Bits and pieces from the April section of Flora Klickmann's 1915 book The Mistress of the Little House :-)
(Links to catch up on previous months if you missed them: January, February, March)
April
Flora says "Spring-cleaning is the chief feature of this month."
And my goodness 1915 spring-cleaning sounds EXHAUSTING! The list of supplies alone could tire you out:
"Carpet-sweeper or broom, combined stair and bannister brush, curtain-brush, soft furniture-brush, set of blacklead brushes, housemaid's box with movable tray, scrubbing-brush, house-flannel, strong zinc pail... carbolic and scrubbing soap, soft soap, soda, turpentine, household ammonia, metal polish, blacklead, furniture polish, stale bread, a little methylated spirit, plenty of dust-sheets, polishing rags, dusters, cloths, and any old, soft silk handkerchiefs you can collect." Phew!
There's a curious bit of advice:
"Remember this is the last month with an 'r' in it, and so, according to the old rule, the last in which you can eat pork and oysters."
Maybe this has something to do with avoiding food that could go off easily in the warmer months, before the transport and storage methods we have today?
And she finishes with a lovely quote:
"A man's house is really but his larger body, and expresses in a way his nature and character." S. O. Jewett
No comments:
Post a Comment