A Medieval Miscellany

What a marvelous find at the local Oxfam bookshop this week!  Not only is a good browse always appreciated, but leaving with a beautiful book is always a wonderful experience for a self-confessed bibliophile.  This one - A Medieval Miscellany - takes you through various medieval texts, selected by Judith Herrin, covering more than 100 subjects as diverse as spring, love, marriage, dress sense, warfare, shepherds, ugly feet, harvest, prayer, art, pilgrimage, trade, hunting, plague, snow, music, teaching, Christmas, and much more.  This alone would be fascinating reading, but what really brings the book to life is the accompanying illustrations, taken from original medieval manuscripts, and presented beautifully on every page.  One for all seasons, to read in the garden on a still summer's day, and to cozy up in the armchair on a frosty winter's night.

Snow day

January nights

Nobody Knows

Nobody knows what Jonjo knows. Nobody knows but he,

So Jonjo took me for a walk and showed his world to me.

I met him by the garden gate when the sun broke fresh and new.
Jonjo knows that fairies sleep on cobwebs laced with dew.

We strolled along the river's edge. It glistened in the light.
Sailing on a leafy boat, we saw a water sprite.

I followed him to forests and sank down to my knees.
Jonjo knows that wood elves meet in the hollow of old trees.

We climbed an icy mountain. Clouds drifted past our eyes.
There we spotted unicorns play chase across the skies.

I joined him at the ocean, where the mist rolled slowly in.
Jonjo knows a silver splash is the glimpse of a mermaid's fin.

He brought me to a stone cave as the sun began to fall,
to watch a dragon's shadow dance across the entrance wall.

We wandered in the starshine. An orange moon glowed bright.
Jonjo knows the man up there will keep us in his sight.

I got back home at midnight. He walked me to my door.
But as I turned to say goodbye, my Jonjo was no more.

Nobody knows what Jonjo knows. Nobody knows it's true.
So let me take you for a walk and I'll show his world to you.

Rachel Rooney

Merry Christmas

Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Matthew 1:23

A Child's Christmas in Decoy - Grandma's Memories (1932)

Christmas in our house was a noisy, happy affair.  We made our own decorations.  Mother made the traditional Christmas puddings in a big brown crock.  We all had to have a stir and to make a wish.  They were put into muslin in basins and boiled in the big copper.  Nearer the day, she cooked a whole ham and tongue.  We all had a Christmas stocking and inside these would be trumpets, balls on elastic, a colouring book, and other odds and ends.  Nuts and oranges also featured, paints and books.  Of course, we woke early and in our excitement woke our parents.  Fires were lit early in both rooms and after breakfast we used the front room.  Mother dug up the Christmas tree from the garden and we put up the decorations and holly and mistletoe on Christmas Eve.  My father brought home a brace of pheasant which Mother cooked.  Mince pies were made the day before.  Tea was a jolly affair with crackers.  There were no plastic toys (etc) but lovely Japanese flowers which opened when put in water, and ferns which appeared when a match was lit and put to the corner of the paper.  There were hats and mottoes.  We loved them.  In the afternoon, Bill and I cracked nuts on the kitchen floor with a hammer!  Mother put out dates, figs, and other crystallised fruits.  We did not have a lot, but we were very happy.