Very slowly a bit at a Time

Very slowly, just a little bit at a time, Christmas is entering the house.

I like introducing things gradually

First things first the Christmas shopping bag that gets used for about a month each year.  I love it's cheerfulness on grey, damp, misty mornings. Things have certainly been bleak, colourless and depressing over the last few days so we need some cheer.

 The citrus, spicy aroma of the pot pourri makes the house feel seasonally festive.

 Also on display on the bookcase because they weren't even put away, four new Christmas items purchased over the last few weeks, two sweet mice for the tree and a lovely little tin.

And also a little wooden winter scene.

 Tomte has found a home.  I love his nose and fluffy beard, he makes me smile.

Boxes of tree decorations are being opened one at a time.  This old hat box which lives on the top of my wardrobe contains some of the baubles.

Whilst searching for lost things I found this little Christmas tree, bought for my first Christmas in December 1950 when I was about four months old.  When I was a child it was always decorated with small, fragile glass baubles. I also remember a red and white plastic Father Christmas on his sleigh and a fairy with a feather skirt which used to sit on top.  The tree is very sparse and fragile now.  I need to find a museum that will look after it as I hate to think of it being thrown away when I've gone ditto my three childhood teddy bears which live in a box at the bottom of my wardrobe with the little tree.

We still have one journey to make which includes taking wreaths to churchyards and then lunch with dear friends. I expect that over the weekend the Christmas cake will be iced and the main tree put up and decorated.

Over the weekend we made our usual visit to the Tudor Christmas at Little Moreton Hall. Warm, mulled apple brandy and a ginger biscuit were offered on arrival, there was music from Piva in the main hall and a jester creating havoc in the courtyard outside.

 

I've made collages of some of the things that caught my eye. 

It's always a very jolly and festive event and something we look forward to each year.

Midsummer Magic

This morning we visited the wonderful Little Moreton Hall in Cheshire where they had events and activities to celebrate Midsummer in the way of the Tudors.

It was lovely to get out and about after a couple of days at home clearing up the garden after the flash flood.

Although it wasn't very sunny it wasn't cold and the light was perfect for photos.  I had expected it might be crowded on a Sunday but it wasn't. 

I'll let the photos speak for themselves.

 as I've taken you here so many times before.

 There were lots of activities on offer.  The children were making hobby horses and there were lots of guided tours.

The volunteers here are very knowlegeable and enthusiastic.

Inside the tent the Dragon awaits his big moment in the parade. 

 

Not too many photos of the parade as there were many children with their hobby horses.

 I loved the summery bunting in the trees

 The knot garden was looking lovely too

 Below a collage of some of the things we spotted inside.

There was plenty of wildlife around in the garden and by the moat and I'll feature some over on 30 Days Wild.

A Seasonal 'must do'.....

Our favourite 'must do' for this time of year is a visit to Little Moreton Hall in Cheshire.  It's less than 30 minutes away and it always 'kick- starts' our Christmas Celebrations.  We love the way it is decorated, the wonderful events taking place in and around the hall and the wonderful music from Piva.   Here are a few of the photos I took today.

The Hall is always such a delight at any time of year and as you know from previous posts we visit often.  You may remember my post from earlier this year about the mid-summer celebrations.

We wandered around the outside first

Watched the jolly japes of the jester

The interior was as always beautifully decorated

The tables groaning with seasonal Tudor food - not real, of course

 Highlight for us is always the performance of festive songs by Piva

I hope this little resident spotted in the main bedroom was able to escape - I think he'd found his way in through the glassless window in the nearby garderobe.

He's suitably festive with his little red/orange breast. 

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Michaelmas Mop Fair

Today is Michaelmas day so we decided to visit Little Moreton Hall  and join in the fun of the  Michaelmas Mop Fair.  Michaelmas takes its name from the feast of St Michael the Archangel. In Tudor times Michaelmas was the celebration of the end of the harvest and over four days the change of the season was celebrated. 

Michaelmas was also one of the quarter days on the year's calendar so it was the time of year when tithes were paid, when rent was due and when servants were hired and paid.  Some people who didn't have money paid with a fattened goose.

It was also a time of feasting and geese became the favourite as they were fat and ready to eat at this time of year.  It was thought it was lucky to eat goose at Michaelmas and many Goose fairs were held at this time of year too, some towns and cities like Nottingham still have their Goose Fairs although quite different now.

In the dining parlour was the Grateful Goose!  There is an old saying  'He who eats goose on Michaelmas Day, shan't money lack or debts pay.'    As this one was made of paper I don't think he will make the dining table except as a centre piece.

 

The tradition of hiring servants at Michaelmas led to the creation of 'Mop Fairs' where prospective servants would seek out work by walking about carrying or wearing a symbol of their trade.  I chose to carry the symbol of a milk maid and Paul that of a baker.   Paul was hired and given a ribbon to say he was employed, there were enough milk maids so I didn't get employed!  We were told it was almost a death warrant to not get employed as it could lead to absolute destitution.  Oh, dear!!

No fattened goose for me at the Mop Fair festivities!

There were plenty of others activities and interesting costumed people to talk to.

You could make corn dollies ........ if only you could find the corn dolly maker

Ah, there he is!

and here is one of the milkmaids who did get employment!

We had a lovely afternoon, the sun shone for most of the time.

People were lunching outside.  We sat in and ate tasty cheese and chutney sandwiches with a mug of coffee.  As usual I took far too many photos so below is a little collage of some of the other things that caught my eye.

Happy Weekend, everyone!

To Little Moreton

We recently visited Little Moreton Hall,  near Congleton to see the festive, seasonal decorations.  We last visited in the Spring when we sat in the gardens in the warm sunshine with ducks begging for scraps at our feet.  This visit it was very cold and there were no ducks to be seen.

We also went along to listen to Piva a group of musicians who play music of the 16th and 17th centuries.  It was all very festive and jolly and warm inside the main hall.

Piva are always such good fun to watch and very entertaining too as they explain about the origins of the music they are playing and the instruments they are using.

The audience are always encouraged to join in the chorus of some of the songs.  After singing along to 'Gaudete' amongst others, we were warm, full of festive spirit and ready to find our way home in the bitter cold of the late afternoon.