Shakespeare: What we may be...

Today's Shakespeare quote from The Shakespeare Birthday Book

"We know what we are, but know not what we may be."

Hamlet, Act iv. Sc. 5.

1915 Housekeeper's Diary: May

Flora Klickmann's tips for the month of May, from her 1915 book The Mistress of the Little House.

(Links to catch up on previous months if you missed them: January, February, March, April)

May

"Old-fashioned housekeepers used to store this month the may-blossom, by stripping off the white petals and putting them into a wide-mouthed bottle with a screw-top, or a tight-fitting cork.
When full, pour in as much brandy as it will hold, and seal it down, then, after a few weeks, pour off the spirit and keep it for flavouring custards, etc., as it is deliciously delicate." - This sounds rather lovely!

"The whites of eggs well whisked up and a little lemon-juice added, is a very nutritious pick-me-up for sick people." - This sounds quite nice too, and it also makes a good DIY face mask!

And for the bacon lovers: "...bacon is a very good dish for luncheon for a change, but should be followed immediately by a green salad to counteract its richness." - I don't see this advice catching on though to be honest!

Shakespeare: In the merry month of May

Today's Shakespeare quote from The Shakespeare Birthday Book

"In the merry month of May.
Sitting in the pleasant shade
Which a grove of myrtles made,
Beasts did leap, and birds did sing,
Trees did grow and plants did spring;
Everything did banish moan."

Passionate Pilgrim.

May Song - joy is everywhere!

Oxfordshire Children's May Song

Spring is coming, spring is coming,
Birdies, build your nest;
Weave together straw and feather,
Doing each your best.

Spring is coming, spring is coming,
Flowers are coming too:
Pansies, lilies, daffodillies
Now are coming through.

Spring is coming, spring is coming,
All around is fair:
Shimmer and quiver on the river,
Joy is everywhere.

We wish you a happy May.

Old Country Rhyme, taken from Harry Golding's book Verses For Children

Illustration by Margaret W. Tarrant

Terry Pratchett's Birthday

Today would have been Sir Terry Pratchett's 67th birthday.

I'm a huge fan of his Discworld books and am the proud owner of every single one! Plus The Discworld Mapp, The Streets of Ankh-Morpork map, A Tourist Guide To Lancre: A Discworld Mapp, The Pratchett Portfolio, The Art of Discworld, Nanny Ogg's Cookbook, The Discworld Almanack and The Folklore of Discworld :-)

As well as being a fantastic author, Sir Terry was an all round awesome dude. He campaigned for assisted suicide, raised awareness for Alzheimer's, and was a trustee for the Orangutan Foundation UK.
He also had a greenhouse full of carnivorous plants and made himself a sword!

I have some Discworld artefacts from The Discworld Emporium. The crowning jewel is my The Turtle Moves pin, which the website says was designed by Sir Terry himself to function as "a symbol that would tell one Discworld fan to another that they shared the same taste in literature."

I also have some Ankh-Morpork half dollars, in case I ever visit!

Front:

Back:

 

Here's to you Sir Terry, you are greatly missed.

1915 Housekeeper's Diary: April

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

Spring Song

Spring Song

Have you ever seen
such green, such green?
Have you ever seen
such blue
as the woods in April
when they blink
and a bit of the sky
looks through?
And the light - the light
is tiny and bright
in every blob
of dew?
Have you ever seen
such green, such green?
Have you ever seen
such blue?

By Jean Kenward, taken from My Very First Poetry Book

Yellow Chicks

Yellow Chicks

Yellow chicks, the baby things,
Bits of fluff and feather;
Underneath their mother's wings,
Cuddled up together!
Never mind the wind and rain;
Cold or any other,
Everything is bright again,
Cuddled up to mother!

By Florence Hoatson, taken from Harry Golding's book Verses For Children

Happy Easter everyone!

