#oldest bed in Britain

[miscellaneousvintageobjects]

BRITAIN’S OLDEST BED, 1570s

Britain's oldest bed, a sturdy oak four-poster, has endured the trials and tribulations of a longstanding kingdom since the Elizabethan period.

It stands as the sole surviving piece of furniture from Salford's Ordsall Hall. Originally crafted for Sir John Radclyffe and Lady Anne Asshawe in the 1570s, the bed mysteriously disappeared around 1650 during a change of ownership at the Hall. For nearly three centuries, its whereabouts remained unknown until it resurfaced in the home of a resident in Whalley Range, Manchester. The circumstances of how it came into his possession remain a mystery, but the bed was eventually sold off in pieces to cover his death duties. In a stroke of fortune, Dr. Chris Douglas, a collector of medieval and Tudor furniture, painstakingly restored the bed to its former glory in 1968.

Source: Facebook

Mysterious Things

[coldalbion]

I SWEAR BY ALMIGHTY RIVER

From another article on this, first, because it's also relevant:

"The barrister Paul Powlesland, who has acted for climate protesters, was called to jury service last week, and made judicial history by taking an oath on the thing most holy to him – not an ancient book, but a cupful of water from his local river in north-east London: “I swear by the River Roding, from her source in Molehill Green to her confluence with the Thames,” he said, “that I will faithfully try the defendant and give a true verdict according to the evidence.” Powlesland explained that he wanted to promote the idea of the sacredness of nature, and its place in the legal system. “I hope that many others follow suit,” he said, “and animism is soon found more regularly in our courts.” In fact, the practice has the oldest of precedents. The first recorded oaths in western literature were made by the Homeric gods, who were, you will recall, in the habit of swearing on the waters of River Styx. As Hesiod wrote, breaking such a vow had serious consequences: “And whoever of the gods, pours of this water, and swears on it, and does so falsely, he is laid flat, and does not breathe, until a year is completed; nor will he have ambrosia and nectar to eat, but be laid on his bed while the evil coma covers him.”

And from the main article:

“I explained that nature is my God and I believe the Roding to be sacred and I manifest love in action for her, and in all the things that I do for her, and it would be a really meaningful promise to me,” said Powlesland. “I dipped my finger into a cup of the Roding water and said that ‘I swear on the River Roding from her source in Molehill Green to her confluence with the Thames that I will faithfully try the case and give a true verdict according to the evidence.’ “I got a feeling from the judge that he felt the truth in my voice, that this was a meaningful, sacred promise to me. It wasn’t just me playing silly buggers.” Powlesland is also the co-founder of Lawyers for Nature, a group campaigning for elements of the natural world to be recognised in law in Britain. Rivers, lakes and rainforests have been given legal personhood in countries including New Zealand, Spain, Ecuador and Australia."

[blairstales]

The Cailleach | Scottish Folklore

The story of the Cailleach can change drastically depending on what area of Scotland you are in, making her a hard figure to pin down as one thing or another.

In some stories, she transforms each year at Tobar na Cailleach(well of the Cailleach) from an old woman into youth, and the change of seasons depict her cycle from youth into elderly age.

In other stories, the Cailleach is more of a villainous figure, that either stubbornly fights back the forces of spring(and is ultimately overcome by the united forces of the sun, dew, and rain), or the Cailleach holds spring prisoner in the form of a beautiful young woman named Bride. Bride is eventually rescued by a young man named Aengus, and their union brings forth spring.

To again bring on winter, she washes her great plaid in the whirlpool of Corryvreckan, a spectacle that heralds the onset of winter storms.

The Corryvreckan Whirlpool

Thanks to her winter and storm association, it is perhaps no surprise mountains named after her, such as Beinn na Cailleach, often become engulfed in storm-clouds during the winter months.

However, there are also stories that reflect a side of the Cailleach that goes beyond her association with winter.

“-… it is undoubted that the Cailleach is the guardian spirit of a number of animals. ‘The deer have the first claim on her. They are her cattle; she herds and milks them and often gives them protection against the hunter. Swine, wild goats, wild cattle and wolves were also her creatures. In another aspect she was a fishing goddess. “ A Encyclopedia of Fairies by Katharine Briggs (1976)

Sometimes, she is a guardian of sacred wells, demonstrated in Alasdair Alpin MacGregor’s “The Peat-Fire Flame” which recounts a tale where the Cailleach’s failure to cover a spring with a stone results in a catastrophic flood and the forming of Loch Awe.

“But one day, weary with hunting the corries of Cruachan, she fell asleep on the sunny hillside. Not until the third morning did she awaken; and by that time her heritage lay beneath the waters of the loch that since then has been known as Loch Awe.” The Peat-Fire Flame: Folk-Tales and Traditions of the Highlands and Islands by Alasdair Alpin MacGregor (1937)

Othertimes, she is a source of healing, such as at the ancient shrine of Tigh nam Bodach(sometimes also called Tigh na Cailleach), which is associated with the Cailleach, the Bodach (Old Man), and their daughter Nighean(who is not always mentioned).

“The Tigh na Cailleach near Glen Lyon in Perthshire, Scotland”

At the shrine, there are stones known as healing stones, and they are carefully taken care of. Historically, someone had to put them inside on the first day of November, and take them out on the first day of May. As well as that, they were to be give a fresh bed of straw on winter festival days.

“In what is believed to be the oldest uninterrupted pre-Christian ritual in Britain, the water-worn figures from the River Lyon are taken out of their house every May and faced down the glen, and returned every November. The ritual marked the two great Celtic fire festivals of Beltane(Summer) and Samhain (Winter)and the annual migration of Highland cattle on and off the hills.” Highland Perthshire

So who is the Cailleach? She is the changing of seasons, sometimes a protector of sacred wells and animals, and can even be a source of healing. Basically, she is likely the most complicated subject to study from Scottish Folklore.

