Quote of the Week

 

Patches

One way to practice embroidery stitches is to make small motifs using them. These small pictures are also a really good way to use up odds and ends of material and floss.  Besides, if we like to see a finished product once in a while, these small pictures are perfect for the purpose.

These are good for making small sachets, but if you already have enough of those, you can make patches out of them.  If you happen to have a very plain jacket or shirt that could use some livening up, a colorful patch might be just the thing.

All you have to do is to decide what colors and style might look good with that particular item of clothing.  It is best to choose a fairly small motif, as there is a certain amount of work involved.  Unless you are going to do the thing as a round patch, choose a picture that doesn’t have too many pointy edges.  

There are a number of different ways to go about this project.  I found a lot of possible ideas on the internet, but I didn’t have all the necessary materials on hand.  I might eventually get out to buy these items (mostly stuff to stop the unraveling of cloth), but this hasn’t happened yet.

First, cut out the motif and sew a satin stitch around it, overlapping the satin stitches all the way around the edges so as to stop any unraveling of the cloth.  I have found that if you have a piece of felt on the back, cut to the size of the motif, it is easier to sew thought the two pieces.  This gives the cloth more body and it is easier to control.  You might have to baste the two pieces together first.  They do shift, but that is easy enough to do.

It is also possible to sew a pin on the back and make the patch detachable.  This is good if you don’t want to sew the patch directly on the jacket.  If you go the pin route, however, you will probably want the back to look fairly decent too. 

If you choose to sew the patch on to the garment, a few simple basting stitches will hold the patch in place, and they will not damage most materials. These embroidered pictures can be decorated with beads and look quite elegant.  It also gives you a new pin or two without having to buy any. 

In any event, try a patch.  You will no doubt think up easier ways to do it, and it will add some new life to your wardrobe.

Astrology In Herbs

Astrology might be thought of as the language of the stars—mapping out human character and destiny across the heavens. But beneath the sky and the constellations is another ancient tale: the green story of herbs.

For centuries, healers and mystics have paired different plants with planetary forces, believing that each zodiac sign vibrates with particular herbs whose qualities mirror their celestial nature.

Astrology done with herbs is a practice of attunement: each sign finds its reflection in the green world, where plants represent the same energies that stars show in the sky. To sip a tea, whip up a cream, or burn an incense aligned with one's zodiac sign was to harmonize body and spirit with the cosmic rhythm.  In this way, herbs became not only remedies but companions—living bridges between earth and sky, whispering the wisdom of the zodiac through leaf and root.

Now, such ideas are not as common, and there are other ways that people try to find balance in the world.  Just for fun, here is a chart of the different zodiac signs and some of plants that were associated with them.  

Old-fashioned Word of the Week: Brickbats

 

Having a Conversation With a Book

One of the many joys of owning your own paper-bound books is being able to write any stray thoughts in the margins of the pages.  These doodles, comments, and criticisms are officially called marginalia, and they can be found around the edges of books of all kinds. Although these notes are often overlooked or dismissed, they are actually a lively story about the reader’s interaction with the text. Whether found in medieval manuscripts or modern paperbacks, marginalia offer a glimpse into the minds of readers across time.

The term “marginalia” was popularized by Edgar Allan Poe in the 19th century, though the practice itself dates back centuries earlier. Even in illuminated manuscripts of the Middle Ages, monks and scribes sometimes filled the margins with commentary and fanciful illustrations—grotesque faces and fantastical beasts were perhaps included to make the copying more interesting. These flourishes were not always merely decorative, however; they often had to do with theological debates, personal reflections, or satirical criticisms. Marginalia served as a dialog between the sacred text and the scribe’s inner world, and since a lot of people couldn’t read, they were often private to themselves.

In the Renaissance and Enlightenment, marginalia became more scholarly. Readers annotated texts to challenge ideas, cross-reference sources, or record insights. People like Isaac Newton and Samuel Taylor Coleridge left behind books covered with notes, revealing their own ideas about the material. Marginalia in this context functioned as a form of intellectual autobiography—a record of the thoughts of the reader, and they are very valuable to historians today.

Marginalia are not confined to the realm of scholars, however. These notes can be deeply democratic, accessible to anyone with a pen and a book. A teenager might underline lyrics in a poetry collection. A student might question an author’s argument in the margins of a textbook. A reader might jot down a memory sparked by a passage in a novel. These annotations are deeply personal, often intimate, and sometimes confessional. They transform the book into a place where the printed word meets life as it is lived.

