If the first of June marks the first day of meteorological Summer, and astronomical summer starts on the Solstice on the 21st June how is it that Mid-summer was traditionally celebrated with festivals on the 24th?
It was connected to St John's Day, when to protect future crops and livestock bonfires were lit to banish evil spirits and bring good weather. Midsummer fairs and midsummer markets were held with celebrations in many places.
Today, St Johns Eve, it was thought that plants gathered for medicinal purposes had special powers. St John's Wort being very important. Other protective herbs including yarrow, mugwort - which protected against witches and thunder, and chamomile, were also gathered and hung in the home and cowshed.
So tomorrow is St Johns Day with many associated weather sayings
Before St John's Day we pray for rain, after that we get it anyway
Cut your thistles before St John,
You will have two instead of one.
Never rued the man who laid in his fuel before St John.
Here is what Thomas Tusser wrote in his Five Hundred Points of Good Husbandry in 1557.
At Midsummer, downe with the brambles and brakes
and after, abrode with they forks and their rakes:
Set mowers a mowing, where meadow is grown,
the longer now standing the worse to be mowne.
(brakes are ferns or bracken)
Another old saying from history
If Midsummer Day be never so little rainy, the hazel and walnut will be scarce, corn smitten in many places; but apples, pears and plums will not be hurt.
"Never so little rainy"?
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I must track down Thomas Tusser! I imagine him sitting there mulling over his rhymes... chewing on a straw, tankard of beer at his side (flagon of ale?)
ReplyDeleteThe bits I've used on the blog come from a couple of other books. I'm sure I had a paperback version when we were buying and selling country books.
DeleteTT had a lot to say about cheese...
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that so googled and found all his instructions to the dairy maid and the 10 points of good cheese!
DeleteI've often wondered about Midsummer's Day being at the beginning of Summer (whether meteorological or astronomical) and the only theory I have thought of is that it could be derived from when there were only 10 months in the year - so pre-Julius Caesar. I have tried to look into it but couldn't quite get my head round the calculations of the different types of calendard/ I'm sure someone somewhere knows the answer.
ReplyDeleteA hang over from Pagan times I guess although how that links to St John I've no idea
DeleteI must rush out and cut some St John's wort from the front garden and yarrow from the back, then our household will be safe!
ReplyDeleteYes - Good Plan!
DeleteI've got plenty of Yarrow in the front border, it moved here from the grass verge across the road and crossed with some pink and yellow garden variety, that I foolishly planted.
I think there was a time when what we call spring was early summer, so by now it would be midsummer. But I get annoyed that no sooner do we recognize summer than it's supposed to be half over!
ReplyDeleteLuckily there is still more than half of summer left to enjoy
DeleteRight now it seems too hot to me and I hope it cools off a bit. Is there a potion or herb or celebration to change the weather?
ReplyDeleteNo rain forecast here for all week but temps are nicer now down to low 20s C which is low 70's F
DeleteAfter 13 continuous weekends of rain, this past weekend brought high heat (90+ degrees F) and sunshine. We are officially in a heatwave. Thursday is predicted to drop to 75 degrees F and end the heat.
ReplyDeleteI have not seen Yarrow in a few years. I miss it and will look for some at the garden center. A large patch of Yarrow suits me just fine, and I'll mow around it to keep it in place. A nice Yarrow bouquet sounds good too.
13 weeks of rains sounds dreadful. No rain forecast here all week so much watering of food crops needed
DeleteHappy St. John's Day to you tomorrow, Sue. I pray we get rain because we need it. ~Andrea xoxo
ReplyDelete