Valentine Herbs

Valentine’s Day is coming, and it might be time to get out some of your favorite herbs to prepare for the celebration.  For a long time, different herbs had been used to attract a mate, to keep lovers from straying, and to send messages to the beloved.  Here are a few herbs that were once considered helpful in finding (and keeping) that special someone.

First of all, coriander was mentioned in the Arabian Nights as a way to attract a lover.  A certain care was needed with this plant however.  If you mixed coriander with fennel, it could also be used to summon the devil.  Trillium was supposed bring you a warrior, which may or may not be a safe choice.  In any event, if you were to sew yarrow into a linen bag and put it under your pillow, it would allow you to see the face of a future love in your dreams.  That way, you would know who to look for—or avoid, as the case may be.

Some herbs were recommended to make a person more attractive.  For example, an infusion of horseradish in milk was reputed to do wonders for the complexion—at least, according to Hungarian sources.   Apparently, beebalm was once used by members of the Winnebago tribes of native Americans for smooth skin.  Lavender was used by the Greeks and Romans for scenting the bath.  Unhappily, the herb fell into disuse during the Dark Ages when cleanliness came to be considered decadent, but fortunately, bathing has made a come-back since.

Caraway was supposed to keep lovers and doves from wandering off, so it was an ingredient that was traditionally added to love charms and bird feed.  Rosemary was for remembrance and fidelity, and that is always important in a good relationship. If you wanted to send your beloved a secret message, you could give them a small posy of flowers and herbs.  In Victorian times, a special language was invented to “speak” to someone silently through the choice of plant material that was included in the bouquet.

Here are some common herbs and their meanings.

Basil symbolizes both love and hate.  Context is important here, so more information would be necessary.
Chamomile means to have patience.  Be still and keep your nose clean.
Lemon Balm says “I have sympathy with your situation,” or “you should have sympathy with mine.”
Mint means wisdom.  Hopefully, this is an observation and not an admonition.
Pennyroyal says run for it.  All is discovered, escape while you can.
Rue is the herb of grace, though some say it is rather harsh.
Sage denotes high esteem, and it is a lovely thing to see in any posy—or soup.
Marjoram is the herb of happiness. 

May you see much marjoram in your bouquet.

 

 

Book Review: The Nowhere man

Book Review: The Nowhere Man by Ian Wilson

by Aunt Hilda

Ian Wilson’s The Nowhere Man is a quiet, eerie novel that blends rural nostalgia with a creepy sense of the supernatural. Set in the Cheshire countryside, the story follows Sarah Pennington, who returns to her childhood farm after the sudden death of her father. What begins as a tale of grief and homecoming gradually changes into a mystery.

The story begins in earnest when Sarah encounters a painting in a village gallery — a mist‑shrouded woodland bridge with a shadowy figure standing among the trees. The image exerts a strange fascination, stirring emotions she cannot understand. The author uses this moment to great effect: the painting becomes both a literal object and a gateway into Sarah’s unresolved past. The painting is not just a clue; it is more like a haunting.

The author seems to be at his best when describing the countryside — the damp hush of the woods, the soft roll of farmland, the way mist can make the familiar feel suddenly enchanted or threatening. These landscapes are not just backdrops; they are emotional territories as well. Sarah’s grief is mirrored in the fog, the silence, the sense of something half‑seen at the edge of perception.

Then comes introduction of Jonathon Ripley, the artist behind the painting. Jonathon is not a brooding genius; he is simply a man who paints what he sees — or what he thinks he sees. When Sarah persuades him to help her uncover the origins of the mysterious image, the novel shifts into a detective story. Wilson handles this transition well, keeping the tone contemplative rather than sensational.

The “Nowhere Man” himself — the shadowy figure glimpsed in the painting — is a eerie creation. Wilson wisely avoids over‑explaining him. Instead, the figure functions as a strange presence, a symbol of grief, transition, and the way the past can stand silently among the trees on the edges of one’s memory.  If you are expecting a horror novel or a thriller you may find the ambiguity frustrating, but for those who appreciate atmosphere over answers, the restraint is part of the book’s charm.

Where the novel shines most is in its emotional backstory.  The investigation seems to be a metaphor for grief itself: wandering through fog, following faint traces, trying to make sense of something that resists understanding. The final chapters, in which Sarah faces the Nowhere Man directly, offer a catharsis that feels earned rather than engineered.