When I went to Fairyland

The Visit

When I went to Fairyland, visiting the Queen,
I rode upon a peacock, blue and gold and green;
Silver was the harness, crimson were the reins,
All hung about with silver bells that swung on silken chains.

When I went to Fairyland, indeed you cannot think
What pretty things I had to eat, what pretty things to drink.
And did you know that butterflies could sing like little birds?
And did you guess that fairy-talk is not a bit like words?

When I went to Fairyland - of all the lovely things! -
They really taught me how to fly, they gave me fairy wings;
And every night I listen for a tapping on the pane -
I want so very much to go to Fairyland again.

From The Rose Fyleman Fairy Book

1915 Housekeeper's Diary: March

This month's household wisdom from Flora Klickmann's 1915 book The Mistress of the Little House (previous posts here, here and here).

March

The main thing I took away from this was that it reads like a love letter to March!
For example:

• "March is the month when life is stirring and awakening on every side."

• "Open the windows, let in all the sun and air you can... the air on a bright March day is life-giving."

Other than that, there is a lot of advice for keeping the house free of fleas and mice - thank goodness this is isn't really a big problem for us these days!

Shakespeare: A good heart...

Today's Shakespeare quote from The Shakespeare Birthday Book

"But a good heart is the sun and moon; or rather the sun and not the moon; for it shines bright and never changes, but keeps his course truly."

Henry V. Act v. Sc. 2.

Spring is here

Spring is here

When baby buds are waking in their cradles high,
And tree-tops are a-shaking as the wind goes by,
The Pussy-Willows nod their furry heads and cry,
"Me you, me you, me you -
Spring is here,
Little dear,
For me and you."

When birdies are a-cheeping on the garden wall,
And green is all a-creeping where the sunbeams fall,
The Pussy-Willows nod their furry heads and call,
"Me you, me you, me you -
Spring is here,
Little dear,
For me and you."

By Florence Hoatson, taken from Harry Golding's book Verses For Children

1915 Housekeeper's Diary: February

This month's household wisdom from Flora Klickmann's 1915 book The Mistress of the Little House (previous posts here and here).

February

• "One of the great events of this month is the marmalade-making." - This makes me wish I liked marmalade! If you do, this is your month!

• Flora suggests milk for getting rid of ink stains - I'd never heard of this, but a quick google backs it up. According to Reader's Digest you soak the stain overnight in milk.

• And salt for red wine stains - This one is much more widely known, I guess wine stains are much more prevalent than ink stains these days!

Fairy Song - Dance, Sing, Shine!

Fairy Song

Dance, little friend, little friend breeze,
Low among the hedgerows, high among the trees;
Fairy partners wait for you, oh! do not miss your chance,
Dance, little friend, dance!

Sing, little friend, little friend stream,
Softly through the mossy nooks where fairies lie and dream;
Sweetly by the rushes where fairies sway and swing,
Sing, little friend, sing!

Shine, little friend, little friend moon,
The fairies will have gathered in the forest very soon;
Send your gleaming silver darts where thick the branches twine,
Shine, little friend, shine!

From The Rose Fyleman Fairy Book

And all because I was brave, and tried

Getting started on something is always the most difficult part. And fear, especially fear of failure, can be the biggest hurdle to overcome. We hold ourselves back, but if we would only try...!

I'm very guilty of that kind of thing. But here's a cute poem that actually has an excellent message - to be brave, and try :-)

How The Little Kite Learned To Fly

"I never can do it," the little kite said,
As he looked at the others high over his head;
"I know I should fall if I tried to fly."
"Try," said the big kite; "only try!
Or I fear you will never learn at all."
But the little kite said, "I'm afraid I'll fall."

The big kite nodded: "Ah, well, good-bye;
I'm off"; and he rose towards the tranquil sky.
Then the little kite's paper stirred at the sight,
And, trembling, he shook himself free for flight.
First whirling and frightened, then braver and grown,
Up, up he rose through the air alone,
Till the big kite looking down could see
The little one rising steadily.

