Wednesday 6 January 2016

Wassail

I like to mark the turning seasons of the Year and so this morning Nick and I headed out into the garden to Wassail or drink the good health of the fruit trees in the orchard in order to ensure a bumper crop of apples, as man has done on these isles for millennia.




A piece of bread is soaked in cider and placed within the branches of the noblest and most venerable trees to nourish the orchard spirits. Other, smaller fruit trees receive a blessing and cider libation directly to the roots. And of course, a few crafty swigs are taken by the participants to ensure their own health and fruitfulness!


It seems as though Spring is already here without the sharp bite of Wintertide before it. Violets and primroses poke their heads out from amongst the Autumn leaves still on the ground…



Twelfth Night in the christian calendar marks the Feast of the Epiphany, or arrival of the Three Kings or Magi. Being half Polish I like to adhere to the tradition of inscribing their initials +K +M +B above the door lintels at the front and back of the house for added good fortune.

7 comments:

  1. wonderful, never heard of that. well I want some hard frosts for my fruit trees, they have fireblight which weather like this only encourages :(

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    1. We had some last year too, although quite a bit of fruit too fortunately. Here's to a cold snap and much blossom!

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  2. You folks need a wassail pot!

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  3. I think we do Hannah! Any idea where we would get such a thing haha? ;-)

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  4. I like that kind of celebration!

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  5. Lovely stuff Paul, have a great 2016! Never heard of the bread before, I like it. We always celebrate Twelfth Night, cake last night, crown, merriment and then off to see pur local Mummers! Happy days. TTFN Dickie

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