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Greenwood Hobbit
Valinor
Mar 22, 4:01pm
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It's Friday 22nd March – welcome to our Equinox Fiesta!
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For those of us in the northern hemisphere spring is advancing steadily, while our southern hemisphere Sibs are thinking about storing goodies away and getting ready to hunker down for the winter ahead. Meanwhile, at The Green Hobbit, it's cider night! (hic)
For a change from the house ales, why not try a drop of Thatchers Vintage? At 8.3% it's not one to glug in quantities after a hard day in the fields though. For that, you're better off with Thirsty Farmer at 5.5% or even better, Slack Alice (?!) at 4.6%. Tookish folk might like Thistly Cross at 6.2% whilst any visiting archers will enjoy that old favourite, Strongbow at 5%. Whatever your tipple, pull up a bar stool, grab some snacks (the ploughman's lunch/dinner/second breakfast is always popular, just be wary of that pickled-onion breath) and maybe follow up with some hobbit-made apple pie, and share what's been happening in your week. Cheers, folks!
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dernwyn
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Mar 22, 4:30pm
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And more light hours for out-of-doors in the afternoons and evenings. Our local Morris Men held their tradition of greeting the day atop Lantern Hill (historically, folks would watch Long Island Sound from here for enemy ships, and light a fire to warn the harbor): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkHt_QzTc4s
I'll have a pint of Thirsty Farmer, please, GH, and a slice of Stilton with a chunk of bread - what do you recommend for the pickled veggies?
Taxes are done,. but I realized I've got stacks of old papers to organize (or bag for shredding). How do these things manage to pile up! Fortunately it's supposed to rain cats and dogs tomorrow, so it will be a good weekend for this.
In praise of cider: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JeBsLrdBzs
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"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
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Greenwood Hobbit
Valinor
Mar 22, 4:49pm
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That slope looks a bit scary though! Our local lot haven't embraced the equinoxes, they just do May Day dawn. One Thirsty farmer coming right up! The drink, that is... For pickled veggies I reckon you can't beat a nice crispy pickled onion. That used to be obligatory party food in the 70s - a cube of cheese and a little pickled onion speared on a cocktail stick, all of which were stuck into a potato covered in tin foil. We thought we were posh! If you really wanted to make an impression you could add ham, pineapple and a glace cherry. I've never come to terms with gherkins... During and after WW2, when my mum pickled onions she used to wear her gas mask to peel them. What a shame a picture of that does not exist!
Good luck with the papers! I'm off to watch that other Youtube link now. Enjoy your bread, cheese and pickle (no, not the dog!) - simple but great food! Cheers!
Edit: Listened to the link. What a hoot! Good Friday night music, that. Mind how you go, now!
(This post was edited by Greenwood Hobbit on Mar 22, 4:53pm)
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Annael
Immortal
Mar 22, 5:32pm
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It was spring this last week - we got into the high 60s (F) and most of my starts have started. One of my lavender plants did not make it through the hard frost we had in January, so I got a new one and of course had to buy a couple more plants while I was at the nursery . . . My tulips are up but not unfurled, daffs are just poking their heads up, which is late for both. But the cherry and plum trees are in full flower, the azaleas and rhodies are in bud, and the heather is in full bloom.
Folks with allergies are sniffing. Fortunately I seem to have outgrown that affliction, or perhaps it was moving to the desert for three years that un-conditioned me to react to local stuff.
Quiet life these days. Working in a desultory manner on two presentations I'll be giving in April and May. Funny story: the May one is on the phenomenon of possession in certain religions/cultures, but when the title went up on the relevant website this week it said "Physiological, Religious, Cultural, and Psychological Aspects of A. S. Byatt's Possession." I am NOT talking about the book! But I suspect that autocorrect decided that I must be, and the web person didn't notice. Fired off an email and hopefully it will be corrected today . . .
I am a dreamer of words, of written words.