Then how the little kite thrilled with pride,
As he sailed with the big kite side by side!
While far below he could see the ground,
And the boys like small spots moving round.
They rested high in the quiet air,
And only the birds and the clouds were there.
"Oh, how happy I am!" the little kite cried;
"And all because I was brave, and tried."

From Harry Golding's book Verses For Children

Found photos in old books

So many old books have old photos slipped in among the pages from previous owners.

In a way I find it a little sad that they and/or their family have lost the photo - if by some massive coincidence you recognise one of these as being from your family, do let me know!

Maybe it was her birthday and she'd just got this tricycle as a present :-) Isn't it sweet? There's even a little bell on the handlebars.

Playing in a sandpit, accompanied by a toy duck on wheels. Toy ducks just get everywhere don't they - baths, sandpits...!

And finally a more recent photo of a little girl's story time :-)

No one is frightened in Fairyland

The Fairy Ball

"I am asked to the ball to-night, to-night;
What shall I wear, for I must look right?"
"Search in the fields for a lady's-smock -
Where could you find a prettier frock?"

"I am asked to the ball to-night, to-night;
What shall I do for my jewels bright?"
"Trouble you not for a brooch or a ring,
A daisy-chain is the properest thing."

"I am asked to the ball to-night, to-night;
What shall I do if I shake with fright?"
"When you are there you will understand
That no one is frightened in Fairyland."

From The Rose Fyleman Fairy Book

Two Funny Men by Spike Milligan

Some silliness by Spike Milligan!

Two Funny Men

I know a man
Who's upside down,
And when he goes to bed
His head's not on the pillow. No!
His feet are there instead.

I know a man
Who's back to front,
The strangest man I've seen.
He can't tell where he's going
But he knows where he has been.

Taken from My Very First Poetry Book

Birthday Book Part 2: Creepy nursery rhyme!

A couple of weeks ago I shared the sweet little Shakespeare Birthday Book.

The original owner had lovely old-timey handwriting:

But at some point, a kid got hold of it! They tried to copy the original handwriting and drew boats:

And also wrote disturbing rhymes:

'Old Paddy Usmond is no good

Chop her up for firewood

If she is no good for that

Give her to the ugly cat'

I looked it up, it turns out there's different variations of this old nursery rhyme floating about - but they're all creepy! They just don't write children's rhymes like they used to eh?!

Rainy - or Snow! - Day Dressing Up

Dressing Up

Upon the nursery window-pane
There's pitter-pattering of rain...

Along the nursery landing there's a very old oak box
That's full of coats and shawls inside, and curtains, hats, and frocks.
We go along the landing
'Cos it's a rainy day,
And push the box-lid open wide,
And then dress up and play.
There's me, and my friend Isobel,
And Miggy comes along as well.

And Isobel's a lady, so she dresses up all grand.
She 'tends she's talking Spanish, and we never understand.
She wears the dress like silver,
And has the shawl from Spain,
And pins a curtain round her waist
To make a lovely train.
She holds a fan, and always loves
To wear the pair of long white gloves.

And Miggy chooses anything that's bright and nice to touch.
She's only three - so Isobel won't let her have too much.
She has the things left over,
And bits that she can find;
And nothing fits her very well,
But Miggy doesn't mind.
She piles the hats up by the wall,
And likes to sit and wear them all.

But I dress up in sailor clothes, and 'tend I'm off to sea;
They're Uncle Philip's sailor clothes, and rather big for me;
But I can do a hornpipe,
And lots of sailor things -
Like sailing round the world and back -
Before the tea-bell rings.
And then I rattle chains about,
And shout, and throw the anchor out.

We take the dressing-up clothes off (and what we've torn is hid).
We put the clothes back in the box, and some one shuts the lid...

And then we hear the rain again
Upon the nursery window-pane.

