wassail
Friday evening M and I went wassailing at Scotswood Gardens, a community project in Newcastle. I was interested to learn a little, my understanding being that one of the three wassailing customs involves encouraging apple trees to produce a good harvest by watering the "tree of trees" with cider, hanging cakes in its branches, walking thrice clockwise and thrice widdershins (t'other way) banging drums, saucepans etc and shouting "wassail" (be well) "drink hail" (ale) to deter any unwanted spirits in the coming year.
M and I arrived with saucepans and wooden spoons (I broke mine with over-enthusiastic banging!), and were delighted to find around 20 others of all ages already there, many adorned with leaves and face-painting :0) One of those enthusiastic wassailers was a friend from choir who has decided to investigate yurt-living...
We also spent time enjoying the local countryside today with a cross-country run around Allen Banks, a National Trust managed woodland just West of Hexham which once belonged to a private estate. It was muddy, warm, and the sky was bright. We enjoyed maples, elms, holly, pines, pheasants, enthusiastic dogs (just a little muddier than ourselves).
Wassail!
M and I arrived with saucepans and wooden spoons (I broke mine with over-enthusiastic banging!), and were delighted to find around 20 others of all ages already there, many adorned with leaves and face-painting :0) One of those enthusiastic wassailers was a friend from choir who has decided to investigate yurt-living...
We also spent time enjoying the local countryside today with a cross-country run around Allen Banks, a National Trust managed woodland just West of Hexham which once belonged to a private estate. It was muddy, warm, and the sky was bright. We enjoyed maples, elms, holly, pines, pheasants, enthusiastic dogs (just a little muddier than ourselves).
Wassail!