The Scream

 

The Scream

Edvard Munch (1863-1944) created this startling artwork in 1893. Munch had been walking at sunset when the clouds turned ‘blood red.’ He sensed that the natural world was deeply disturbed and showed the figure in the picture shielding its ears from the screaming noise made by tortured Nature.

There is no explanation for the unusual phenomenon of the sky’s bright and unusual appearance. Some suggested that it was the memory of the effects of a volcanic eruption that Munch had seen some years earlier. Others suggest that he had a panic attack; Munch was subject throughout his life to ill health, and a fear of developing mental illness.

This little jigsaw had fifty pieces and was one of several small jigsaws I bought as stocking fillers.

 

Amaryllis (Hippeastrum)

 

Amaryllis (Hippeastrum)

Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons

I haven’t grown amaryllis before but was inspired to try by Marlene at ‘Poppy Patchwork’ and Kirsten from ‘A Letter from Home,’ both of whom are recording the progress of their amaryllis plants. Before Christmas, I looked at various bulbs.

I considered a waxed amaryllis. This is a fuss-free form of bulb that requires nothing more than light. It is enclosed in a covering of wax and should produce flowers within six weeks. After flowering, the wax can be peeled off and the bulb composted or planted in soil in the hope of flowering the following year.

I had read that amaryllis can be difficult to encourage into flower in subsequent years and wondered if a previously wax-coated bulb might prove to be even more difficult. I decided against it and ordered a conventional ‘Royal Red’ bulb, already planted in a pot. 

It arrived on Christmas Eve and has grown tall and strong. It has two robust stems and the flower bud on the taller one looks ready to break open very soon.

Then I decided to try a different colour amaryllis and sent off for a red and white striped ‘Dancing Queen’ bulb. To my surprise, two bulbs arrived a couple of days ago.

 They have now been planted. One will remain in the conservatory, where it will get oodles of light, and the other will join ‘Royal Red’ next to the patio door in the sitting room, where the light, though good, is less abundant. It will be interesting to see if they respond differently. It can be six to eight weeks before they flower.

Snow in 2010

January 2010

We had a lot of snow in the winter of 2010 - a lot for this part of the world, anyway. At that time, we had four dogs – two Dalmatians, Frodo the Faller and Buddy Liver Spots, and two working Labradors, Jenna and baby Gus. 

Buddy Liver Spots and Jenna

They loved the snow. The air was crisp, the smells enhanced, the sensation under their paws different – soft and cold – but they didn’t stay out long enough to get chilled. It was cold, but there was no wind to pinch their ears and noses.

 Gus in a drift

Where the snow had drifted, it was easy for the Labradors almost to disappear, especially Gus, as he was only a few months old and still smaller than tiny Jenna, the little dog with the enormous paws.

 Gus checks . . .

Jenna retrieving, plumy tail waving as ever.

'Follow my leader'

The ball almost luminesces

Frodo often sniffed and licked Buddy's face. He was very fond of him.

Frodo, my Velcro dog, always kept close to me, but also adored Buddy, who was almost blind by then, having recovered from meningitis. Buddy enjoyed his walks but was kept on a long lead as he had a habit of wandering off at speed in the wrong direction, and then worrying because he had no idea where he was. The more he worried, the faster he trotted.

January 2026

This is the snow we've had so far this year. There may be more later on. 

We have had some very heavy frosts and a little fog. Heavy rain is forecast but will probably pass us by.

The bells, the bells!

 

The bells, the bells!

                                                Image source

The crackers we pulled at Christmas with our youngest daughter and her family contained small musical bells. There were eight crackers. wrapped in manuscript paper and ribbons, and we were able to play a selection of simple tunes with them. There were six of us so two people had two bells each. They were great fun. Jack was entertained for a very long time after lunch, following the ‘manuscript’ and playing the bells. Each bell carried a number from 1 to 8.

The crackers we pulled with our middle daughter on Christmas Day were beautifully packaged. I took the miniature cones and ribbons from them and put them on the small growing Christmas tree in the conservatory. Those crackers contained what were described as ‘superior’ gifts, and they were rather nice. One, a small silver whistle, was effective at summoning the dogs from the garden.

Quasimodo never actually utters ‘The bells, the bells,’ in ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame,’ but his life is enmeshed with the bells of the cathedral of Notre Dame.

