Saturday 23 November 2019

Another November Saturday and Stir-Up Sunday

 It's been good to have a (mainly) dry week this week after  the first half of November which was so wet, dull, gloomy and  muddy. Even though the sugar beet has all gone from the fields and all the big heaps have gone off to be turned into sugar, there is still plenty of mud around on all the small roads close to home, and despite it being a waste of time I washed  the car and got the mud out from all the wheel arches and it looked better............... for about 2  days.

The following is one of the poems from the little book of collected Country Poems that I found in a charity shop in October. I said I'd share some on the blog, but shelved the book and forgot , until now.
 

NOVEMBER
The lonely season in lonely lands,when fled
Are half the birds, and mists lie low, and the sun
Is rarely seen, nor strayeth far from his bed;
The short days pass unwelcomed one by one.

Out by the ricks the mantled engine stands
Crestfallen, deserted, - for now all hands
Are told to plough, - and ere it is dawn appear
The teams following and crossing far and near,
As hour by hour they broaden the brown bands
Of the striped fields; and behind them firk and prance
The heavy rooks, and daws grey pated dance:
As awhile, surmounting a crest, in sharp outline
(A miniature of toil, a gem's design,)
They are pictured, horses and men, or now near by
Above the lane they shout lifting the share,
By the trim hedgerow bloom'd with purple air;
Where under the thorns, dead leaves in huddle lie
Packed by the gales of Autumn, and in and out
The small wrens glide
With a happy note of cheer,
And yellow amorets flutter above and about,
Gay, familiar in fear.

Robert Bridges (1844 - 1930)

The sun only 'strayeth from it's bed' a couple of times this week, but even that was better than the forecast.
 From poetry it's easy and interesting to see how language changes just in  4 generations. I know that the engine mentioned is the threshing machine and daws are Jackdaws, but would my children?  I had to look up 'firk', which means "move quickly or dance" and  found 'amorets' means "an amourous girl"  or "a love knot" but I guess it's alluding to falling leaves. Also presume 'gay' isn't used in the same context as we use it now!

So apart from eating locally produced food, what have I been doing since my last Saturday round up two weeks ago?
Well, as usual I've been out and about. Swimming once a week and thinking how much easier it is in summer, because now there are too many clothes to take off and put on! For just a few minutes this week I was the only person in the pool - felt quite luxurious.............. and very strange.

I've been sorting some books for the charity shop, I'm getting more ruthless now, even some of my WWII Home Front collection are going. Also tidying crafting stuff into  smaller spaces. I have a chest of drawers in the craft room that now only has one drawer full of crafting papers and once I decide what/where/how to sort them, the chest can go.

On Thursday I volunteered to take Col's brother for a hospital appointment as the letter he got said "don't drive home", but it turned out he could have driven himself there and back. Oh well. He's got to be there at 8am one day in December and definitely mustn't drive - not sure I can get up early enough! so hope he can find someone else, luckily he's got dozens of mates.

I've been watching some repeats of "Who do you think you are" . Episodes I missed from a few years ago and this week it was Danny Dyer - of Eastenders fame and he was tracing his ancestors back to the landed gentry, including The Tollemache family of Suffolk. It reminded me that I really ought to visit Helmingham Hall which is not far from home, a famous house and gardens, owned by the same family for 500 years, yet I've never been.
It gave me a plan for next year.....A Tourist In My Own County. I'd better write a list!

Are you making a Christmas pudding this weekend? It's "Stir Up Sunday". The Sunday before advent was known as Stir Up Sunday because the collect for the day from the Book of Common Prayer says "Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 The congregations version was "Stir up, we beseech thee, the pudding in the pot, Stir up,we beseech thee, and keep it all hot!

This week I am Grateful for
  • Ideas for 2020
  • My books
  • A quiet swim
  • Fine days

Hope you have a good weekend, whatever your plans. Not a lot going on for me this weekend but I don't mind that at all.

Back Monday
Sue


34 comments:

  1. Morning Sue. Language is fascinating, isn't it? Funny how words and phrases drop out of use. We both like Christmas pudding but rarely have it - as it's so rich we only like it in small portions, and it's not a sensible thing to have when you're diabetic anyway. So we just stick to a rich fruit cake....well, it's mainly for husband, I don't eat much of it.

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    1. I shall be doing Delias pud recipe as I'm supplying the deserts for my Christmas day at SiL's home

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  2. I love your idea of being a tourist in your own county - I think I'll join you in this next year. I have lived in Dorset for the last 37 years and there are plenty of places I haven't visited yet.

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    1. There are several places I've not been to at all and others not visited for years - despite being in Suffolk for ever!