In the end, Wilson delivers a gentle, eerie, and emotionally intelligent novel that lingers like mist on the edge of a forest. It is a story about art, memory, and the ghosts we carry — not the kind of ghosts that rattle chains, but the kind that stand quietly in the woods, waiting to be recognized.

Latin Phrase of the Week

 

Hidden History of Nursery Rhymes

Nursery rhymes are often dismissed as silly verses for children, filled with talking animals, tumbling eggs, and dancing dishes. Yet beneath their playful surface lies a hidden history of political, and cultural significance. Many of these rhymes originated in times of turmoil and were used as subtle vehicles for satire, protest, or commentary. Their simplicity masked complex truths—making them both entertaining and subversive.

One of the most famous examples is "Ring Around the Rosie." Commonly recited by children in playgrounds, this rhyme is widely believed to be about the Bubonic Plague that ravaged Europe in the 14th century. The “rosie” may refer to the rash that signaled infection, while “pocket full of posies” hints at the herbs people carried to ward off disease. “Ashes, ashes” may suggest the cremation of bodies, and “we all fall down” chillingly reminds us of the mass fatalities. Though historians debate the accuracy of this interpretation, the rhyme’s eerie alignment with plague symptoms has cemented its place in folklore.

"Humpty Dumpty," another well-known rhyme, is often imagined as a clumsy egg. However, the original verse never mentioned eggs at all. The character’s egg-shaped identity was popularized by Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking-Glass book. Historically, “Humpty Dumpty” may have referred to a siege cannon used during the English Civil War in the 1640s. Mounted on a wall, the cannon was said to have fallen and shattered, with “all the king’s horses and all the king’s men” unable to repair it. This interpretation transforms the rhyme from a tale of scrambled eggs into a metaphor for military defeat.

Political dissent also found refuge in rhymes. "Baa Baa Black Sheep" is believed to discuss the medieval wool tax imposed by King Edward I. The “master,” “dame,” and “little boy” represent the monarchy, church, and farmer—each receiving a share of the taxed wool. The rhyme subtly exposes the economic burden placed on commoners, wrapped in the innocent guise of a sheep’s generosity.  

Even “Jack and Jill” might carry political undertones. Some scholars suggest it has to do with the beheading of King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette during the French Revolution. Jack’s fall and subsequent injury mirror the king’s execution, while Jill’s tumble represents the queen’s fate. Others interpret it as a commentary on taxation.

These hidden histories imply that nursery rhymes were not merely for amusement—they were tools of struggle and remembrance. In eras when free speech is dangerous, rhymes offer a safe outlet for expression. Their rhythmic repetition ensure they are easily memorized and passed down, preserving coded messages across generations.  When it becomes necessary to speak in secret, nursery rhymes are there to assist in the resistance.  We should take this into consideration, and perhaps, add to the collection as needed.

Groundhog day

Groundhog Day is the annual holiday in the U.S. when our own favorite groundhog wakes up from his hibernation, pokes his nose out of his burrow, and lets us know if spring is about to be sprung.  Since not everyone has grown up with this particular tradition, I thought it might be useful to provide some basic information about this specialized form of weather prognostication.

The groundhog (AKA ground squirrel, wood chuck, or whistle pig) is a kind of small, ground-dwelling rodent that is fairly common in the United States.  This shy marmot hibernates all winter and comes out in the spring, making it the perfect choice for weather prediction.

In fact, the groundhog wakes up and comes out of his burrow (either voluntarily or enforced) on February 2^nd, and looks around.  If the weather is sunny, he sees his shadow and runs back in his burrow for six more weeks of winter.  If, however, he doesn’t see his shadow (if the weather is rainy or cloudy), he is not frightened back inside, and spring is just about to begin.

Some think that this idea may have originated with the early Celts, but many credit the Pennsylvania Dutch or Pennsylvania Germans for the tradition in the United States.  Apparently, in Germanic Europe, a badger was the focus of spring prediction.  When they came to America in the 1700s, the German immigrants substituted the groundhog for the badger.  Apparently, there are similar traditions in other lands and cultures, but we have the groundhog.

Perhaps the most famous Groundhog Day celebration (made notorious by the movie) is held every year in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.  This ceremony has been going on since 1887 at a location known as Gobbler’s Knob.  Here, a group of men in tuxedos and top hats pull the unsuspecting rodent from his burrow and let us know what he has to ‘say’ on the matter.  Although some folks insist that the groundhog is always right (the problem being mistranslations of ‘groundhogese’ into English), estimates suggest that Phil has been correct 35% to 40% of the time.  Which is not bad, all things considered. 