-- Gaston Bachelard
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NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967
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Greenwood Hobbit
Valinor
Mar 22, 5:50pm
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Glad that spring is springing for you!
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Shandy coming up - hmm, I wonder what cider shandy would be like? Never actually tried that. I usually go for bitter shandy if I'm limiting intake. Allergies start early, don't they! As soon as the first catkins - birch, alder, hazel, willow - start shaking their pollen loose, some people start suffering. For me it tends to be grasses, but tree pollen is a biggie for some people, my daughter included. Oh, autocorrect - grrr! That is responsible for so many misunderstandings and downright errors! The subject of your presentation sounds very intriguing; there's certainly plenty to chew on there. Speaking of chewing, can I tempt you to a little bread and cheese to go with that shandy, perchance? Cheers!
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Annael
Immortal
Mar 22, 7:01pm
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never say no to that!
Is sourdough as big a thing there as it is on this side of the pond? I've gotten so used to it, regular bread tastes sweet!
I am a dreamer of words, of written words.
-- Gaston Bachelard
* * * * * * * * * *
NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967
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Greenwood Hobbit
Valinor
Mar 22, 7:38pm
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and 'artisan' sourdough costs quite a bit more than ordinary bread. I tend to go for the supermarket wholemeal usually, with the occasional fancy roll to go with home-made soup; if there was an artisan baker nearby I might be tempted to experiment a bit more! Some years ago, passing round sourdough starters to friends and neighbours - I think it was called Herman? - was quite a popular thing.
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Greenwood Hobbit
Valinor
Mar 22, 10:15pm
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It's bedtime in this part of The Shire - see you folks tomorrow!
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dernwyn
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Mar 22, 11:05pm
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Visiting the gardening center is a dangerous thing.
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What will you be adding to your garden? Your trees must be gorgeous in whites and pinks! High pollen count around here, too, with many suffering.
That's a rather enigmatic subject for your presentation, isn't it? But what an autocorrect! 
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"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
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dernwyn
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Mar 22, 11:07pm
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We use that name over here, too. I wonder how it originated? I've done a couple of bouts with sourdough starters, but it does get tiring after a while.
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"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
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dernwyn
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Mar 22, 11:20pm
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There's not much rock up there.
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And it's not as steep as it looks, but it's steep enough!
Cheese and onion stuck on a foil-covered potato? I'm assuming the potato was baked in the foil, and was a small one! That must have been messy to eat!
Oh, that would be a picture to frame for posterity, your Mum peeling onions with a gas mask on! 
*crunches into onion* Thank'ee!
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"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
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Greenwood Hobbit
Valinor
Mar 23, 9:09am
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and this is what came up, though this talks about cakes as opposed to bread. It's a theory as good as any other, I guess!
'Why is sourdough starter called Herman?The name Herman is taken from the Amish sweet, cinnamon-flavoured bread and the cakes have their origins in the sourdough products made by the early American pioneers. Airborne yeast was used to ferment a mixture of flour sugar and water, and then used to make pancakes, bread and cakes'
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Greenwood Hobbit
Valinor
Mar 23, 9:15am
Post #13 of 30
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I sent that link on to my friend
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who used to be in a ladies side, the Whitty Pear (which is a native tree of the Midlands); her husband danced with Chester City Morris men when young, and - until his knees gave out! - with Wyre Forest Morris men. Their daughter dances with a ladies side called Mockbeggar Morris and son-in-law (and their son, when he can fit it round homework!) with Mersey Morris men, so it's in their blood!
I didn't explain properly, sorry - the potato wasn't to eat, it was just something to stick things into for display!
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dernwyn
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Mar 23, 11:58am
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What fun, I can imagine them comparing and working on songs and steps together!
Thank you for explaining about the potato. Did you slice them in half so they wouldn't roll?
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"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
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dernwyn
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Mar 23, 12:17pm
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From what is commonly called here "Pennsylvania Dutch", but is actually platt Deutsch/Plautdietsch, a German dialect still spoken by the Amish and Mennonite communities. (I've tried to read short stories in it in some of my family heritage publications, it's as different from German as some English local dialects are to King's English.)