Further Reading:

The Folk-lore Journal, Volume 6; Volume 21: The Folk-Lore Of Sutherlandshire  by Miss Dempster

The Celtic Review, Vol 5 (1905): Highland Mythology by E. C. Watson

The Peat-Fire Flame: Folk-Tales and Traditions of the Highlands and Islands by Alasdair Alpin MacGregor (1937)

A Encyclopedia of Fairies by Katharine Briggs (1976)

The Folk-Lore of the Isle of Man by A. W. Moore[1891]

Carmina Gadelica, Volume 2, by Alexander Carmicheal, [1900]

Highland Perthshire (website with a blog post)

Historic Audio Recordings

Healing stones at Taigh na Caillich (Track: ID SA1964.72.A24, Date: 1559) “There were healing stones in a house in Gleann na Caillich; the shepherds looked after them. Talk about shepherds in the glen.”

Anecdote regarding Beinn na Caillich and Gleann na Caillich. (Track ID: SA1964.017.B6, Date: 1964) “An old woman and an old man lived in a house in Gleann na Caillich. The shepherd had to put them inside on the first day of November, and take them out on the first day of May. He also had to thatch their house each year.”

Information about St Fillan’s healing stones at Killin. (Track ID: SA1964.71.A5, Date: 1964) There were stones, known as the bodach and cailleach, in a house in Gleann na Caillich in Glen Lyon. Discussion about St Fillan’s stones at Killin. Different stones healed different diseases. The miller was in charge of them. They had to be freshly bedded with straw thrown up by the river on Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve. This is still done [in 1964]. The person in charge of St Fillan’s relics was known as An Deòrach and he had a croft in a place called Croit an Deòir.

[sitp-recs]

Hello heart ! I love your rescs and was thinking of ordering something! Currently I have already finished reading your 4 voolumenes (possibly have a session for this couple) the fact is that I am looking for something specific. I adore dramatic declrations! I was wondering if you had any fanfic in mind with anything related! I love it when Darry surprises everyone! It also works if they are declarations of marriage or even declarations of change of sides in the war! Anything drarry that surprises the world!

Hello hello! Oh that’s a really interesting ask, I love that concept! I have a reclist for dramatic love confessions here, but I think you might also enjoy these fics. This reclist clearly got a bit out of hand (as per lol) so I’ve shortened the summaries to keep it clean, hope that’s ok!

I, Ferret by curiouslyfic (T, 2k)

Draco's embraced his inner Ferret. Now it's Harry's turn. Starring Veela!Draco, mpreg, an old wives' tale, and a Weddiwizard.

Game On by @pennygalleon (T, 5k)

Draco blows Harry a kiss and the press goes nuts. Harry suggests they use this to their advantage.

(Un)Calculated Risk by @l0vegl0wsinthedark (E, 7k)

He thought about the way Harry looked at him, smiled at him; about the way Draco’s head was nearly always full of him, all day every day, and about the way Draco sometimes deliberately went to bed still smelling of him, refusing to acknowledge what it meant.

Gravity Centered by carpemermaid (E, 7k)

Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy are two of the best flyers in the International Professional Broom Racing League.

Silence series by RurouniHime (E, 10k)

It was his battle, yet he never hurt me, and he could have.

A Song, Incomplete by RurouniHime (E, 11k)

Draco’s photograph took up the entire top half of the Prophet’s front page. Below the photo: DRACO MALFOY DEFENDS SON OF FORMER LOVER. As if that were breaking news.

I'll never be your chosen one by @andithiel (E, 15k)

Draco doesn't know what exactly he’s doing with Potter, he doesn't know how their unspoken agreement even started, and doesn't know where it will end. The only thing he knows is: he's not in love.

Two Zinnias and the Scent of Lemon by @the-starryknight (M, 16k)

Between covert Legilimency links and Polyjuice disguises and running and running and running, Draco has forgotten what it is like to have a safe harbor that isn’t a person.

Reparatio by astolat (E, 17k)

Draco snorted. “I’m not reduced to penury. I want something considerably beyond money, and I rather think you’re the only one can give it to me.”

Touch Me Fall by @lqtraintracks (E, 23k)

Malfoy was such a ponce. And he was a complete snob. And he was so fucking fit Harry wanted to jump him where he sat. It would be too easy to forget his objective tonight: to really, really, really get Malfoy out of his system.

Expecto Patronum by @writcraft (E, 35k)

As Draco Malfoy negotiates his feelings for the wizarding world's brightest star, he becomes increasingly attached to Harry and unravels the secrets he keeps hidden from the rest of the world.

The Wand Slipped by @unmistakablyoatmeal (E, 35k)

After a messy, public divorce and a disgraceful exit from the Auror Department, Harry is trying to rebuild his life as a private investigator.

Rush (For A Gap That Exists) by @sleepstxtic (E, 42k)

A story of love and loss that grew amidst the most infamous rivalry in Formula One history: the story of Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter.

The Greatest Game by @sleepstxtic (E, 45k)

The Greatest Game is something more. The drama, the tension, the narrative that the other games lack. There is a story here. Two rivals with a history spanning years; the oldest, most illustrious prize to be won.

Knockturn Soulmates series by @xanthippe74 (M, 60k)

Fate brought them together. Now the real work begins, as Harry and Draco try to merge their starkly different lives without being torn away from everything they hold dear.

The Compact by astolat (E, 64k)

Hermione frowned. “The real question is why the magic of Britain would be failing now, in fact.”. “That is not the real question!” Ron said loudly. “The real question is, how do we fix it?”

