Friday, July 31, 2009

Another Food Holiday...Kinda !


For those of you that are keeping track of this sort of thing...Lammas Day is coming up on August 1.

And what, you may ask, is Lammas Day? Well, my friends, I'm glad you asked!

Lammas Day marks the beginning of the harvest. In old England, loaves of bread were baked from the first-ripened grain, consecrated in churches, and eaten.

From the Old English hlaf, “loaf,” and maesse, “mass” or “feast,” Lammas is very old indeed.

It derives from the ancient English festival called the Gule of August, which marked the beginning of the harvest, traditionally August 1. The early English church kept this pagan dedication of the first fruit but converted it to Christian usage.

Through the centuries, “loaf-mass” became corrupted in spelling and pronunciation to Lammas.

After Lammas Day, corn ripens as much by night as by day.

As the self appointed Keeper of Trivia, I felt it my duty to remind you of this! After all, you know that I'm just a vast warehouse of useless information, right?

As much as I'd like to claim all the credit, you undoubtedly know that I really gleaned this information from the pages of The Farmer's Almanac!

See, credit given where credit is due!

Oh, and by the way...more importantly, August 1 is also Air Force Day! Take time to find a member of our armed forces and tell them "THANK YOU!" If you can't find a member of your armed forces, then at least say a prayer for the countless number of our troops that serve each and every day to protect the home front!

If by some odd chance of fate you can't find a serviceman or woman, or if you don't believe in prayer...then at the very least, stand in front of your flag for a moment with your hand over your heart and give a very loud and meaningful "THANK YOU" for what it represents and for where you are! if you don't have a flag, then, for goodness sake...GO GET ONE! I mean, now more than ever before...it's time to show some pride and solidarity, don't you think?

Now, my friends, let's get some coffee and sit outside for a bit! We can watch MY flag fluttering in the breeze!

17 comments:

Kyddryn said...

Good morning, Mister Hermit, sir.

I celebrate Lammas, among other holidays.

I'll be baking bread, several sorts, spending the day celebrating the many grains of the beginning harvest. With any luck, I'll have friends coming and going, joining in the bake, taking loaves home with them. We'll bless them and share them, often saying "May you never hunger..." as we feed each other bits of different breads.

Yeah, it's all very pagan...but beautiful, to me...the sharing of the staff of life...wishing that no one should know want, but always have enough and a bit more besides.

It'll be white (well...unbleached) bread, wheat bread, corn bread, and possibly an Irish soda bread that has oats in it, as well as banana bread and maybe even blueberry muffins. Much of it will go out the door to other homes, delivered to neghbors or shipped off in packages to friends far away...

I will remember, sir, to thank the service folk I know, too...but then, I always do when I see them...if nothing more than a "Thank you for serving..." The Evil Genius does the same.

Now...what baked good will you have with your coffee today, sir??

Shade and Sweetwater,
K

HermitJim said...

Hey K...
I'd be more than blessed to break bread with you, my friend, anytime!

On behalf of all the service people that receive your thanks...thanks in return for aring.

If I had my choice of the bread, I'd really like some fresh french bread, with maybe a little olive oil...if that's alright! I have to admit, though, it all sounds good to me!

Thanks for the visit, Lady!

vlad said...

Grain is a gift from the gods.
When it is raining and I am in my shack warm and dry with 2 oz JD Black label and water things are not so bleak.
Omar wrote,
"I sometimes wonder what the
vinters buy
one half so precious as the stuff they sell."

JoJo said...

Good Morning Sir,
Another lesson in history good Sir. I like when you bring such enlightenments to the coffee table. Did you bake up some bread today? I would be so happy to bring the coffee and cream butter for all this great bread,Ms. K baked today.

Ken said...

...cool...learn sumthin' everyday...only flags' i got flyin' are Mississippi state flag,and my POW/MIA flag...the US and a couple Confederate battle flags fly in the garage...It may come out again,but right now,She stays where She's at...

HermitJim said...

Hey Vlad...
Nothing like a little BlackJack to help ward off the evil spirits and the morning chill! A Touch in the coffee never hurt, either!

