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Slim
Joined: 05 Mar 2006 Posts: 6540 Location: New England (In the US of A)
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buzzy
Joined: 04 Jan 2011 Posts: 3708 Location: In a small wood on the edge of the Huntingdonshire Wolds
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Posted: Mon May 08, 17 5:17 pm Post subject: |
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Slim wrote: |
When you say oak apple, are you referring to oak apple galls? What tradition are they involved/associated with?
I saw a largish solitary scarlet elf cup on a walk yesterday and it reminded me of this thread. |
Ah, I carelessly forgot that some of our readers wouldn't be familiar with some of the older English traditions. Yes, I do mean Oak Apple Galls.In 1660, after the restoration of Charles II to the throne, the English Parliament declared 29 May "to be for ever kept as a day of thanksgiving for our redemption from tyranny and the King's return to his Government, he entering London that day." It was known as Oak Apple Day, or Royal Oak Day in reference to the tradition that the king hid in an oak tree after the Battle of Worcester to escape the Roundheads.
Everyone was supposed to wear an Oak Apple Gall, or even just a sprig of Oak on that day, and if they didn't they could either be whipped on the legs with Nettles, or (in Sussex) pinched on the bottom, as a penalty. Other names for May 29 are Oak and Nettle Day and Pinch Bum Day, though in some parts of England the nettling and bottom pinching are transferred to May 30 (it is said!).
One of the ladies I worked with some years ago used to say "The first of May is Pinch Bottom Day". Not sure where this came from.
Isn't history wonderful!
Henry |
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Mistress Rose
Joined: 21 Jul 2011 Posts: 15572
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buzzy
Joined: 04 Jan 2011 Posts: 3708 Location: In a small wood on the edge of the Huntingdonshire Wolds
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Mistress Rose
Joined: 21 Jul 2011 Posts: 15572
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buzzy
Joined: 04 Jan 2011 Posts: 3708 Location: In a small wood on the edge of the Huntingdonshire Wolds
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buzzy
Joined: 04 Jan 2011 Posts: 3708 Location: In a small wood on the edge of the Huntingdonshire Wolds
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Posted: Mon May 15, 17 2:58 pm Post subject: |
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This week was a less cold, but rather damper, walk. Through woodland and a bit of field margin.
We saw lots of Early Purple Orchids (Orchis (probably!} mascula) of various shades including this perfectly pleasing pretty pale pink one:
We also saw a few plants of Yellow Archangel (Lamiastrum galeobdolon). not, I'm pleased to say, the quite nice looking, but rather invasive silver spotted garden variety, but the genuine native:
We also found several leaf rosettes of Lesser Butterfly Orchid, but no flowers as yet.
The wood was surprisingly quiet on the bird front, and there were very few insects about, though there was one moth. I'll post a picture if I can identify it.
The mycologists found a nice mushroom, which they picked, and scratched and sniffed (yes, really) before deciding that despite being in the middle of the wood, was a Field Mushroom. There was much idle chat about frying pans, and bacon!
There was also non-flowering Nettle-leaved Bellflower - we were a month or two early for that!
The walk along the field margin to and from the wood was remarkable only for the quantity of dog mess - on the way in we even found one plastic wrapped bundle in the middle of the path, and we all tutted loudly (to tell the truth some used language much stronger than "tut"). However, on our return the bag had gone, we assumed that there is at least one more or less responsible dog owner about.
Henry |
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Mistress Rose
Joined: 21 Jul 2011 Posts: 15572
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buzzy
Joined: 04 Jan 2011 Posts: 3708 Location: In a small wood on the edge of the Huntingdonshire Wolds
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sean Downsizer Moderator
Joined: 28 Oct 2004 Posts: 42207 Location: North Devon
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buzzy
Joined: 04 Jan 2011 Posts: 3708 Location: In a small wood on the edge of the Huntingdonshire Wolds
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Mistress Rose
Joined: 21 Jul 2011 Posts: 15572
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buzzy
Joined: 04 Jan 2011 Posts: 3708 Location: In a small wood on the edge of the Huntingdonshire Wolds
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dpack
Joined: 02 Jul 2005 Posts: 45457 Location: yes
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buzzy
Joined: 04 Jan 2011 Posts: 3708 Location: In a small wood on the edge of the Huntingdonshire Wolds
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