Mothering Sunday … “Altar of Nonn” …

 

The village Altarnun, Cornwall, is named after Saint Nonna, mother of the Welsh patron saint: St David, who had moved to Cornwall in AD 527.

The village of Altarnun

I've been thinking about the servants, who would have to get the morning chores finished on Mothering Sunday …

... but at some point would be released to see their own mother often gathering violets on the way as a small token of their love ...

Bodmin Moor - the area known as
'Rough Tor'

... the images conjured up in my mind were of perhaps a peasant child struggling across the moors, against the biting wind and odd squally shower, to see their mother on their annual day off …

...yesterday Mothering Sunday – a day of honouring mother churches, as celebrated in the Middle Ages – is fading from many people's views of life … recorded though in literature – which I couldn't find - I'm sure one of the Bronte's wrote something?!

Violets

However here it is thought that Shakespeare's King of the Fairies, Oberon, might have given the Fairy Queen a bouquet of violets … as depicted in Act 2, Scene 1 from A Midsummer Night's Dream:

"I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,

Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,

Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,

With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine.”

The UK, Ireland and some Commonwealth countries celebrate this observance per the Church calendar … on the fourth Sunday in Lent – no doubt we will, as usual, also succumb to the American secular Mother's Day observation … on the second Sunday in May.

Nodding Violet -
Violet odorata

I'm feeling my way back in … I think the NHS (hospital) has faded into the background … and now Spring is about here … I can comfortably get on … as I hope you all can …

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

World Book Day … and International Women's Day …

 

The aspect of reading and its benefits are being encouraged for all … be it for the little ones, or for those older, perhaps even silver ones, who've not explored what's out in the written world …

Oracy is a word I hadn't come across … meaning the oral equivalent of literacy and numeracy … numbers can defeat many too!!

The National Literacy Trust empowers people to achieve literacy skills that'll be needed to succeed in life.

One book to start with (I've more … I'm back!) … I've just read Julia Gray's 'I, Ada' about Ada Lovelace, Byron's daughter.

Julia Gray writes as though she's Ada … bringing her story to life, yet sensibly adding snippets to bring the story more to our attention … as we know relatively little about Ada …

Ada - portrait by Margaret
Sarah Carpenter (1836)

... at the end in the author's note Gray talks about 'imagine out' from what is known or can be found on a subject … then round out those notes … which Gray describes as some kind of middle plane between fiction and non-fiction where books like I, Ada must sit...

... Gray goes on to say that whatever topic she's been researching there will always be questions that can only be answered by imagining out as to what might have happened … enlightening the reader a little more about the subject to hand …

I found this imagining aspect really quite insightful … and, oh yes!, it's a great read … about the mathematician, who envisaged the analytical engine … Ada Lovelace is often considered the first computer programmer.

Illustration from Sydney Padua's
graphic novel

2015 celebrated Ada's bicentenary … when I'm sure I came across Sydney Padua's webcomic and graphic novel 'The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage' abbreviated in a newspaper … bemused and hooked me …

I believe I'm on the way to being back … and am feeling distinctly easier … so here's to the future. Books galore and Women galore on the way to you in the coming months …

Ada - the computer programming language is named for her ... all two hundred years later ...

Ada (programming language) ... 

Literacy Trust organisation ... World Book Day ... and skills ... 

Not Your Typical Role Model from the 18th century - an overview on Sydney Padua's graphic artist's take on Ada Lovelace ... an overview by Dr Hannah Fry - who is Cambridge University's Professor of the Public Understanding of Mathematics ... utterly fascinating (only 1.15 clip's viewing) ... 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Balance of Nature ... Jacqui's book launch ...

 

Apologies one and all … life has caught up with me – Jacqui booked her 'date' with me back in December tying into the launch phase …

Jacqui's book ... without
the extra title would help -
but ... so be it

... times were free then – but, as happens, life and people caught on … and here we are in the New Year – with too much happening in February …

Hospital today, but that's another story, a new appointment booked for next Friday … so life can go on and I can finish this week, then my talk, I'm giving, on Mrs Beeton, to our History group, on Monday – which I wasn't expecting to be asked to do in February – ah well!!

Daylight is getting longer … bliss … and I'm sure my mojo will properly return soon – but for now, my Balance of Nature is there … but pretty static …

Jacqui's 'handle' for us all to use ... 

Minor adjustments to the 'see-saw' and this week will have passed off happily … I'll be back properly soon …

For now – Jacqui deserves all the kudos we give her … I've loved the earlier books in the series, and this one I need to order and read – then I'll do a post anon … my choice was 'Book Review' … firstly: Do what you committed to do!! Failed in this case …

Crocuses (or Crocii) 
Spring is in the air

Congratulations to Jacqui for this launch – amazing achievement … and she's given us much to think about along our ancestral eras …

https://worddreams.wordpress.com/2026/02/13/im-over-at-hilarys-today/ 

Thanks for thoughts re hospital - just an outpatient visit, similarly next week - no emergency ... thank goodness.  I'll be pleased when this is all resolved!!

