I do so love the old festivals, don't you? All that frolicking, fornication and fun, although I do tend to pass on the second option these days. All those glorious apportunities to set fire to things, lots of dancing round in your birthday suit (I think mine could do with a bit of an iron) and, in Geordie's case, things to tiddle on if you're so minded - which he is.
The 21st September is the Autumn Equinox, when day and night are the same length for one brief moment. It's widely known as Harvest Home which is when people give thanks for the fruits of the earth and smile secret little smug smiles because their freezers and store cupboards are once again full of goodies to last them through the long winter ahead.
It's also one of the eight sabbats of the Wiccan year although it's name is relatively new having been coined by the American academic Adam Kelly round about 1970 when he became heavily involved in such matters as require a black cat as your best friend.
Another annual event at this time of year, come rain (more often than not) or shine, is the St Flo brocante. It's a day when people come from miles around to flaunt their wares, flog old tat and fraternise with old friends, which possibly falls under the auspices of the "second option" (see above). I'm heavily into "f" illiteration this week as some of you may have already noticed and so my next "f" word is -
... "framing" of course and here is a fine example of what the good ladies of St Flo get up to on Wednesday afternoons when there's nothing else urgent needs doing.
As for what the "naughty" ladies of St Flo get up to let me present the ratcatcher's cousin Josie from his mother's side of the family. Here she is plying her trade and trying to knock out a few windfalls at the same time while she casts around for someone unsuspecting to goose.
On the way home if you can't think what to have for supper why not pop in to our ultra-modern supermarket and pick up a chunk of 18th century cheese to go with Josie's juicy pippins, a few slightly faded paper whatever they are's and some dead flies from the window display or perhaps a stomach pump from their ever expanding nearly new section. If you're lucky you may even be able to run fast enough to catch some of their famous sausages but always check out the sell-by details as anything dated before 1750 may be a bit tough by now. Bon appetit!