Although some people do hunt and eat groundhogs, we understand that they are an acquired taste.  If you want to celebrate this holiday with a special dinner, you might want to substitute ground vegetables or greens.  After all, that’s what groundhogs eat.

  

Winick, Stephen, Groundhog Day: Ancient Origins of a Modern Celebration, 1 Feb. 2022 < https://blogs.loc.gov/folklife/2022/02/groundhog-day-ancient-origins-of-a-modern-celebration/> (15 Jan. 2024).

Journal Prompt: Why Not?

 

Hygge

Winter is in our neighborhood with a vengeance, and it may be time to think about an idea called hygge and how to create it in our homes.  Hygge is a Danish and Norwegian concept that is about coziness and comfort. They know all about cold, and they created hygge because they probably needed a pleasant way to survive the darkness of the long Nordic winter. 

Hygge is a way to find moments of comfort, safety, and celebration, and to break up the dark days of winter with some contentment.  Hygge has to do with warm sweaters, hot cocoa, and chicken soup.  On frigid, winter days, the simple act of a lighting a candle with a cup of coffee in the morning could make a big difference in how you approach your day.

Hygge (pronounced hue-guh) is a Danish word (and idea) that is used when you notice a feeling that is especially cozy or pleasant.  This feeling can happen when you are alone or with friends, at home or outside, in ordinary or unusual circumstances.  Apparently, being Hygge (or to be “hyggeligt”) doesn’t mean that you have to buy anything special, learn anything complicated, or change your lifestyle very much.  Nor does it involve buying anything expensive.  It only requires quietness, a certain ease of mind, and the ability to recognize and enjoy what you already have.

Hygge might involve reading a good book, enjoying a quiet time alone, or playing relaxing music. It will probably mean turning off the social media and the news, or enjoying a hot cup of tea under soft blankets.  It is a way to bring a feeling of safety and comfort to a cold winter world.  The feeling of safety is something that is often missing in these troubled days, and for many people, hygge is not an option.  For those of us lucky enough to have the opportunity for a few hours of peace, we should be sincerely grateful for the blessings that we have.

Many people distill ‘hygge’ down to being a ‘feeling’ – because if you don’t feel hygge, you probably aren’t doing it.  Some also refer to hygge as an “art of creating closeness” either with yourself, with your friends, or with your home. By creating simple rituals without much effort (such as brewing real tea of an evening) the Danes see home life as an art form and not just a drudgery.  Hygge is just about being aware of a good moment and savoring it.  So, consider adding some hygge to your life.  Winter needs all the help it can get.

Writing About Reading

Although the ability to read in Elizabethan England was considered important, the skill of writing was treated as optional, even unnecessary. To us, the idea of teaching reading without writing may seem rather odd, yet in the sixteenth century, it was a deliberate and widespread practice rooted in privilege and power.

Reading was seen as important for religious devotion, moral instruction, and obedience.  The Book of Common Prayer and the English Bible were central to daily life, and being able to read them was considered necessary for spiritual salvation. Writing, on the other hand, was not required for salvation. It was a skill associated with record-keeping, commerce, administration, and theology—jobs typically reserved for clerks, merchants, government officials, and ministers.

Mostly, those in power wanted people to read what they were told to read, but they didn’t want to see what just anyone might write.  Their idea was to maintain order, not to encourage creativity.

But in this day and age, many of us we are luckier than our foremothers and forefathers.  A lot of us have been taught to both read and write.  And one good way to find things to journal about is to consider your favorite books, and write about them. 

So, consider gathering up your pen and paper (or computer), making yourself a cup of tea or other adult drink, and writing about your favorite books.  Here are some literature prompts to encourage just that.

1. Write a poem about a place, a character, or an idea in a favorite book.

2. Imagine that you could become a character in a book.  Not only that, imagine that you could change the plot to suit yourself.  Would you do it?  Would the story end differently?  How would you manage it?

3. Consider a character that you absolutely despise.  What makes them so revolting?  How did the author present the character to make the reader hate them?  

4. Think about how the passing of time is shown in a book you have enjoyed.  Does it seem to flow smoothly and realistically? How would you (as the author) do it differently?

5. Consider an animal or an object in a favorite book.  Was it given a personality like a human?   What do you think about making non-human characters act like people?