From Marion St John Webb's book The Little One In Between, illustrated by Margaret W. Tarrant

Smile

It may be Monday, but..

Smile

Smile, smile, smile, it's well worth while;
For while you smile another smiles,
And smiles come quick in piles and piles,
And soon there are miles and miles of smiles,
And life's worth while, if you smile, smile, smile.

From Harry Golding's book Verses For Children

:-)

Rainy Morning

Rainy Morning

As I was walking in the rain
I met a fairy down a lane.
We walked along the road together;
I soon forgot about the weather.
He told me lots of lovely things:
The story that the robin sings,
And where the rabbits go to school,
And how to know a fairy pool,
And what to say and what to do
If bogles ever bother you.

The flowers peeped from hedgy places
And shook the raindrops from their faces,
And furry creatures all the way
Came popping out and said "Good-day."
But when we reached the little bend,
Just where the village houses end,
He seemed to slip into the ground,
And when I looked about I found
The rain was suddenly all over
And the sun shining on the clover.

From The Rose Fyleman Fairy Book

The Shakespeare Birthday Book



Here's a cute little book - The Shakespeare Birthday Book!

 

It's only about 10 x 7cm, and has space for every day of the year to fill in people's birthdays, plus daily Shakespeare quotes.

 

There's no date in it, but a previous owner has put years next to some people's names (probably their birth-years); the earliest is 1819 and the latest is 1873. 

 

An interesting point (to me!) is the spelling of 'Shakespeare'. Nowadays 'Shakespeare' is the accepted spelling, but that's only been the case since the end of the 19th century. His name has been spelt various ways over the years, even during his lifetime. The cover of this book spells it 'Shakspeare', which was a popular spelling from the late 18th to the early 19th century. However in the preface, it's spelled 'Shakespeare'. So perhaps this book is an example of the time towards the end of the 19th century when people were moving towards today's spelling, but it still wasn't standardised.

A Good Idea for Wintry Weather

A Good Idea for Wintry Weather

At breakfast in the dark I pop
my dad's hat over the teapot
so that his head shall be hot
though the full buses pass his stop.

By Libby Houston, taken from My Very First Poetry Book

I use a radiator instead of a teapot, and put my scarf and gloves on as well - mmm toasty!

It was not all a dream

A Voyage

They took me out a-sailing -
The boat was made of glass;
We sailed upon the little clouds,
The stars came out in shining crowds
So thick we scarce could pass.
But feather-light through all the night
About the sky we sped;
There were no oars with which to row,
There was no tiniest wind to blow
Through all the sails were spread.

They took me out a-sailing -
We anchored by the moon;
The golden door was open wide,
We saw a garden-ground inside
Where it was light as noon.
And fairy folk looked out and spoke,
"Come in, come in and play!"
We climbed a little silver stair -
It was so beautiful in there
I wished that I might stay.

They took me out a-sailing -
Oh! strange the tales I heard
Of charmed adventures in the skies
Beyond the gaze of human eyes,
Beyond the flight of bird.
The stars went out, I looked about,
I saw the dewdrops gleam
Among the cobwebs on the lawn
As we came home at break of dawn...
It was not all a dream.

From The Rose Fyleman Fairy Book

1915 Housekeeper's Diary: January

In Flora Klickmann's 1915 book The Mistress of the Little House (I first posted about it here), there is a section called 'A Housekeeper's Diary' which gives month by month household tips and advice. This month...

January

It may be 100 years since it was published, but a good bit of the advice still applies today. Here are some titbits:

- Don't dry wet shoes in direct heat, as this can damage them. Let them dry slowly in the warm.

- For blocked drains, or just every now and then to keep them clear, Flora recommends 'hot soda water'. (I'm guessing this is basically the baking soda solution of putting a cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by hot water.) However prevention is better than cure, so be careful no bits of soap or foreign matter get put down plug holes.

- Good things to buy in the sales include stationery, china and household linens.