In the digital age, this practice takes on a new form. Some online platforms allow readers to highlight, comment, and share annotations. E-books offer virtual margins where thoughts can be stored and retrieved. While this is useful, it just doesn’t seem to have the tactile intimacy of handwritten notes.  But that is a personal matter.  We just hope that paper books and the marginalia they encourage will not be lost forever.  In any case, the spirit of engagement persists, and readers continue to talk with books—and with each other—through the margins.

Book Review: A Brave Vessel

A Brave Vessel by Hobson Woodward
Survival, Shipwreck, and Shakespeare

A Review by Aunt Hilda

Hobson Woodward’s A Brave Vessel: The True Tale of the Castaways Who Rescued Jamestown is a great blend of sea story, colonial history, and is he tale of William Strachey, an aspiring writer whose terrifying journey aboard the Sea Venture in 1609 not only shaped the fate of the Jamestown colony but also, might have inspired one of William Shakespeare’s final masterpieces: The Tempest.

The book opens with the ill-fated voyage of the Sea Venture, flagship of a fleet bound for the struggling English colony of Jamestown. Caught in a violent hurricane, the ship was wrecked on the shores of Bermuda—a place then known as “The Devil’s Island.” Surprisingly, all aboard survived, and over the course of ten months, the castaways built two smaller vessels from local timber and the remains of their ship. Their resilience and ingenuity allowed them to eventually reach Jamestown, a colony on the brink of collapse.

Woodward’s narrative brings in Strachey’s vivid and detailed account of the shipwreck and its aftermath. Strachey, who had literary ambitions, documented the experience in a letter that would later circulate in England. His descriptions of the storm, the eerie beauty of Bermuda, and the challenges faced by the survivors are written with a clarity and drama that rival fiction. It is this letter, Woodward argues, that found its way into the hands of Shakespeare.  Many suspect that this served as a key source for The Tempest.

The connection between Strachey’s account and Shakespeare’s play is one of the book’s most interesting ideas. Woodward compares passages from Strachey’s writings with scenes and imagery from The Tempest, and there are striking similarities in language, themes, and phrases. The tempestuous storm, the enchanted island, the theme of survival—all echo Strachey’s real-life experiences. Although there is no definitive proof of Shakespeare’s use of Strachey’s letter, the author presents a persuasive case.

In addition, A Brave Vessel offers a rich portrait of early colonial life. The book delves into the reasons behind the Virginia Company’s ventures, the harsh realities of settlement, and the complexities between colonists and indigenous peoples. Woodward doesn’t shy away from the darker aspects of the colonial enterprise, including the deceptions used to lure settlers and the brutal conditions they faced  when they got there.

Woodward’s prose is both scholarly and easy to read. He brings the 17th century to life--from the creaking timbers of the Sea Venture to the lush, mysterious landscape of Bermuda. His portrayal of Strachey is sympathetic, recognizing the man’s ambition and talent while acknowledging his relative obscurity in the annals of history.

All things considered, I think that A Brave Vessel is an elegant work that links the worlds of history and literature. It tells a story of survival against the odds, of a colony saved by castaways, and of a writer whose words may have shaped one of the greatest plays ever written. For readers interested in maritime history, early America, or Shakespearean drama, Woodward’s book offers an enjoyable read.

Latin Phrase: Wolf by the Ears

 

First Footing

First footing is a tradition rooted in Scottish and Northern English folklore.  It is about the first person to enter the home after the stroke of midnight on New Year's Day. The identity of this "first footer" is believed to significantly influence the household's luck for the coming year.

It is best if the first footer is a dark-haired man.  This rule probably came from the Viking invasions.  At that time, a blond visitor was maybe not the best person to see on your doorstep—at the New Year or any other time.

 The first footer should be outside the house just before the clock strikes midnight, so they can come in cleanly to bring in the New Year.  In some areas, the first footer is to knock and be invited it; it other places, they are just to
enter.

In addition, the first footer is expected to bring symbolic gifts.  These are coal (for warmth), bread (for plenty of food), salt (for flavor), whisky (for good cheer), and money (for prosperity.)  These gifts are to ensure health, happiness and good fortune in the coming year.  The gifts might vary from region to region depending on the local customs, but these are the basics.

At our house, the first footer is greeted with a certain amount of noise.  The banging of pot lids and the ringing of bells is considered important to welcome the new year properly.  A toast doesn’t go amiss either, followed by a chorus of the Guid New Year song.  In case you don’t have the words handy, here they are.

A guid new year to ane an’ a
An’ mony may ye see.
An’ during a’ the years to come,
O happy may ye be.

An’ may ye n’er hae cause to mourn,
To sigh or shed a tear,
To ane an’ a baith great an’ sma’
A hearty guid New year.

Happy New Year Everyone.