A Thousand Beautiful Things by geoviki (M, 104k)

Draco Malfoy struggles with changed fortunes, shifted alliances, an ugly war, and an unusual spell, with the help of a concerned professor, an insightful house-elf, and an unexpected Gryffindor friend.

Far From The Tree by aideomai (E, 112k)

The arrival of Harry Potter’s children—snapped back in time, the children themselves guessed, twenty or so years—was the most interesting thing to happen at Hogwarts for years.

When Times are Dire by @aibidil (E, 130k)

Magical Britain is screwed, and it's once again up to Harry to save it. This time, by marrying Draco Malfoy.

By the Grace by lettered (T, 139k)

Harry is an Auror instructor. Malfoy wants to be an Auror.

Things Worth Knowing by Femme and noeon (E, 164k)

After the Battle, Harry thinks he's left Hogwarts for good, but Minerva insists that all students return for an Eighth Year if they wish to sit for NEWTs in the spring, and Harry needs those NEWTs to go into the Aurors.

[fatehbaz]

In one of the oldest poems in English literature, [...] The Seafarer not only provides us with one of our first ornithological references in the English language, but also [...] written description of birds evoking place, being associated with a distinct landscape. This poem is not alone, however, in suggesting to us how birds could inspire a feeling for place more than 1,000 years ago. [...] Hidden in the names of towns and villages are the ghostly traces of birds conjuring powerful identities for people in the landscapes and settlements of early medieval England. [...]

Among this rich repository of names [in Britain], birds rank in their many hundreds as vitalising elements and markers of medieval places – more than any other class of wild animal [...]. Among the cranes and crows, eagles and pigeons and geese (to mention some of the more commonly named birds), there are also less expected species. Who would imagine the mulch-and-mud snipe secretly probing the worm house as place markers in Snitterfield (Warwickshire), or fairy-flitting titmice roving through trees as the spirits of Masongill (Yorkshire), or yellowhammers like fireside embers in the winter hedgerows in Amberley (Sussex)? [...] What was it about birds that so caught people’s place-imaginations?

---

One avian order that demonstrates birds’ place-shaping potential especially well is the owls. [...] [T]he tiny village of Ulcombe [is] nestled in a gentle fold of the North Downs. Its name is listed in the Domesday Book (1086 CE), and it means ‘the owl’s valley’. [...] [O]ur word for this order of birds descends from one of just two Old English words for all owls: ule, pronounced ‘oooo-l’ (the other is uf, of which there are very few records.) Ule is a very ancient [...] utterance. [...] The onomatopoeic potency of ule implies not only how owls themselves materialised and existed as sound [...], but that this also affected how people experienced the places in which they heard these sounds. On some level, those places named after owls (Ulgham, Outchester, Oldberrow, Ullenhall, Ullenwood) were identified as soundscapes as much as landscapes [...].

---

Other ‘sound birds’ appearing in place names besides owls, however, suggest [...] bioacoustics as [...] distinguishing properties of a place’s atmosphere. Take bitterns, for instance, those specialists of reed-bed living, who have perfected invisibility [...]. We know bitterns best by the eerie, sonorous booming of male bitterns that ‘bombleth in the myre’, as Geoffrey Chaucer describes it in ‘The Wife of Bath’s Tale’. In names like Purleigh (pūr + lēah = ‘bittern clearing’), then, we are confronted again by places defined according to a particular, evocative sound. Even in the 18th century, when the draining of much of the old Fens surrounding the Ouse Washes was already well underway, Daniel Defoe is drawn to ‘the uncouth Music of the Bittern … so loud that it is heard two or three Miles Distance’ [...].

---

Like the tawny owl, of course, [the cuckoo] has a very distinctive song. Its famous call (immortalised in the medieval song ‘Sumer Is Icumen In’) is equally matched by the bird’s reputation as a herald of summer. Species such as cuckoos and swallows are only present for part of the year in Britain, meaning they were mostly absent from those places that came to bear their names. How was it, then, that they still came to imbue locations such as Swallowcliffe or Yaxley (the Old English for cuckoo is geac, pronounced ‘yay-ack’) with such defining and enduring resonance? These summer birds bring a place to life, as it were. [...] Cuckoos, like so many British birds that are threatened or extinct, would have been much more abundant in the Middle Ages. Yaxley, on the edge of surviving cuckoo strongholds in the former Fens, would have thronged to their calls. Now these places, and many like them where the birds of their names are absent, are solemnly displaced, the names creaking in the wind like dilapidated pub signs [...]. We can sense that displacement in the sprawl of modern suburban environments too, which [...] assign bird nomenclatures to roads and residential spaces (Sandpiper Drive, Nightingale Way, Lark Rise, Goldcrest Mews…) where the species named are nowhere to be seen [...].

[B]ird place names [...] alert us [...] [to] the rich forms and possibilities of ecological dwelling, which shaped how people perceived and responded to the local worlds around them. [...] We need these spirits of place.

---

All text above by: Michael J. Warren. “Home and the birdsong.” Aeon. 12 December 2022. Essay edited by Sam Haselby. [In this post, bold emphasis and some paragraph breaks/contractions added by me. Presented here for commentary, teaching, criticism purposes.] Essay published by Aeon at: [aeon.co/essays/british-place-names-resonate-with-the-song-of-missing-birds]

[spiced-wine-fic]

Getting to know me questions

Thank you so much, dear @nocompromise-noregrets

three ships I like: 

Same as always. Glorfindel/Ecthelion, Fëanor/Fingolfin, Beleg/Túrin.

last song I heard: 

In the gym had a local radio station on and they were playing September, Earth, Wind and Fire. 

favourite childhood book: 

Very hard to choose as I read voraciously, but The Wolves of Willoughby Chase and Watership Down were two of my favourites. I also read a lot of series; anything with girls and ponies and also Willard Prince’s ‘Adventure’ series. Me and my oldest friend used to buy every book with our pocket money and chat about them every time we saw each other on our long walks over the fields.

