Here be Lady Magnon, out a-wassailing last night. Ooh aaarh, ooh aaarh; my lovelies.
Twelfth Night is when we all go a-wassailing.
Old Apple tree we wassail thee,
and hoping thou wilt bear hats-full, caps-full,
three bushels bags-full.
And a little heap under the stairs.
We beat the Apple trees to waken them from their winter's sleep, then anoint their roots with cider. We also hang cider-soaked toast on their branches.
If that doesn't bring a good harvest later in the year, then I don't know what would!
No doubt Bok and Monty were there right by your side....but wondering, "What the hell are we doing out here in the orchard at night? Oh well, they're kind people.....humor them."
ReplyDelete;-)
They also anointed the trees, but in their own particular style!
DeleteHow quaint - are you the only person left in the world who does this - and why at night?
ReplyDeleteNot at all. It's mostly carried out in England's West Country, where cider making is all-important. Why at night? I have no idea; just tradition I imagine.
DeleteI saw something similar on TV just the other night, on Rick Stein's "Cornish Christmas". The villagers tied pieces of toast to the apple trees and poured cider round the trees. I love that you're carrying out the same ritual in France!
ReplyDeleteWassailing is alive and well in the West Country. Lou and I went last year to an event at Parke, the National Trust HQ around here. All good fun: toast hanging, saucepan banging and of course, a bit of cider. Is it a French thing too or does Lady Magnon do this on her own? I could see our cross channel cousins would take to this tradition nicely.
ReplyDeleteI think it's just us!
DeleteHere in Lincolnshire we undertook the annual Wazzupping and followed the dogs' example with the trees. Then I slept on a bench on the village green. Splendid.
ReplyDeleteGood to see the old traditions being kept up and even taught to the heathen trapped across the Channel.
Is 'Wazzupping' modern parlance for Wasp-upping (with The Queen's Wasps, of course)?
DeleteWhat a quirky and wonderful tradition! Thank goodness there are people like you to keep it going.
ReplyDeleteOOh we're going wassaling here in Somerset next weekend!
ReplyDeleteThis is a tradition I must add!!!!
ReplyDeleteI think you are allowed to fire a shotgun into the branches of the orchard as well, but check before you do - I'd hate to think I had caused the death of anyone by police sniper.
ReplyDeleteNeat! A lovely tradition. This year we had naught for cider....and had finally purchased the apple grinder to go with our press. We could have done with this tradition me thinks!
ReplyDeleteLOVE the hat!
DeleteShe's a snappy Wassail dresser!
DeleteWhat a wonderful tradition, and a truly wonderful HAT.
ReplyDeleteMy apples are ripening as I come back from holiday. When I wonder would be a good time to wassail in the Southern Hemisphere? Actually I have been a-morris dancing for a Wassail occasion in these here parts one July at a cider orchard.
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