Hey, thanks for coming by today, Vlad...


Hey JoJo...
Haven't baked bread yet, but I may do so a little bit later! Butter...a necessity! Honey...even better!

Glad you liked the post, and glad you could come by for a visit this morning, Sweetie!


Hey Ken...
Good to see you this morning, buddy! Grab a cup and tell me about the weather there! Are you getting any rain? Down here it is becoming nothing but a memory, almost a used to be legend, ya know?

I need to see if i can find an MIA/POW flag...I don't have one.

Glad you dropped in today, my man...I appreciate it!

Anonymous said...

Morning Jim;

Thank you so much for furthing my education. That old farmer book must a gold mine.

Fresh bread, and blueberry muffins with your good coffee sounds like a winner to me. Directions to your place please?

Prayers are said daily for our brave service men and women.

See Ya

Kyddryn said...

Bread fresh from the oven, Irish butter melting in, honey puddling on top, cinnamon sprinkled over all. Can't help but hum while eating it.

Yeah, no wonder I have a fifty...erm...forty-six...acre arse!

Shade and Sweetwater,
K

HermitJim said...

Hey Tony...
Don't ya just love it when the young ladies bring all these goodies?

Always seems to taste better when someone else does it!

Hey, thanks for the visit today!

HermitJim said...

Hey K...
I'll just bet that the size is slightly exaggerated !

If I were a younger man, I'd be knocking on your door asking for your hand! But as an old hermit, instead I come knocking on your door looking for a handout! (bread, if you please!)

Thanks for making me hungry again, my friend!

Kyddryn said...

Aww, Mister Hermit, sir, you're too sweet!

Shade and Sweetwater,
K (who couldn't give you her hand, anyway - she needs it to bake bread with!)

Ken said...

...ahhh coffee...yeah i'll have a mug,thank you Sir...been wet as hell here,they wont be screaming 'Drought' in NE Mississppi this year...been cooler also,saves my light bill...lol

...on the flag topic,watch for offshore imitations,look for sewn cloth(stating obvious i know),silk screened ones are junk...buy cloth,they're alot more expensive,but will last 10x longer,mine are old,11 or 12 yrs,and just showing signs of wind fray...i think it adds character,and this is only my second set of flags...

...buy American,it might still matter...lol
...GodBlessOurRepublic...

HermitJim said...

Hey Ken...
I know what you mean about the quality of the flags. Here in Houston and also in Austin, two of the major flag manufacturers in the states have stores and from what I understand, they are doing a very good business right now.

I think that folks still want to believe in the flag and what it stands for. I know that it's hard to separate the politicians from the flag they are supposed to be serving, but we have to find a way to do just that!

Hey Brother, I appreciate the visit...

Bullseye said...

Hot dog a holiday just for bread !!! Now that's what I'm talkin about. LOL I just love bread of any kind and time. Thanks once again for the lesson, I always learn something new here at the Uncles place.

Bullseye
Code Name "Bullseye"

HermitJim said...

Hey Bullseye...
I know what you mean by liking the idea of a holiday just for bread! That's a win-win situation for sure!

As far as learning something , if anything here is entertaining or helpful in anyway...I'm pleased! It makes me feel good to know that folks enjoy dropping by!

Thanks, buddy...I appreciate it!

womanwisdom said...

hi unclehermitjim!

Lammas is something like the Christian Mass! there is so much to be grateful for indeed. and i do love bread. nothing like freshly-baked ones. hey Ms.K! would love to join you for lessons on bread baking...and to eat them with the butter and cheese!

my old folks came from switzerland, cheese-loving, chocolate-loving, wine-loving, bread-loving land! thanks for the trivia, uncle, love that really.

oh and by the way, had a grand-uncle from Minnesota who was in the Air Force. thanks too for reminding me to offer prayers!

now, i'll take that coffee and mmmmmm warm bread...(i'm getting hungry now! it's almost lunch time on this side of the planet...)

go gently unclehermitjim...

HermitJim said...

Hey WW...
Good to see you today. If you like cheese, chocolate, bread, and wine then you are in good company, for certain!

Thank you so much for dropping by today!