Apple Tree, Apple Tree, I Wassail Thee!

Last night, the entire Sorley contingent and a few special friends left the comfort of their firesides and went out wassailing.  This is an ancient custom in these parts whereby any evil spirits are driven out of the orchard and the apple trees are exhorted to fruit well in the coming season.  The general idea is that a procession of people carrying lanterns goes down to the orchard and generally makes a lot of noise and kerfuffle .  Some cider is then ceremoniously poured on the roots of the trees and toast soaked in cider is placed in the branches for the benefit of the robins.  Meanwhile, more cider (this time, it is mulled cider) is poured down the throats of the reluctant wassailers.

I am not sure what tradition then demands but, last night, everyone came back to the Brewery for a sausage supper and the consumption of yet more cider.  If you are getting the idea that the whole thing is just an excuse for a party in the middle of January - let me tell you it is a very serious business, indeed.  I am a bit concerned, though, that the whole thing is just a bit too close to Morris dancing for comfort!

The scholars among you might be interested to know that the word wassail derives from Olde English words waes hael meaning "be healthy" or "be whole" and it probably relates to the modern English term "hale and hearty".

Wassail!

Latest new craze hits South Devon!

Well I guess it had to happen eventually but the new craze called "Bagging the Dog" has arrived in South Devon.  It is a fairly simple game really requiring only a wet/dirty dog and a large bag with a zip.  The point of the game is to get the dog into the bag without getting wet/dirty yourself.  Points are awarded for speed and style and deducted for the use of foul language.  The really clever part about this game is that when the dog is let out of the bag it is miraculously dry/clean.

Diane managed all this, without the benefit of a safety net, at the end of a New Years Eve trip to the Erme estuary with Digger and Sue.  Actually, Mr Digs did not seem to mind this new game too much although he did have to be restrained from jumping out of the car en bag when they got home. 

Our early exitement about this new game was slightly tempered yesterday, though, when Mr D got so wet and muddy on a new walk by the river at Ivybridge that he had to get hosed down in the bath when he got home despite having being "bagged" on the way home.  This lead to our first attempt at another new game called "trying to climb out of the the bath backwards whilst being hosed down from the front" but this one clearly needs a bit more practice.

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