Post by bogmyrtle on Jun 3, 2009 9:04:06 GMT 1
8th June:
If it rains on this day, a wet harvest is foretold!
11th June - St. Barnabas's Day:
Before the calender change of 1752, this was the longest day and it was the custom to deck Churches and houses with roses & sweet woodruff. This was to 'attemper the air, cool and make fresh the place in the heat of summer' (John Gerard 1633).
15th June - St. Vitus's Day:
Rainy weather today, rain for forty days together!
23rd June - Midsummer's Eve:
The night when witches & fairies are particularly active!
A garland of the 'herbs of St. John' (St. John's wort, plaintain, corn marigold, yarrow and ivy) would protect the home against evil spirits when burned on the Midsummer fire. Hazel twigs cut on Midsummer's eve are supposed to be good for water divining.
Flees contracted on St. David's Day can be removed by jumping over the Midsummer bonfire!
24th June - Midsummer's Day - the Feast of St. John:
Forture-telling game - pick a handful of grass with the eyes closed. The number of daisies in the bunch indictes the number of years before marriage or, if married, the number of children they will have.
A sure deterrent for mice is to wash your cat and sprinkle the water over the garden! The cat won't be too happy though
If it rains on this day, a wet harvest is foretold!
11th June - St. Barnabas's Day:
Before the calender change of 1752, this was the longest day and it was the custom to deck Churches and houses with roses & sweet woodruff. This was to 'attemper the air, cool and make fresh the place in the heat of summer' (John Gerard 1633).
15th June - St. Vitus's Day:
Rainy weather today, rain for forty days together!
23rd June - Midsummer's Eve:
The night when witches & fairies are particularly active!
A garland of the 'herbs of St. John' (St. John's wort, plaintain, corn marigold, yarrow and ivy) would protect the home against evil spirits when burned on the Midsummer fire. Hazel twigs cut on Midsummer's eve are supposed to be good for water divining.
Flees contracted on St. David's Day can be removed by jumping over the Midsummer bonfire!
24th June - Midsummer's Day - the Feast of St. John:
Forture-telling game - pick a handful of grass with the eyes closed. The number of daisies in the bunch indictes the number of years before marriage or, if married, the number of children they will have.
A sure deterrent for mice is to wash your cat and sprinkle the water over the garden! The cat won't be too happy though