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  3. I watched the Danny Dyer programme for the first time yesterday although I had heard of it. His reactions were totally absorbing for me and it must have all been a real life changer for him.
    xx

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    1. I think in 2016 I must have missed a whole series of Who Do You.... as I keep finding ones I'd not seen

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  4. When I first stopped working 2 1/2 years ago I joined all the different walking tours of Norwich - one a week for six weeks. I am sure as a local I got more out of them than visitors did who would often drift off before the end. I also bought Day Ranger tickets for the railway and went out for days, some days visiting places and some days just seeing how far I could get in a day, and plan to do that again soon.

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    1. I think there are sometimes walking tours round Ipswich - I'll have to investigate - it's a pity the local Tourist Info places have all closed down

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  5. I have stopped making Christmas puddings now. I am not keen nor is DDiL. We are on our own this time so no point.

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    1. I'm not keen but SiL asked me to do one so I'll be taking it there for Christmas Day

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  6. I think I would find it a bit eerie to be the only one in a swimming pool.

    I don't think I've ever made a Christmas pudding as I'm not keen and my husband is happy with shop bought.

    It's a good idea to be a tourist in your own town/city/county. How many of us have places of interest on our own doorsteps, yet never think to visit? I'm guilty of that too.

    Tonight we will be going out for a meal with our daughter, her partner, his parents and our granddaughters to celebrate our 50th Wedding Anniversary which was yesterday. We're not ones for parties, so this suits us fine. Yesterday we were looking after our youngest grand-daughter who also had a sleepover here the night before.

    Have a good week Sue.

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    1. Hope you have a wonderful Anniversary Meal - Congratulations

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  7. Here it feels like the sun has not left the bed at all for a long time, or at least it has wrapped itself in a thick blanket of gray clouds. It was interesting to hear about "Stir up Sunday", and how the prayer was connected to it. I have never tasted Christmas pudding.

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    1. There have been a few glimpses of sun this last week but not for very long.
      Christmas Pud is a traditional part of Xmas Day although everyone is usually too full to eat it - but it keeps and re-heats well!

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  8. Thank you for posting that poem.

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  9. That Robert Bridges poem is exquisite Sue - I am now going to find it on line and print it off to read at Poetry on Wednesday. So thank you for that - have a good week end.

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    1. He wrote some good country poems - not fashionable now I guess,hope the others at the group enjoy it too

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  10. I don't make a Christmas pudding but this morning I've baked my Christmas cake and made the apple and cranberry sauce. X

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  11. Old poems of long ago. Quite delightful....

    Are you doing Christmas Pudding? I know it is an English Tradition. And other places too, I suppose. It must have been brought here, by those who came to become citizens here. Another imported beautiful tradition.

    🔥💛🔥

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    1. Yes I'm making one to take for Christmas Day at my Sil's house

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  12. My mom always made us a Christmas cake and a pudding but she's gone now. DS#2 brings Christmas pudding from London when he goes in December and we are very happy with that.

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    1. I shall make a small cake for my visitors and take a big pudding to my SiL's house for Christmas Day

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  13. Have a lovely and relaxing weekend!

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  14. "Stir up Sunday" brought some happy memories. These days neither Dad nor I can eat Christmas pudding. However, Christmas being in Summer here a Summer Pudding has become our favourite. This is the first "down under" Christmas for my sister's partner. Hooray - he doesn't like a trad. Christmas pudding and prefers his custard cold - I can prepare our pudding in advance!

    I hope you are having a happy and peaceful weekend, Michelle in Wellington, New Zealand

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    1. I'd much rather have a summer pudding than a Christmas pudding too!

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  15. I think more people should be tourists where they live. I know that even though we have visited many areas around us there is still much more we could see.

    God bless.

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  16. I think being a tourist where you live is an excellent idea, we have lived in Devon now for nearly 12 years and there are lots of places we've yet to see. I think the train idea by Rachel is also a good one. We keep going back to my favourite places. A hobby of ours that gets us to brilliant places we wouldn't have seen otherwise is Geocaching. Helen S.

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  17. I do love that poem, Sue. It definitely takes you back to a different age. I don't tend to make a Christmas pudding, mainly because we eat something lighter. However, if I see a good one reduced after Christmas, I'll buy it and we'll have it for a Sunday tea, normally about March time! I have made my Christmas cake though and it has been fed whiskey this weekend:)

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  18. Lovely poem! Oh how words change. There are words and phrases I remember using or hearing my Nana and Grandad say that aren't used anymore.

    A tourist in your own county. That sounds like a wonderful idea. There are so many beautiful places in Suffolk. Wish I could join you! It does seem that - wherever you live - people don't always visit the places closest to you. My husband is from the area we live in and there are places we go now that he has never been to!

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  19. If I had enough spare cash I would love to be a mobile tourist in my own country … and buy a little motorhome. There was a perfectly sized one for sale at our local car dealership in Wales that would have been just right for a girl and a Pug. Imagine just setting off and then keeping going until you finally ended up back at home :-)

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