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?!