I also loved the Ladybird books of What to Look For in Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter, such beautiful illustrations! 

I also used to to scare myself silly by reading and re-reading a ghost book which might have been by Usbourne or Hamlyn. It was in our school library which in itself was a gloomy old place so the atmosphere was spot-on, especially when the autumn days began to drawn in… It had that supposed photo of a ghost monk in Ripon church that absolutely refused to be forgotten, especially when I went to bed 😂 👻 (I know it’s been debunked but it wasn’t back then 🤣)

currently reading: 

I just had a book delivered called Canal Ghosts and Water Wights, The Spirits of Britain’s Waterways by Nick Ford, so I’m looking forward to that. 

currently watching: Nothing right now. 

currently craving: Nothing.

first ship ever: It would have been Fëanor/Fingolfin when I read the Silmarillion in 1980 something. 

Tagging @lucifers-cuvette, @jane-ways @cycas @sallysavestheday @naryaflame @awesome-bluehair-universe @nuredhel @hhimring @elennalore @thenookienostradamus @polutrope @pinksiamese@thranduilofsmirkwood and anyone else who’d like to do it.

[sea-dukes-assistant]

To reply to the last anon who talked about misogyny in the fandom (who was totally right) here’s my add on to the take.

I’ve always felt like being a man in the royal family would be so easy because you can wear the same 5 or 6 different suits and no one will bat an eye. You don’t have to come up with a new stylish on trend but “age appropriate” inventive outfit, a full face of professional looking makeup, freshly blown out hair, and a perfect nude pink manicure every time you step outside of the house while managing to walk in 4 inch heels while your 8 months pregnant. You don’t have to worry about getting berated for wearing the same outfit over and over and not being “fashionable” and you don’t have to worry about getting bitched at for constantly buying new clothes. Harry was at one point wearing the shittiest oldest beat up shoes and other than like here, in close quarters within the fandom I feel like no one really talked about it at all but if his wife, sister in law or granny had dry cuticles or something tiny like that I’d bet good money we would’ve seen zoomed in microscopic pictures everywhere of them and people bitching about how the royal women are unkept and need a manicure, let alone if they wore busted up heels.

Speaking of Harry, he goes idk years or some shit looking unkept as fuck grooming wise sometimes in military uniform and no one says anything but his wife doesn’t wear a hat to an engagement, has a rough hair day as a result and she’s still getting berated for it a few years later and the whole time Harry’s hair looks like a sucked fuzzy mango but nearly no snark there. His wife doesn’t wear tailored clothes and yes to be honest it looks less than great but I can almost swear he wore some poorly tailored suits a time or two and.... nearly nothing.

I’m a person who has my own personal reservations about Meghan (and Harry) and that whole situation but people need to be fucking for real when not noticing the double standard that they imposed on Meghan and still impose on Kate. Williams not going to sleep with you, neither is Harry. Someone’s probably going to jump 4 inches deep in my butt crack for “defending” Meghan but I’m not defending her at all, like *at all* just pointing out that her husband did the same shit if not worse for a decade or more before Meghan came on the scene and they all wanted to hop into bed with him.

Also, Catherine gets shit on for wearing “dowdy” coat dresses but if you do try to be different in your royal fashion you will get bullied online for it for years. see: Beatrice and Eugenies hats at William and Catherine’s wedding. People don’t understand because of royal dress code (*not protocol, for the love of sugar, spice and everything nice it’s not protocol*) there’s only so many new and exciting things you can do with your fashion without becoming a walking model and fashionista which is not what being a royal lady is about.

Kindly, everyone needs to stop caring about if a royal family member who happens to be a woman has worn those heels before and start focusing on the causes that she’s trying to draw attention to. People are big time missing the point of a working monarchy.

I’m sorry for the even longer rant, just a woman in the royal fandom who proceeds to also not get the internalized misogyny.

This, I think, sums up the fandom in this aspect.

Something that has irked me is that this fandom has mantained a "men's fashun is booooorrring" attitude because one guy really likes blue. Meanwhile, Sir is over here wearing professionally tailored suits that usually look good as fuck (he's had times where this hasn't been the case), with the occasional novelty tie that relates to the place he's visiting/activity he's doing (pandas for WWF for example) but nobody wants to speak on his fashun because "ew, man." He has literally been declared Britain's best dressed man more than once but no, that doesn't count.

ALSO. YES. Thank you for addressing Harry's avoidance of combs and inability to dress himself. I swear he just puts on the least wrinkled shirt in the pile on the floor...right after getting out of bed. It's bothered me on a professional level that he does not shave while in uniform, because only the Royal Navy allows beards. He wants to make his service his personality at any event he can, but refuses to shave ergo not being in proper uniform. Because of course he gets a pass from (at the time) granny because oh my god, if he didn't he'd throw an entire tantrum like "MY MOM DIED WHEN I WAS 12 I SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO IGNORE THE REGULATIONS I KNOW VERY WELL THE ARMY HAS REGARDING FACE HAIR. I'M SPESHUL! OH MY GOD THE TRAUMA." I used to bring this up myself but, as usual, got told to shut the fuck up and that "regulations don't matter." Me, an active duty Sailor:

[acrossthearctic]

Manchester

After a night of broken sleep ( my usual pattern the second night after a long flight) , I was despite the rain out walking by 7:30am. I walked uo through Chinatown to St Peter 's Square as i wanted to see the Midland Hotel and the Roills Royce in its entrance. The significance is that it is where Mr Rolls and Mr Royce are supposed to have met in 1904 and decided to go into business together. One thing I have noticed in many streets of Manchester are these defibrillator stations.

