Old Sayings,Anecdotes,Related to Wildlife

[richnfamous]

About firewood: maybe not that old but good nonetheless.

LOGS TO BURN

Logs to burn, logs to burn,
Logs to save the coal a turn
Here's a word to make you wise,
When you hear the woodman's cries.
Never heed his usual tale,
That he has good logs for sale,
But read these lines and really learn,
the proper kind of logs to burn.

OAK logs will warm you well,
If they're old and dry.
LARCH logs of pine wood smell,
But the sparks will fly.
BEECH logs for Christmas time,
YEW logs heat well.
SCOTCH logs it is a crime,
For anyone to sell.

BIRCH logs will burn too fast,
CHESTNUT scarce at all
HAWTHORN logs are good to last,
If you cut them in the fall
HOLLY logs will burn like wax
You should burn them green
ELM logs like smouldering flax
No flame to be seen

PEAR logs and APPLE logs,
they will scent your room.
CHERRY logs across the dogs,
Smell like flowers in bloom
But ASH logs, all smooth and grey,
burn them green or old;
Buy up all that come your way,
They're worth their weight in gold.

(Scotch logs are Elder. Elder smoke is poisonous, I hear)

[david156]

Originally Posted by loripo

I found this...
The English Archery Law of the 13th century ensured that English men would be come experts with the bow and arrow. In 1252 the 'Assize of Arms' ensured that all Englishmen were ordered, by law, that every man between the age of 15 to 60 years old should equip themselves with a bow and arrows. The Plantagenet King Edward III took this further and decreed the Archery Law in 1363 which commanded the obligatory practice of archery on Sundays and holidays! The Archery Law "forbade, on pain of death, all sport that took up time better spent on war training especially archery practise". King Henry I later proclaimed that an archer would be absolved of murder, if he killed a man during archery practise
I wonder if that law has ever been revoked

I've just read on one site "Training was compulsory, every Sunday, and that law is still on the books!" So I know what i'm doing tomorrow....

[posie]

That's alright David, as long as you are not going to be casting your clouts all over the place.

[david156]

Originally Posted by posie

That's alright David, as long as you are not going to be casting your clouts all over the place.

I don't think there's any chance of that tomorrow, i've seen the weather forecast and its bit to cool for casting!!

[posie]

I like the LOG poem, Rich, VERY useful information, that is.All I gotta do now is learn it.!...I also like ...'If at first you don't succeed, try, try, try again'. ...Attributed to Robert the Bruce, I believe.and the spider of course.

[sunnydale]

How embarrassing! I always thought a 'clout' was a coat!
Just wait 'til I see my mother!

[posie]

Originally Posted by david156

Hi all.
Might not have anything to do with archery. Just found this on the internet

"Origin

'Ne'er cast a clout till May be out' is an English proverb. The earliest citation is this version of the rhyme from Dr. Thomas Fuller, Gnomologia, 1732, although it probably existed in word-of-mouth form well before that:

"Leave not off a Clout Till May be out.

Meaning

Let's look first at the 'cast a clout' part. The word 'clout', although archaic, is straightforward. Since at least the early 15th century 'clout' has been used variously to mean 'a blow to the head', 'a clod of earth or (clotted) cream' or 'a fragment of cloth, or clothing'. It is the last of these that is meant in 'cast a clout'. This was spelled variously spelled as clowt, clowte, cloot, clute. Here's an early example, from the Early English Miscellanies in Prose and Verse, circa 1485:

"He had not left an holle clowt, Wherwith to hyde hys body abowte."

So, 'ne'er cast a clout...' simply means 'never discard your [warm winter] clothing...'.

The 'till May be out' part is where the doubt lies. On the face of it this means 'until the month of May is ended'.

There is another interpretation. In England, in May, you can't miss the Hawthorn. It is an extremely common tree in the English countryside, especially in hedges. Hawthorns are virtually synonymous with hedges. As many as 200,000 miles of hawthorn hedge were planted in the Parliamentary Enclosure period, between 1750 and 1850. The name 'Haw' derives from 'hage', the Old English for 'hedge'.

The tree gives its beautiful display of flowers in late April/early May. It is known as the May Tree and the blossom itself is called May. Using that allusion, 'till May is out' could mean, 'until the hawthorn is out [in bloom]'. "

David

You'd better read this before you get ''Egg on your face'' wiv your mum.Poe

[sunnydale]

'So, 'ne'er cast a clout...' simply means 'never discard your [warm winter] clothing...'


Thanks Poe! I missed this bit. Reading too fast I guess! LOL
OK, maybe I wont say anything to my mum then!

[SparklySarah]

Originally Posted by david156

I've just read on one site "Training was compulsory, every Sunday, and that law is still on the books!" So I know what i'm doing tomorrow....

I do medieval archery training every Saturday. Does that count?! And I'll be going into battle with it xxx




p.s. with blunt arrows obviously!!

