would rather cross his legs and wait until it stops raining.   I have never forced him out in the rain, but I have tried to encourage him, with little success.  

So I was delighted that today he agreed to come out into the pouring rain, for a morning walk.    He actually enjoyed it!   He didn't melt away and he found that smells are just as good in the rain.   Success after two and a half years of gentle persuasion.

Just as well I'm patient.

This handsome boy, Benedict, on the other hand, can usually be found standing out in the rain.   For some strange reason he seems to really enjoy it.     He has a shelter, he just won't use it.


The rain dried up but the day continued to be damp, gloomy, windy.    Our internet connection goes crazy on days like this (the overhead cables run through woodland trees and they need trimming) so the connection drifted in and out.   I gave up trying to read, or respond to, email, etc.

Instead, I made a cup of tea and browsed my recipe books instead.    

Christmas cake is what I wanted to get started, they always improve with keeping and steeping in alcohol.     I also like to soak the fruit in alcohol for a couple of days before mixing and baking and each year I try a different recipe.

This bowl is HUGE, there is something like 5lbs of fruit soaking in it!

I finally plumped for a recipe from my mother's old handwritten recipe book.  

Oddly enough, I have never noticed this one before, but part of the appeal was that the quantities are enough for a 9 inch cake, plus a 6 inch cake.   Perfect!    I always make two cakes, one for Max and the family and another for my younger brother, The Writer.

The recipe book was originally a diary and the first few pages still contain entries from January 1st 1962.    My mothers handwriting quickly transported me back to my 8 year old self, when we were living in Hong Kong.

The entry for 4th January 1962 reads "Jimmy Wong came round this afternoon.   Harry bought me a beautiful firestone and gold ring and I bought the matching earrings."

Here they are.  

I inherited them when my mother died, twenty years ago.    I am not a great one for jewellery, but I do enjoy wearing the pieces which my mother left me and these 'firestones' are truly beautiful.

In morning light they appear a pale blue, then as the day progresses they gradually darken and change to violet and on until they become a rich red wine colour.  Magical!

Jimmy Wong was a Chinese man who used to call around once a month.   He would bring a huge assortment of ready made jewellery and loose stones.    His smooth sales patter often tempted my mother into purchasing something!     One could ask for any stone, any setting or arrangement and a week or two later it would be delivered for inspection.  

So my mother was very much to the forefront of my mind as I set about weighing the fruit, halving cherries, etc.  

She was a wonderful cook, nothing fazed her and everything turned out tasting delicious.    Her big flaw was that she used almost every pot and pan in the house while she cooked.  The kitchen would always look like a bomb had hit it.

I work very tidily and I am a rubbish cook.   Any successes which I have are purely accidental and therefore unrepeatable!   I have a nice, tidy kitchen though.   ;-)

fliss&max