"Herman" is a heer-mann, or warrior. Strange name to give a bit of dough, but maybe it's because it's sturdy and never gives up the fight!
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"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
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Greenwood Hobbit
Valinor
Mar 23, 2:07pm
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That sounds like a good reason
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to call it Herman! As for dialects, some broad local accents can be very difficult to decipher even within our islands.
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Annael
Immortal
Mar 23, 3:42pm
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we enjoyed hearing different dialects as we went 'round Britain
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and laughed because every time we said something about just coming from [next county over] the locals would ask if we could understand the people there as they talk funny. In fact we were fine almost everywhere, and were somewhat amazed to find that the Cornish accent sounds very American!
But not in Yorkshire. That dialect defeated us. We finally figured out it was because they were using entirely different words - the lorry driver who gave us a lift, for example: we thought he was saying he couldn't wait to get home to his bed, but he was saying "my bairn."
Now I wonder: have any of the Brits here traveled extensively in the US, and did you struggle with any of the accents?
I am a dreamer of words, of written words.
-- Gaston Bachelard
* * * * * * * * * *
NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967
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grammaboodawg
Immortal
Mar 23, 7:16pm
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The moon's looking mighty big up there!
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Not quite full, but definitely helps explain the strange goings on around here... turbo-charged by the Equinox! :D One strangeness is that we got 7+ inches of snow in 24 hrs starting about midnight Thursday. Now it is working hard at melting! My peoples are a bit moodier at full moons, too. GET SOME ICE CREAM! ;)
*thunk, thunk* This cider in my mug is pretty hard! I think... just to be sure... I'll just have one of each variety. And I'll wash it all down with a nice Shepherd's Pie *slaver, slurp*
I have some massive cleaning and furniture movement going on here. *sigh, *spasm* My daughter finally got a surgery date set for early April. It's actually great to have a definite plan. GET SOME ICE CREAM!!! :D I haven't told Pickle that he'll be staying with the fun lady with the lake yet ;) (My sister again) She's such a great sis as she's driving the 2 hrs to my home and then 2 back only to do it again when we get home a few days later.
Thanks so much for taking such great care of us, GH! :D I hope you have a fabulous weekend!
We have been there and back again.
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(This post was edited by grammaboodawg on Mar 23, 7:24pm)
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grammaboodawg
Immortal
Mar 23, 9:31pm
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I dearly love those wonderful traditions :D
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I wonder if this is where the springle-ring dance came from? Love the bells! :D
That bread and cheese sound so good. Pickled beets and bread n' butter pickles are my favourites. I have them both at my holiday meals.
Paper piles grow in home wherever I lay a single sheet as a seed, it seems. In no time they grow and multiply!
I hope you have a GREAT weekend!
We have been there and back again.
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grammaboodawg
Immortal
Mar 23, 9:55pm
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There were a couple of balmy days here, too!
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Mid-week around the 13th, and it was so welcomed and soothing. We were doing a LOT of long miles on the road, so it was nice not to have a mid-March storm to drive through :D
I'm still astounded every spring to see what seem to be delicate flowers push their way through wet leaves, leftover snow, and packed dirt of wake up and take a look around. Same with trees. You'd think the bitter cold and long winter would cause a lot more trouble. These revivals lift my heart and mood! :)
I hope they fix their mess on your presentation title ;) Or else you'll have to re-write your topic!! NOT! :D
Have a GREAT weekend! Spring and Sprung!
We have been there and back again.
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Greenwood Hobbit
Valinor
Mar 23, 9:56pm
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bairn is a Scottish word for child. Didn't realise Yorkshire used it too - unless your driver was a Scot, of course! First you're a wean, (pronounced wayne) then when you're out of the toddler stage you become a bairn. Geordie (Newcastle) is a tough one to tackle, I believe; broad Glaswegian too. I've never been to the US but I imagine there's a similar variety of accents, they're just spread out more so the change isn't as noticeable, maybe?