[tcvarlh]

I don't think casting clouts had 'owt to do with shedding clothing, most folks only had one set of clothes and kept them on day in-day out. I think the clout was the soil and it is an admonishment not to plant until the soil was warm enough. Taking the old Julian calendar this makes sense! The saying is heard ALL over England but clothes were not called clouts here or down south but sods were!

[richnfamous]

Originally Posted by david156

I've just read on one site "Training was compulsory, every Sunday, and that law is still on the books!" So I know what i'm doing tomorrow....

As it happens I'm off to a car booty tomorrow to see if I can buy a bow...not for hunting, mind.

[posie]

Originally Posted by richnfamous

As it happens I'm off to a car booty tomorrow to see if I can buy a bow...not for hunting, mind.

Doesn't the quote above belong on the 'Flint' thread,by the way has anybody seen Mack?,He hasnt been in lately,Probably out looking for flints, or my camel

[loripo]

Perhaps he's got the Camelious Hump, from having too little to do! Or he's busy thinking of another idea for a thread that wont go scooting off down a wandering WAB-way.....

[Hedera]

Back to May:
A swarm of bees in May
Is worth a load of hay.
A swarm of bees in June
Is worth a silver spoon.
A swarm of bees in July
Is not worth a fly.

The earlier in the year the bees have longer to work and make honey while flowers are about. These days they work till October and ivy flowers.

A family saying was, "Don't pick until the sun shines both sides of the hedges."

[posie]

Well,maybe he's ''Making Hay While the Sun Shines'', or doing ''a Stitch in Time to Save Nine'', who knows? A ''Law Unto Himself'' for sure, that one....

[posie]

Originally Posted by Hedera

Back to May:
A swarm of bees in May
Is worth a load of hay.
A swarm of bees in June
Is worth a silver spoon.
A swarm of bees in July
Is not worth a fly.

The earlier in the year the bees have longer to work and make honey while flowers are about. These days they work till October and ivy flowers.

A family saying was, "Don't pick until the sun shines both sides of the hedges."

*************************
I suppose the 'Sun both sides of the hedges' refers to the time of day for picking, because the sun would be highest in the sky, so the crop would be dried out from the overnight less dry air on it. Also there is a 'Chemical' reason for this within the fruit, but can't remember what it is.Something that occurs when the sun shines on it....Help ! ! ......

[diggleken]

THE FIVE BRETHREN OF THE ROSE

Mediaeval riddle - get to the end and I'll tell you what it is, but have a guess first (no prizes)!

On a summers day in sultry weather
Five brethren were born together
Two had beards and two had none
And the other had but half a one

This is from ancient times , related by various scribes and gardeners over the years.
It relates to the hips and attached 5 sepals of the Dog Rose - two have feathery whiskered flyers, two dont and the other has them only on one side!
Its a good one to remember to ID it.
Cheers
Ken

[david156]

Originally Posted by SparklySarah

I do medieval archery training every Saturday. Does that count?! And I'll be going into battle with it xxx




p.s. with blunt arrows obviously!!

I went out this morning but I didn't take my bow and arrow. I took a canon instead.

[SparklySarah]

Originally Posted by david156

I went out this morning but I didn't take my bow and arrow. I took a canon instead.

He he he!!!! Little bit more leathal!! We're not allowed to use canons in reenactment..... for obvious reasons.....

[david156]

Originally Posted by SparklySarah

He he he!!!! Little bit more leathal!! We're not allowed to use canons in reenactment..... for obvious reasons.....

My canon isn't that dangerous. The only thing I shot today was some seals.
Will post some pictures that I shot later

[SparklySarah]

Originally Posted by david156

My canon isn't that dangerous. The only thing I shot today was some seals.
Will post some pictures that I shot later

**groan** ha ha ha!! That's terrible..... We can't use that canon either, don't thing they had them in 1370!!! lol xxx

[Cheryl]

Originally Posted by sunnydale

How embarrassing! I always thought a 'clout' was a coat!

I always thought a "clout" was a vest (as in an undergarment) It seems to be Old English for a bit of cloth so maybe we are on the right track

[Beekeeper]

Originally Posted by posie

Ian, do you know of the local 'Cuckoo Fair'?

Hi Posie, heard of it but no idea what it is all about

Ian

[Beekeeper]

Originally Posted by Cheryl

That wasn't in Wales was it? Apparently in Wales an indication of strong winds is given by Ravens and crows flapping their wings and flying at great heights, while sunshine will follow if they are seen flying towards the sun

Right - I'm putting my book away

No Cheryl, in the New Forest in Hampshire.

Ian

[Beekeeper]

Originally Posted by tcvarlh

I don't think casting clouts had 'owt to do with shedding clothing, most folks only had one set of clothes and kept them on day in-day out. I think the clout was the soil and it is an admonishment not to plant until the soil was warm enough. Taking the old Julian calendar this makes sense! The saying is heard ALL over England but clothes were not called clouts here or down south but sods were!

You are correct with the soil suggestion tcvarlh, my mother used to use that expression.

Ian