Hoots remembering of "Decoration Day" made me want to share some other "days" that used to be...... Some of them would be a welcome change from the commercialized "holidays" we have now!

January- Plow Monday...beginning of farming March- New years day....corresponding with spring, not Jan 1st. May- Rogation Sunday...a day when farmers walked boundarys and looked over their crops and prayed for good crops. Also a time for girls to collect the first May flowers in a basket and give to their parents....A "May Basket" day June- Whitsunday....no idea what this was. July- Independance Day....but one with country wide bell ringing...THAT would be much better that those noisy and dangerous fire works! Simnel Sunday....young house wives made simnel cake and took it to their mothers. August- Lammis Day....Blessing of the first harvests and food and games.End of farming. About the last week of the month a bell ringing would occur for the needy to glean the fields....a "Gleaning Day" September- Fair season! This one is still practiced. December- The first of December was Sled Day...though not in Alabama where I reside! Forefathers Day..Dec 21...the day that the pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620.

Anyone know of any more?

-- Jason (AJAMA5@netscape.net), August 04, 2000

Answers

Here is the recipe for Simnel Cake....

1/4 lb butter 1/4 lb sugar 1/4 lb flour (plain not self rising..this is from the late 1700's) 2 ounces candy peel and/or citron (no idea what those are) 1/2 lb currants 2 eggs

Cream butter and sugar. Beat eggs one at a time; add each slowly. Dust fruit with flour; add remaining flour and then add dusted fruit. Place in greased pan and bake at 350 degress.(How long?...it didn't say).Cover with simple white icing. Traditionally, the icing is decorated with candied violets. Take freshly picked violets, wash and dip in a syrup of sugar and water.

I haven't got my wife to make this yet....anything with 1/4 lb of butter in it makes my arteries hurt just thinking about it.

-- Jason (AJAMA5@netscape.net), August 04, 2000.