On my wa=y back to the hotel for a 10am Zoom meeting, I walked along Canal Street, the Gay Village . It is still "recovering"tfrom Manchester Pride, barricades are being removed but the bunting is still flying.

After my meeting finished I walked up the road to catch my favourite Free Bus 2 to head down towards the medieval quarter of Manchester.

I did however have a short detour for a walk alomg Market Street and Arndale Shopping Centre. Arndale was the first "American Style "Shopping Mall in the UK . In 1996 it suffred extensive damage after an IRA bombing.

After making my way down to the medieval quarter nad passing the pub wher i had lunched yesterdayand a walk past the cathedral garden with its bee , I had lunch in a vietnamese restaurant in the old Corn Exchange.

After lunch I had a wonderful tour of Chetham's Library. These are the oldest buildings in Manchester.

The library itself is the oldest public library in Britain having been in operation for > 350 years.

The shelves and shelves of books are amazing and amongst the books are first edition. copies of Johnson's Dictionary.(The white ones)

In the readiung room we were able to see a parochial library, the alcove where Marx and Engels met and some wonderful old books.

We were fortunate that the library had a special exhibition at present- "A Royal Tudor Bed". this was the matrimonial bed of Henry 7th and Elizabeth of York.

All in all a busy day ending with a quick meal and wine at a local pub before returning to the hotel to watch the opening of the Paralympics at the sensible time of 6:30 pm. It was interesting to watch a British coverage and I did have to laugh when they were talking about which teams would be strong - Australia didn't get a mention!!!

[organicbeing]

The Enigmatic Journey to Britain's Oldest Bed: A Tale of Serendipity and Ancestral Echoes

It was a crisp, foggy morning in Manchester when I found myself on an impromptu adventure with my soon-to-be lover, Jacob. The air was thick with the promise of mystery, and little did I know, we were about to stumble upon a piece of history that would bind our souls and roots in an inexplicable way. Our journey began in America, where Jacob and I had been feeling the weight of routine and…

[annoyingwerewolfwizard]

Where Does Your Food Come From? Part 2-Backyard Gardens

Backyard gardens have gone from a necessity to a hobby and now are maligned by certain people we will call, “globalists.” Claims that backyard gardening has a carbon footprint 5 times greater than commercial growing have been published along with a lot of other rubbish, as if the amount of carbon you make growing plants makes a difference in the global climate. The fact is that plants need CO2 to produce oxygen and to grow. In any case, we need to eat and during WWII, Great Britain would have gone down and during the Great Depression, there would have been more starvation without backyard gardens. Today, we are faced with a similar situation where much of the food we can buy is not good for us and is getting less and less affordable. Whenever times are hard, gardens become increasingly important by providing cheap, nutritious sources of food.

I grew up with gardens. I even had one at an apartment complex where I was living. People laughed at my little garden- a container of tomatoes, two of peppers, and a bucket of potatoes, until the tomatoes came on. Home grown tomatoes outshine store bought any day. When I started my own family, I also started a small farm on 1/3 of an acre. It was already planted with oranges, plums, cherries, peaches, grapes and artichoke and asparagus beds. I added a spectacular variety of vegetables, a couple of ducks to eat the slugs and snails and a little coup of chickens. Our grocery bill was the lowest on the block.

Now I understand that this would not be possible anywhere. It was in California, in the Central Valley where the growing season is long. However, no matter where you are, you can grow something. Fruit and nut trees are seasonal, but they produce each year and only need minimal care. The same goes for many berries. Asparagus and artichokes will also produce as long as the beds are taken care of, and the winter temperatures are not super cold. As far as the super cold is concerned, I read about one family that lived in a very cold, snowy area and raised winter crops in a greenhouse heated by rabbits. That’s a two for! The point is that where there is a will there is a way.

If you’ve read some of my other articles on food, you already know there are plenty of reasons to have your own garden. The biggest reason is that it’s your garden and you are in control of what methods to use, and what chemicals, if any. The second best reason is that the food tastes better and is more nutritious than that grown in large monocrop fields. Then there is the time you spend outside, collecting vitamin D from the sun and getting a little exercise. There is a food shortage already happening. With the crop failures, the movement to stop meat from being produced, farmland being taken out of production, and other problems, it is getting increasingly difficult to be able to afford nutritious food. It may at some point get difficult to find at all.

In light of the above, having whatever garden one has the room for, or can make the room for, is going to be important. I know many are not able to have gardens because of space and other reasons. In that case, community gardens, farmers’ markets, or just getting to know a farmer through doing business with them would be a plus. As for those who have the space but claim to have black thumbs- My oldest daughter claimed to have a black thumb yet when she took over management of a small 7-acre farm, she not only raised many animals, but her vegetable garden was an unqualified success. She used the internet, other gardeners, and books on gardening as her guides to achieve this success.

A wealth of information exists on different kinds of gardening, The internet, of course, has a ton of information. People around you can also be a source of information that is more local and can give you tips based on the locality. Rodale put out a series of gardening books with some great information as have a number of other publishers. Local groups organized around the planted seed can be contacted as well as your state agriculture organization.

I understand that some of you live in the city where space is at a premium. You might not have a backyard to plant in. Container, vertical, roof top, and hydroponic gardens are an answer to this problem. The point is to start thinking about your food now. Just stocking up will only be a temporary solution. Fresh food needs to be added to the mix both for nutrition and to make the preserved supplies last. My advice for anyone able to do it is to bury some seeds.

