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.
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!