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Greenwood Hobbit
Valinor
Mar 23, 10:01pm
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pickled beets! I used to do those myself but the result were rather variable so I buy them ready-pickled now. I think Morris dates back a long way in England; just Googled it and it says: 'Sticks, swords, handkerchiefs, and a variety of other implements may be wielded by the dancers. Morris dancing first appeared in England in the 15th century. Its earliest surviving mention dates to 1448 and records the payment of seven shillings to Morris dancers by the Goldsmiths' Company in London'. If they were already paying them to dance, it stands to reason they'd been around for a while, but we'll never know. It's the nearet thing the English have to a national dance, I think.
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Greenwood Hobbit
Valinor
Mar 23, 10:06pm
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You're still having snow? My goodness...
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If you pick a high-alcohol cider it shouldn't freeze - or you won't care if it does, after a couple... Shepherd's pie, though. Yum! Central heating eating, that. Best of British luck with all your plans; do try to find a little space to relax yourself in the midst of all the busy preparations.You need to look after yourself in order to best look after your daughter. Have the best weekend you can!
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dernwyn
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Mar 24, 1:02am
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and I hope you didn't have to bother with shoveling away too much of it before it did its melting!
You're going to have Hotel Gramma sparkling by next month! So glad that everything is set!
Now, Pickle: I'm hoping he's retained what the sights and smells are at Auntie's house, so he'll build up a memory of: at home, travel, at Auntie's, travel, back home, that's how it works! Your sister's a gem to come for and care for him. 
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"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
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Annael
Immortal
Mar 24, 5:19am
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on the West Coast, the Southwest, and most of the mountain states we all pretty much sound alike - I certainly can't tell what state any Westerner is from by accent. The "American" accent you hear on television is basically western US. The "Fargo" accent is fairly local to the Dakotas and Minnesota, most Midwesterners don't sound like that but they do love a diphthong. In the eastern states things get more complicated. I once shared housing with a person from west Tennessee and another from east Tennessee and I could hear a difference, although mostly they just sounded "southern" to me - I haven't really traveled in the southeast, maybe someone who has can distinguish those accents. Texans don't always sound like John Wayne, but sometimes they do. My dad, from the Boston area, could tell the difference between different parts of Boston, and apparently New York City has its different accents too. New England in general has a distinct sound that gets more distinct the farther north you go (Dad was adept at doing a "Down East" accent). We make fun of each other, but we usually do understand each other.
I am a dreamer of words, of written words.
-- Gaston Bachelard
* * * * * * * * * *
NARF and member of Deplorable Cultus since 1967
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Greenwood Hobbit
Valinor
Mar 24, 7:53pm
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The whole business of accents and dialects
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is fascinating! The distinctive Liverpool accent is, rather unkindly, sometimes described as a third Irish, a third Welsh and a third catarrh. Niiice...!
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Starling
Half-elven
Mar 29, 2:35am
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Years ago I made a 'Herman the German'
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cake with my class. I'd never heard of it but we were given the starter, and then had to keep some to pass on to the next person. Then we had to make the 'friendship' cake and share it with others, using the starter. From memory it was quite a spicy and dense cake, but the important part was the making and gifting.
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dernwyn
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Mar 29, 11:51am
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I think that was what made it special
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Making the breads, and passing along the starter to each other - until we'd all had so much of it, and were tired of the breads!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
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grammaboodawg
Immortal
Mar 29, 1:28pm
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More than a few times when I was working, we passed around starters of what we called "Amish Friendship Bread/Cake". It could be adjusted with added ingredients to make a loaf bread (like zucchini bread) or a spice cake (including the strudel topping)... and we kept that starter cycling throughout the library and campus for years!
I still have the stained and marked-up recipe sheet. Somewhere the starters stopped!!! So sad.
We have been there and back again.
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