If there is a subject you would like to hear about food, food production or even stories about my experiences in the food industry, and I have some great ones, drop me a line by accessing my contact page on my site: https://irawhite.com/contact/

[theroyalhousewhittingtonts4]

In honor of the memory of His Late Majesty King James I of House Whittington

The official portrait taken after his coronation in June 24th 1939. Which hung everywhere the King was adored. Even in local pubs, churches (respectfully of course), and museums.

His majesty was born to the late King Leonidas VI and The Queen Consort, Victoria on the 18th of July, 1918.

He grew up the oldest of 5 children, his younger siblings being Prince Jeremiah, Princess Janice, Princess Vivian, and Prince Justin whom sadly passed away after birth. James was under The Kings watch because His Majesty wanted his son to be ready for the job.

He grew up in the aftermath of the first World War, with many of the worlds Monarchies failing, only a few stood after this war and because they chose to help the United States and Great Britain, they managed to stay afloat. His nannies took care of him for the most part and his Governesses taught him at home.

Upon his 18th birthday he was given the title Commander of the Royal Navy, and crowned, Prince of Sulani (the title given to the heir to the throne) A few months later he met Lady Anne Hemsworth-Jones, The daughter of a local aristocrat.

As time went on, the family grew and upon the death of his father King Leonidas VI, James The Prince of Sulani then became His Majesty King James I.

His official Coronation photo, this went on to replace his fathers photos in establishments and homes, some people chose to keep pictures of the old King up in protest of the new one. During his reign he has courted controversy by having mistresses, later marrying one after his first wife passed away. While it seemed controversial to the public within palace walls Queen Anne was well aware of his mistresses and his soon to be second wife. Not to be unfair to her they had a full discussion prior to marriage. But the public still didnt take well to him having children out of his original marriage.

Here he is photographed giving his salute with his son James Jr doing the first royal photobomb. While it got him in trouble at home, he became beloved around the kingdom by all who saw the picture. He then became affectionately known as Prince Jimmy.

In his older years, he was mostly homebound making a few appearances here and there, but always attending meetings with his prime ministers and was always available to the general public when an appointment was made. At home he was just Dad and it felt good to have him home. The above picture was taken around Christmas. From left to right, The Princess Maria whom he had with the nanny Bella of the Goth family, Elisabeth, the Princess Royal was with his wife Anne many loved her as she looked like a younger version of her mother, the young Princess Vivian whom he had with a Sulanese woman named Mele Kahananui was just 9 years old in this picture, the King, James II seated, Crown Prince James, The Prince of Sulani, an Infant Prince Justin whom he had with Vivians mother Mele, was named after the Kings youngest brother, The Queen Consort, Anne seated, Prince Craig whom the king also had with Bella Goth, and the Prince Isaiah.

He indeed loved all of his children the same, but it was his youngest children that rejuvenated him in his winter season and last days reminding him what it was like to be a young again.

The day of his youngest sisters wedding to Amir Khan, Former Personal Advisor to the King of Arabia, Jibril Ibn Raj Rasoya I. His wife Anne the Queen Consort had a fatal heart attack and died at the Mosque. He was said to been affected by this until his death. Even though he remarried to his mistress, Lady Mele Kahananui, became Her Serene Highness, The Right Honorable, Lady Mele Whittington

On the night of the 10th of June, he went to bed. And the next morning of the 11th he didn't awaken from that sleep. He had went peacefully and a member of staff said he had a smile on his face.

[coloradoron]

What is America's Future?

Men, like nations, think they're eternal.  What man in his 20s or 30s doesn't believe, at least subconsciously, that he'll live forever? In the springtime of youth, an endless summer beckons. As you pass 70, it's harder to hide from reality.... as you lose friends and relatives.

 Nations also have seasons: Imagine a Roman of the 2nd century contemplating an empire that stretched from Britain to the Near East, thinking: This will endure forever.... Forever was about 500 years, give or take... not bad, but gone!!

 France was pivotal in the 17th and 18th centuries; now the land of Charles Martel is on its way to becoming part of the Muslim ummah.

 In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the sun never set on the British empire; now Albion exists in perpetual twilight. Its 96-year-old sovereign is a fitting symbol for a nation in terminal decline.

 In the 1980s, Japan seemed poised to buy the world. Business schools taught Japanese management techniques. Today, its birth rate is so low and its population aging so rapidly that an industry has sprung up to remove the remains of elderly Japanese who die alone.

 I was born in the 40"s, almost at the midpoint of the 20th century - the American century. America's prestige and influence were never greater. Thanks to the 'Greatest Generation,' we won a World War fought throughout most of Europe, Asia, and the Pacific. We reduced Germany to rubble and put the rising sun to bed.  It set the stage for almost half a century of unprecedented prosperity.

 We stopped the spread of communism in Europe and Asia and fought international terrorism. We rebuilt our enemies and lavished foreign aid on much of the world. We built skyscrapers and rockets to the moon. We conquered polio and now COVID. We explored the mysteries of the Universe and the wonders of DNA...the blueprint of life.

 But where is the glory that once was Rome? America has moved from a relatively free economy to socialism - which has worked so well NOWHERE in the world.

 We've gone from a republican government guided by a constitution to a regime of revolving elites. We have less freedom with each passing year. Like a signpost to the coming reign of terror, the cancel culture is everywhere. We've traded the American Revolution for the Cultural Revolution.

 The pathetic creature in the White House is an empty vessel filled by his handlers. At the G-7 Summit, 'Dr. Jill' had to lead him like a child. In 1961, when we were young and vigorous, our leader was too. Now a feeble nation is technically led by the oldest man to ever serve in the presidency.

 We can't defend our borders, our history (including monuments to past greatness) or our streets. Our cities have become anarchist playgrounds. We are a nation of dependents, mendicants, and misplaced charity. Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegal aliens are put up in hotels.