A different sort of bells, which make no clanging noise, are ‘The Bells The Bells’ in Gogarth, North Wales. ‘The Bells The Bells’ is a steep, exposed cliff rising from the sea, on the small Holy Island off the west coast of Anglesey. The rock is quartzite.

                                              Image source

It constitutes an extreme climbing route, considered one of the most difficult and dangerous climbs in Britain. It was first climbed in 1980 by John Redhead, and is rarely climbed because of its severity. A fall could be fatal so planning the climb is supremely important.

I have never climbed, but have read several books by mountaineers. They are more than exciting enough and I am constantly amazed at the skill and audacity of climbers and perturbed by their drive. They climb because the mountains exist, defying and challenging puny humans to overcome them. 

Trousseau?

 

Trousseau?

Image source

Once upon a time, many moons ago, a young lady who was courting might turn her thoughts to assembling her trousseau. Trousseau derives from the French trousse, which means a bundle

A collection of linen, household goods, clothing and valuables like jewellery or silver would be stored in a ‘bottom drawer’ in the UK (a hope chest in USA or glory box in Australia.) It was the equivalent in some ways of a dowry, an indication of how much material wealth a woman would bring to a marriage – the richer the bride’s family, the more valuable the contents of the trousseau.

The custom persisted until the middle of the twentieth century, when it had evolved from dowry-like contents to items suitable for setting up home with the lucky suitor.

Anyway, what brought this to mind was the bottom drawer in the chest of drawers in my bedroom. It is the place where odd socks go to hibernate. When a pair of socks is called for because the housekeeper hasn’t performed her duties efficiently and there are no longer any matched socks left in the Master’s top drawer, it is to the bottom drawer one hastens. Surely there must be a pair there?

Depending on who is conducting the search, singles may find their appropriate partners, or be approximately paired with something similar. That is, if I am looking, the married pairs will match exactly. If Barry is searching, ‘They’ll do,’ he’ll say as two mismatched socks are thrust together. That drives me mad. I know it doesn’t matter, ‘Who cares? Who’s looking?’ but it matters to me and that is why my bottom drawer is full of odd socks. They’re not mine – I don’t wear socks.

The funny thing is that people can now buy deliberately mismatched socks, if they feel so inclined. They do look as though they belong together, strangely, unlike the pairs concocted from my bottom drawer.

Mismatched socks are a symbol for World Down Syndrome Day, on 21^st March. They represent the third copy of chromosome 21 which those with Down’s Syndrome possess.

Trousseau has two other meanings, one medical (Trousseau’s sign)  and one connected with wine, where it refers to a red wine grape, also known as Bastardo or Merenzao.

Peacekeeper

 

Peacekeeper

The brothers were having a spat. Jellicoe started it, as he often does. When he lost interest, Herschel began a new offensive and fur started to fly. Normally, they stop when I tell them, ‘No squabbling!’ but today they ignored me.

 Then Roxy stepped between them with a sharp ’grump’ and they nonchalantly turned away, their body language clearly indicating that they weren’t doing anything of great import and why was she making a fuss, anyway?

All the quadrupeds then had treats, dried chicken for the felines and carrots for the canines.

Roxy could teach the powers that be a thing or two about exercising law and order, with no damage to body or mind. She is gentle and kindly but will not stand any nonsense. She is the matriarch.

Nuuk

 

Nuuk

                Nuuk, largest city and capital of Greenland.

This image appeared on my screen on Tuesday morning, and I thought it was so pretty and quite apposite.

Nuuk is the capital and largest city in Greenland, which is an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is one of the smallest capital cities in the world.

One third of the country’s people, numbering 20,113 in January 2025, lives in Nuuk. About 90% of the population is Inuit, and the culture and history are celebrated perhaps more than in any other indigenous city world-wide.

Greenland is the world’s largest island and is a land of mountains and fjords. It experiences long, snowy winters and short, cool summers. The landscape reflects this, in that there are few trees.

It has been associated with Norway and Denmark for a thousand years, both politically and culturally. Although it recognises both Danish and English, among other northern European languages, its official language is Greenlandic.

Education and healthcare are free, and it is a socially progressive country, affording widespread rights to LGBTQ citizens. There is more information here.

Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons

Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons