......wi' other people's coal.
For almost twenty years we had Scots neighbours and they always managed to get that saying in somewhere over the New Year period. (The title in translation being ' long may your chimney smoke'. Although both George and Elsa have been dead for many years I always think of them at New Year - a much more important festival for them than Christmas was.
Well it's all over now bar the shouting. Driving through our little town this morning on our way to have coffee with M was like driving through a ghost town. The Market Square was full of cars but few people were to be seen. I did wonder whether folk had left their cars to collect today after a night of festivities. Only a couple of shops were open and, judging by the amount of food folk have bought over the past week or so, I wouldn't have thought there was a danger of anyone going hungry.
So it is back to normal tomorrow - whatever normality is for each of us - and not a moment too soon for me at any rate. Looking out of the window as I sit here, staring at a clear blue sky as the sun sets, the sun is catching an airliner high in the sky either going off somewhere or coming in to land at Newcastle. What would my grandparents have thought to it all I wonder? Not only the fact that air travel has become an everyday happening but that ordinary people can afford it.
In the garden bulbs are pushing through, polyanthus are in flower and in the tubs at the front, where we face South, polyanthus, pansies and violas are all in full bloom. In my kitchen window an amaryllis (red and white striped) is now in full flower. I can see a patch of snowdrops which have broken through the soil so will not be all that long - not like those in Newark, which Si photographs and puts on his blog, in full bloom and giving such a lot of pleasure. So I think I can say - in this weather, with the start of a new year, with a pure sunny day - 'If winter comes can Spring be far behind?'
When I arrived home after coffee out this morning, someone had left a lump of coal on my front doorstep. If whoever it was reads this = thank you for the sentiment. The gesture is much appreciated .
And another Happy New Year to you, dear Weaver. I did not leave the coal.
ReplyDeleteThere's a lot of signs of Spring down here as well Pat, plants flowering or pushing out of the ground, hazel catkins in the hedgerows, Blue Tits inspecting nest boxes and a pretty good dawn chorus from mostly thrush types. However, I think we've been around long enough to know that there's plenty of winter still yet to come.
ReplyDeleteWhen I lived in Newcastle in the early 1970s New Year's Eve was more important than Christmas and totally insignificant to me where I had come from. I found it quite a shock. I had never heard of first footing let alone lumps of coal. Although New Year's Day was not at that time a Bank Holiday it was a day of mass absenteeism in the North East.
ReplyDeleteThat’s the message I put on My FB page this morning, Pat. New Year isn’t celebrated to the same extent in Scotland now either although the big cities tend to do concerts, fireworks etc. We went for a walk in the late morning in glorious sunshine and home to some home made soup with a bagel. My SIL walked 5 miles today after lunch to retrieve his car which had been left at the golf club after they went to the dance last night. Like you, I am glad to be back to normal routines-in fact I started decluttering fabric and craft materials today in preparation for new projects.
ReplyDeleteThe only fireworks I heard were at 11.30 - which seemed a bit odd and only lasted 2 minutes - then all quiet and peaceful.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to get back to normal but still feeling rough
Yes, time to get back to our normal routines. Happy New Year Pat!
ReplyDeleteI'm in the northeastern part of the U.S. In this area, there are lots of parties on New Year's Eve, both in homes and restaurants and clubs, then fireworks in some of the larger towns and cities. When I was young, we always had a big, holiday dinner on New Year's Day, but haven't done that in many years. Sports lovers are glued to the television watching football (American-style!) For me it's pretty much a normal day, like you. Nice to hear that your flowers are pushing up and blooming. Think that's 3 or 4 months away for us! Best wishes for a very happy and healthy New Year.
ReplyDeleteSounds almost rude...
ReplyDeleteYou wrote about the airplane you saw today.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was little we would go for a car ride and park by the runway of Chicago's Airport and watch the planes land or take off. So much fun and if we were able to, we had an ice cream from the Good Humor Ice Cream Truck. Simple Pleasures. So missed today.
cheers, parsnip
My favourite time of the year, the calendar of flowers coming into bloom
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
ReplyDeleteI can barely wait to see my crocus, tulip, and hyacinth bulb sprouts pushing through the soil. It's still too cold and wintery here in the Midwest USA.
On New Years Eve someone came here with fish shaped biscuits. We each had to eat one of them after midnight starting at the tail end. It's a tradition I've never heard of previously. And I thought how good it is that we have so much diversity in the world and how it wouldn't be so much fun if we were all the same.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Gwil that the diversity makes it fun. Here in the U.S. (especially the southern states) we eat black eyed peas on New Year's Day for good luck!
ReplyDeleteJust this afternoon, I noticed some bulbs sprouting by the side of the lane. It won't be long before Spring is with us once more. A Happy New Year to you Pat. X
ReplyDeleteI wonder who left the lump of coal - what a lovely tradition. The bulbs are popping up everywhere and are a very welcome sight though I daresay we will all have some wintry conditions before long. February and March often have a cruel streak.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year, Pat. May it bloom beautifully for you.
ReplyDeleteI have daffs that are about an inch out of the soil. We used to take lumps of coal to friends; but it wasn't me.
ReplyDeleteWhen bulbs begin to show you just know the spring is on the way. My primroses have been in flower over the Xmas season, luckily the bantams don't like them.
ReplyDeleteAll the best to you for 2019, Pat!
ReplyDeleteOK and I have this week off, so normality will only return true and proper next Monday, and we are glad to get a bit if a rest.
As for the weather, the birds here sound like early spring, too, but the forecast is for a very cold January. We'll see!
My grandad always used to bring the coal in on New year's eve - I miss him doing that it seems a dying tradition now.
ReplyDeleteLovely post from you today, Weaver Pat.
ReplyDeleteI wish you a New Year with many days of blue skies and sunshine.May the promise of your spring garden help to tide you over any beastly winter days the forthcoming weeks may bring.
Alphie
When I was young my brother, sister and I used to take turns in going out the front door with the lump of coal on N.Y.eve so we could bring it in when the bells rang out.We also brought a silver coin in to make sure of enough money in the year.
ReplyDeleteWe won't have bulbs coming up here until March. No coal here.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a child my father always carried out the 'first footing ritual' including carrying a piece of coal.
ReplyDelete