H HACKMETACK “Single Blessedness” This is a kind of tamarack, and is sometimes spelled tacmehac. No, honest! HAND FLOWER TREE “Warning” HARBELL “Grief” *HARLEQUIN “Laugh at Trouble”HAWK WEED “Quicksightedness” It was believed, once upon a time, that hawks rubbed their eyes with this to give them, well, eyes like a hawk. IContinue reading “Ranunculus to You: Hackmetack to Hyssop”
Author Archives: uncleblogsy
Another Hit Parade
It has been some time since we last considered the popular song on the postcard. (Don’t start counting back through the blogs; just take my word for it.) The pop song and the postcard are of similar age: there were certainly songs which stuck in the ear and were heard at every concert andContinue reading “Another Hit Parade”
Classic Strippers
When I was a lad, the world went through another wave of Nostalgia. We as a society run from periods of “The past was evil; forget it!” to “The past was kind of funny” to “Some of the past was really cool” to “The past is kind of funny” to start again with “TheContinue reading “Classic Strippers”
Ranunculus to You, Gardenia to Grass
G GARDENIA “Transport of Joy” Sheer ecstasy is what they mean. The gardenia appears more often in flower language books as Cape Jasmine. See also JASMINE, CAPE. *GARLAND “Love’s Bondage” “Love for a garden has powerful influence in attracting men to their homes, and on this account, every encouragement given to increase aContinue reading “Ranunculus to You, Gardenia to Grass”
Menu Mischief
This is not a food blog. Nor is it a parenting blog, though I am eminently suited to writing one of those, having no children. HOWEVER, I thought I would pass along a few gimmicks for the impending holidays. These are not specifically holiday recipes. There was no particular rhyme or reason thatContinue reading “Menu Mischief”
Hallelujah, I’m a Bum
Once upon a time, there was a whole world of migrant vagrants. The lore of this world can be found in many nations, and members of the group served as heroes, villains, or comic relief in many a story. Some were men down on their luck, while others were princes in disguise. But byContinue reading “Hallelujah, I’m a Bum”
Ranunculus to You: Fair Maids to Furze
F FAIR MAIDS OF FRANCE “Lustre” FENNEL “Strength”* This was a wreath awarded at games in ancient days, generally for great strength. Gladiators ate it to give them strength and courage in the ring. And the Battle of Marathon was supposed to have been fought in a field of fennel. But its meaning couldContinue reading “Ranunculus to You: Fair Maids to Furze”
Can’t Top the Topper
I try not to dwell too fiercely on the fashions of previous generations. I recall too well the exchange between a teacher in my high school who was pointing out to a classmate of mine who was snickering at the crewcuts shown in an old yearbook that within twenty years, what the kids wereContinue reading “Can’t Top the Topper”
NOTABLE NOTES
Although we see discussions (sometimes in this very space) of the music of bygone days, these tend to focus on what I would call “officially available music”. These are performances on the Broadway stage, or concerts in big cities by big name musicians, or the debuts of operas or symphonies in front of massiveContinue reading “NOTABLE NOTES”
Ranunculus to You: Daffodil to Eyebright
D DAFFODIL “Regard” The pioneer floriographers could not agree on whether the Daffodil meant Chivalry, Uncertainty, or Mistaken Hope. In 1867, the Lover of Flowers declared it stood for Regard, and that meaning has prevailed ever since. DAHLIA “Instability” Tradition tells us the Dahlia came from mainland Europe to England twice. TheContinue reading “Ranunculus to You: Daffodil to Eyebright”
Blogsy Babbles 