- More on sales: "It is never saving to buy soiled, flimsy finery, or outré dresses and millinery, however cheap." I.e. If you're really trying to save, avoid anything of poor quality and go for classics rather than anything super-trendy; don't be seduced into buying things just because they're in the sale.

Happy dry shoed, clear piped, sensible sales shopping January! ;-)

My First Comic!

I'm a bit of a geek. I love fantasy and sci-fi - but somehow, comics have completely passed me by.

I decided to put this right, and dip my toe into the world of comics - but where to start?! I settled on an eBay search for a comic close to my birth date, which led me to... Thundercats!

"Finishing a difficult project is as good cause for celebration as any other." So true, although my idea of a celebration wouldn't be sports - clearly I'm no Thundercat!

Unfortunately there is a falling out, but a wise old spirit comes to rescue, dispensing good advice:

And the conflict is resolved - "The only way an argument can hurt you is if you don't end it"

I wasn't expecting life lessons - bravo Thundercats!

On a side note - look at their gravity-defying hair! What's their secret? Static? Portable wind machines? Or just huge amounts of hair product? It's a Thundercats mystery!

All sleeping on the clouds

I Stood Against The Window

I stood against the window
And looked between the bars,
And there were strings of fairies
Hanging from the stars;
Everywhere and everywhere
In shining, swinging chains -
The air was full of shimmering,
Like sunlight when it rains.

They kept on swinging, swinging,
They flung themselves so high
They caught upon the pointed moon
And hung across the sky;
And when I woke next morning
There still were crowds and crowds
In beautiful bright bunches
All sleeping on the clouds.

From The Rose Fyleman Fairy Book

Everything has a song

I feel the need for another positive, cheering poem! (Find yesterday's pick-me-up here)

Everything has a song! I.e. Find enjoyment/contentment in everyday things :-)

Jonathan Mends the Mats

Jonathan comes,
And Jonathan hums
When Jonathan mends the mat;
For everything has a song to it -
Jonathan told me that.
There's the song you sing when you wash your face,
And the song you sing to mice,
And the song you make for a currant cake,
And you sing the chorus twice.

Jonathan's song
Is never too long,
And Jonathan sings it slow.
And everything has a song to it -
Jonathan told me so.
There's the song you sing when you change your shoes,
And the song you sing in bed,
And you sing a song when they say you're wrong,
And you know you're right, he said.

Jonathan sings
To the littlest things,
And things of tremenjus size.
For everything has a song, he said,
Mountains - and hooks-and-eyes.
There's the song you sing to the chimney-sweep,
And the song to bowler hats;
And you sing a tune to the big round moon,
And a song to worn-out mats.

Jonathan mends,
And sews up the ends,
He said, "I am seventy-three;
But everything has a song to it,"
Jonathan nodded to me.
"In an old man's heart there are songs enough,
And I only fear one thing -
That a time comes near when the heart, my dear,
Will forget the way to sing."

From Marion St John Webb's book The Little One In Between

Turn your clouds about

The first Monday of the new year can be a bit of a downer, getting back to normal after the holidays, but here's some excellent advice from Ellen Thorneycroft Fowler:

Though outwardly a gloomy shroud,
The inner half of every cloud
Is bright and shining:
I therefore turn my clouds about
And always wear them inside out
To show the lining.

By Ellen Thorneycroft Fowler (the Hon. Mrs. Alfred Felkin), taken from Harry Golding's book Verses For Children

Words 99 & 100!

Here are the 99th and 100th words of the days!

29/12/14 to 30/12/14

Monday: raconteur - A person who tells anecdotes in a skilful and amusing way: e.g. 'a colourful raconteur'

Tuesday: mucho - Much or many: e.g. 'that caused me mucho problems'

Words and definitions from Oxford Dictionaries Online's Word of the Day.

We made it to 100! Mucho words that could help us become better raconteurs! ;-)