 The president of the United States can't even quote the beginning of the Declaration of Independence ('You know - The Thing') correctly. Ivy League graduates routinely fail history tests that 5th graders could pass a generation ago. Crime rates soar and we blame the 2nd Amendment and slash police budgets.

 Our culture is certifiably insane. Men who think they're women. People who fight racism by seeking to convince members of one race that they're inherently evil, and others that they are perpetual victims. A psychiatrist lecturing at Yale said she fantasizes about 'unloading a revolver into the head of any white person.'

 We slaughter the unborn in the name of freedom, while our birth rate dips lower year by year. Our national debt is so high that we can no longer even pretend that we will repay it one day. It's a $30-trillion monument to our improvidence and refusal to confront reality. Our 'entertainment' is sadistic, nihilistic, and as enduring as a candy bar wrapper thrown in the trash. Our music is noise that spans the spectrum from annoying to repulsive.

 Patriotism is called an insurrection, treason celebrated, and perversion sanctified. A man in blue gets less respect than a man in a dress. We're asking soldiers to fight for a nation our leaders no longer believe in, while meekly most of us submitted to Fauci-ism (the regime of face masks, lockdowns, and hand sanitizers) shows the impending death of the American spirit.

 How do nations slip from greatness to obscurity?                       * Fighting endless wars they can't or won't win

  * Accumulating massive debt far beyond their ability to repay

     * Refusing to guard their borders, allowing the nation to be    inundated by an alien horde

     * Surrendering control of their cities to mob rule

     * Allowing indoctrination of the young

     * Moving from a republican form of government to an oligarchy

    * Losing national identity

     * Indulging indolence

     * Abandoning faith and family - the bulwarks of social order.

In America, every one of these symptoms is pronounced, indicating an advanced stage of the disease.  Even if the cause seems hopeless, do we not have an obligation to those who sacrificed so much to give us what we had?  I'm surrounded by ghosts urging me on: the Union soldiers who held Cemetery Ridge at Gettysburg, the battered bastards of Bastogne, those who served in the cold hell of Korea, the guys who went to the jungles of Southeast Asia and came home to be reviled or neglected.

 This is the nation that took in my immigrant grandparents, whose uniform my father and most of my uncles wore in the Second World War. I don't want to imagine a world without America, even though it becomes increasingly likely.

 During Britain's darkest hour, when its professional army was trapped at Dunkirk and a German invasion seemed imminent,Churchill reminded his countrymen, 'Nations that go down fighting rise again, and those that surrender tamely are finished.'

The same might be said of causes. If we let America slip through our fingers, if we lose without a fight, what will posterity say of us?  While the prognosis is far from good,  only God knows if America's day in the sun is over."

Author UnKnown

[aghotel]

Six free things to do in London

Visiting London? The city has so many popular tourist attractions and you can explore some of them without breaking your wallet. From a trip to museums to beautiful parks, you have plenty of places to visit in London for free. Here we have highlighted six free things to do in London including the great museums and outdoor spaces for you to enjoy the best of London on a budget.

The National Gallery

The National Gallery is one of the few free art galleries in London. The National Gallery is in Central London at the infamous Trafalgar Square, and it houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 190. Entry into the gallery is free so you can feast on British arts and paintings & explore breath-taking European pieces by famous artists such as Van Gogh, Da Vinci, and many others.

This popular London attraction is open daily from 10 am–6 pm and is open on Fridays until 9 pm.

Natural History Museum

This free museum in London is one of the most amazing museums in the UK. The Victorian-style Museum is suitable for families, elderly couples, and groups looking to be captivated by the wonder of history. Housed in beautiful Victorian architecture with a romantic atmosphere, it hosts an immense collection dedicated to the fascinating natural world and its sciences. Giant dinosaur skeletons, unique specimens of flora, fauna, rocks, and fossils beautifully decorate the rooms. All this makes the Natural History Museum a jewel of the British capital.

Admission is free except for some specific events, activities, or exhibitions.

St James Park

This 57-acre park is located in central London between the splendid Buckingham Palace and the beautiful Westminster Abbey. It was a former royal hunting ground and is the oldest Park in London and one of the most beloved.

provides some serenity with spacious lawns, lovely trees, a beautiful small lake, aquatic birds, and many colourful flower beds.

Victoria and Albert Museum

The Victoria and Albert Museum is a large institution that houses one of the most extensive decorative and applied arts collections in the world. The museum’s collections span over 5,000 years of human creativity in virtually every medium, housed in one of the finest groups of Victorian and modern buildings in Britain. A perfect space to get lost among the spectacular displays of objects and design.

Entrance to the museum is free, only some particular events or exhibitions are paid for. Visitors are expected to book a free timed-entry ticket. There are also free activities for family visits tailored towards the little ones.

Kensington Gardens

Kensington Gardens is among the Royal Parks of London and was once the private gardens of Kensington Palace. Covering an area of 107 hectares, the gardens offer a mix of old and new park pastimes and green space and are shared by the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

Kensington Gardens is one of the best parks in London, it overlooks Hyde Park and stretches into the Long Water Lake which turns into the Serpentine midway through and is such a delight to watch. Entry to the gardens is free.

Hyde Park

Hyde Park is one of the most famous parks in London. Henry VIII established the park in 1536 and it is the largest of the four Royal Parks in central London. Covering 350 acres with over 4,000 trees, Hyde Park is the perfect place to explore nature in the city. Here, you can relax and admire nature’s finest, the sun-kissed lake, the golden rays of the sun, the humming of the birds, and the beautiful serenity of the park.

Entry to the park is free and the park is open every day from 05:00-00:00 hours. You can visit the winter wonderland amusement park installed inside Hyde Park, enjoy a coffee in one of the bars at the park, or just have a picnic with your friends and family. Overall, the park is a beautiful place to hang out, connect with nature, people watch and get some outdoor exercise.

