The February man still shakes the snowFrom off his hair and blows his hands (1) For the Romans it was a month of purification. British weather lore declares it brings rain or snow, or both. The Venerable Bede called it the month of cakes. From Brigid to Valentine, many saints are associated with it. TheContinue reading “February’s charms and alarms”
Category Archives: Snowdrops
In and around the garden: some fragments from January
The January man he goes around in woollen coat and boots of leather (1) The year begins with weather warnings. Frost settles into the garden ground and doesn’t move. Motivation is low. Piles of hazel thinnings lay unsorted or trimmed. Tall herbaceous plants, long past the ‘interesting in winter’ stage need cutting back. Leaves areContinue reading “In and around the garden: some fragments from January”
An A-Z of 2024 in the garden: Dogwoods
Oh yes, I know that the cornus is a plant much maligned – especially the ones with variegated leaves. I’ve addressed this before and remain resolutely a dogwood devotee, a cornus connoisseur, albeit an amateur one. Even if they are often seen in car parks and on roundabouts, they continue to get my vote. First,Continue reading “An A-Z of 2024 in the garden: Dogwoods”
The month of cakes
It may be the shortest month of the year, but February seems replete with symbolism, ritual and ambiguity. Ancient observances jumble with Christian overlays. Calendrical quirks and lunar considerations bubble up and surface. The weather flatters, but can also deceive. The garden wakes up, though might easily turn over and go back to sleep. MuchContinue reading “The month of cakes”
Epiphanies and Robberies Chapter 2: Candlemas
Andrew, Michael and Anne-Marie meet up by chance after attending an event in the village Hub. They go on to share an impromptu meal in Kirkgate’s Lowther Arms and start to learn about each other’s circumstances, passions and struggles. The meal is a success and at the end of the evening, Andrew tells them aboutContinue reading “Epiphanies and Robberies Chapter 2: Candlemas”
Snowdrops at Candlemas
For such diminutive plants, it was a Herculean feat. After something like a month of frost, with the ground as hard as bell metal, and then with fresh snow falling, our old friend galanthus nivalis made it through in the nick of time. I find snowdrops always take me by surprise. After days of watchfulContinue reading “Snowdrops at Candlemas”
Quotidian 