Located in North West London, The Crown London Hotel is the ideal location to enjoy these six free things to do in London. With Kilburn and Willesden Green tube stations less than a 15-minute walk from the hotel, you can access these free things to do easily. After a busy day of exploring, come back to relax in the comfort of one of the best 4-star hotels in London and enjoy a fine culinary experience in our restaurant. Learn more: www.aghotels.co.uk/the-crown-hotel

[dsandrvk]

Friday, August 18 - St John's, Newfoundland (also Wednesday and Thursday sea days)

Our sea day on Wednesday was mostly cool and cloudy, which was fine since we had several great lectures, as well as other activities. The highlight was a talk by Chad, one of the Ventures team, who are responsible for the Zodiacs, kayaking, and other expedition activities. He was in charge of sea ice landings for the recent exploration expedition searching for Shackleton's ship, the Endurance, in the Weddell Sea in Antarctica, and told the story of that search. Even though most of us knew the result, there was still a surprising amount of suspense, since they didn't find the Endurance until almost the last day of their allotted time. The photos Chad had of the ship sitting intact on the sea bed were amazing. Afterwards the team stopped by Shackleton's grave on South Georgia Island to pay their respects, and by an eerie coincidence realized that they found the Endurance exactly 100 years to the day after Shackleton's death.

We also had a great lecture on toothed whales and dolphins, which we hoped would be helpful as we traveled from Greenland, but although we had a nice day on Thursday with almost flat seas and several of us spent the afternoon on deck, there was nothing to be seen but seabirds, and not too many of them. At least our team won another trivia game, and we may be in the running for the overall title (or not).

Today we finally arrived back in North America, about as far east as we could be on land. Just to the south (and a wee bit east) is Cape Spear, which is the easternmost point in North America. St John's first appeared on maps as early as 1517, and is one of the oldest European settlements in North America. Today the "metro area" is well over 200,000 people, and ranks as the 20th largest city in Canada. Newfoundland only joined Canada in 1949 - before that it was independent until 1934, when it became a dependent territory of Great Britain. We saw many examples of the PWG flag, an unofficial tricolor flag with green, white and pink bands representing Ireland, Scotland, and England, where many of the settlers came from. The Celtic influence is still quite strong, as there are quite a few Irish pubs

There was a 1400 passenger Holland America ship at the main dock downtown, so we were a few kilometers away at what was once the US Navy shipyard. It was actually a better location as it was close to Signal Hill, and they provided a shuttle bus downtown for us. We were greeted at the dock by enthusiastic volunteers and a wonderful Newfoundland dog, who almost immediately rolled over for belly rubs.

One of the first things one notices about St John's is all the colorful buildings. I had heard about the candy colored buildings of "Jelly Bean Row", but had not expected the rest of the city to be painted all sorts of colors, including public chairs and tables. Unfortunately, many of the intersections were a jumble of overhead wires, which slightly detracted from the overall effect. The streets that run perpendicular to the harbor are quite steep, gaining a story or more in a block. I don't think they would be much fun in the winter!

This morning Russ had an eyelet on his boots break, and one of the first shops we saw was a shoe repair called "Modern Shoe Hospital". Ten minutes later, the boot was fixed and we were on our way, wandering up and down streets. Eventually we found our way out to Quidi Vidi Lake, which is an urban park with a lovely lakeside path. We followed this to the outlet of the lake, which after tumbling over a couple of waterfalls, reached the small fishing village of Quidi Vidi, now more an artist colony and tourist town. The small harbor is an inlet from the sea with a very narrow neck. We had heard about a brewery here and that was one of our planned destinations, but at mid-day on a beautiful Friday it was crowded and the line for a seat stretched down the stairs from the second floor dining area. Instead, we decided to head to our next destination - up Signal Hill.

The hill towers over both Quidi Vidi and St John's, and has been a signal tower, defensive position and lookout for several hundred years. We took the Ladies Lookout Trail, named for the women who watched for the returning ships, and it was a steady, but reasonable climb. When we reached the top there was a parking lot, lots of people, and great views in all directions. There was also Cabot Tower, the last in a line of signalling stations, and now a museum for Parks Canada. It was quite crowded, so we took some quick pictures and headed down the North Head trail, which wraps around the sea side of the hill back towards St John's. It was considerably steeper than our trail up, and there were lots and lots of stairs on the upper half. Also lots of people, which made the narrow stairs a bit challenging.

Eventually we came almost down to sea level, where the trail ended and the streets of town began, and went back up out of the harbor. We were right by our ship but had to walk a bit further to approach the secure area from the downtown (and uphill) side. The detour did take us by some more very colorful houses.

By our dock was the Terry Fox Mile 0 memorial - a tribute to a very courageous young man. At age 22 Terry was diagnosed with cancer and lost his right leg. He decided to do a coast to coast run to raise awareness and money for cancer research, and dipped his artificial leg into the Atlantic Ocean at this point, hoping to dip it again into the Pacific. He made it as far as Thunder Bay, Ontario, covering almost a marathon a day, when the cancer reemerged and he eventually succumbed to the disease. But he inspired a foundation that continues on, and is considered a Canadian hero. One of the locals I talked to called him "our Terry" and lots of young kids wanted their picture taken with his statue. Quite inspiring.

As we headed out of the harbor it had clouded over a bit, and the weather for tomorrow is not supposed to be very good. We are headed to "Europe" (the small part of France called St Pierre et Miquelon) and we have to set our clocks forward a half hour to undo the half hour back we did last night for Newfoundland. For some reason, Newfoundland is the only place in the world to be off of the standard times by 30 minutes. Just another fun fact.