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Chips Ahoy!

 

What to write – my mojo is around … trouble is I have too many mojos … where to start – but today January continues, named after Janus, the god of beginnings and transitions … which we seem to have succumbed to …

Eastbourne shoreline

So towards food I go … would you like some chips? – they come pre-prepared, par-cooked and lightly salted … if you would – please be ready for a cold dip!! A container's worth has disgorged itself onto our coast … nothing like a view of Beachy Head with chips!!

Chips ahoy!
Beachy Head lighthouse in the background

The walker who apparently spotted them first … could smell vinegar … not what one expects from a shoreline.

These are the British version of chips!!

We've had a few ocean going vessel spills recently – these chips are probably not the worst … except for the plastic bags, they were stored in. People have been down clearing the plastic away … there's a seal colony nearby …

A Canadian blogging friend from days of yore (2010 days of yore!!) … has had a similar health problem to me – so she's offered to give me some clues and I can at least have some idea of what the future holds. I just remembered her situation from a few years ago – and so emailed to ask her for some guiding help: I'm very relieved to say.

Beachy Head lighthouse without being
framed by spilt chips

I've no idea what I'm doing … but this will suffice before February rocks around …

Three Mojo Sauces

However – I'd never realised 'Mojo' is a sauce from the Canary Islands … also that there are a lot of Mojos in the world … live and learn again, I guess!!

We are living in very odd times … take care to you all in the cold, the heat down under and just generally …

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Tuesday's Child ...

 

Odd - today is a Tuesday … and thus all those many years ago … a child who is full of grace was born …!?!?!?

Monday's Child lyrics - as published 
in St Nicholas Magazine (1873)

Monday's child is fair of face,

Tuesday's child is full of grace.

Wednesday's child is full of woe,

Thursday's child has far to go.

Friday's child is loving and giving,

Saturday's child works hard for a living.

But the child that is born on Sabbath day,

Is bonny and blithe, good and gay.

**

'Twas on a Tuesday morning

The gas man came again …

… the gas men never stop …

they'll be around for a while - 

... on, on and on ...!!

Daffodils and Narcissi

I just hope 2026 gets my health sorted out … or at least eases – everyday it's a nuisance.

I note that Damyanti (Damyantiwrites.com) is still a week ahead of me … I just hope she won't give up her blog …

I give up … I can't count – but think I'm going into my 18^th year of blogging – a bit of a shock to me … but my blogging mojo has returned …

Champers all round - around here!!

Busting out the champers ... 

Thanks everyone for being here – I really enjoy the interaction with you all … here's to more ...

Damyanti's blog – latest post …

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Blog Mojo returns …

 

I've taken myself off to visits to Namibia that occurred in the late 1990s … one came about as I belong to a TED group and introduced two TED talks … more on those later, possibly via another blogger …

... and then I came across this artist, Uli Aschenborn – born 1947, who just mesmerised me … there's another South African artist on the way later in the year …

The National Art Gallery of Namibia situated in Windhoek … displays exhibitions from local artists on Namibian, African and European Art …

This way up - the drawing is of a Mountain

... Aschenborn has had some of his work displayed here … much of it has movement as an integral part of the art, and so falls under the genre described as Kinetic Art.

Here it is ... the other way up it is
of a Crater

I've linked to his Wiki page – where you can see a few of works … one where the drawing, Mountain or Crater, can be turned upside down, another 'Sculpture-Morph, Male Life Cycle … where the artwork shows us an ageing boy, changing to an old man eventually to a skeleton …

Namib skyline

People are so clever … and this blogging world is always opening my eyes to new areas – so thank you for allowing me to be me and let you see into my way of thinking …

Uli Aschenborn Wikipedia link ... 

Happy New Year … I'll see you around soon …

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Happy New Year 2026 …

 

I still can't quite believe … 2026 … where did that come from … I was only seven 'a few years ago'!!

An 1880s
New Year salutation

Still onward and upwards … 2025's health challenges have to be put back in their place in 2026 … somehow – we shall see … life continues and is interesting – albeit quieter as the years tick by … thankfully 'you encouraging lot' are here … cheering me/ us all on …

Gerrard Winstanley's quote from 1649 seemed to ring rather too true today – from nearly five hundred years ago …

"Was the earth made

to preserve a few

covetous, proud

men to live at ease;

or was it made to

preserve all her

children?”

Gerrard Winstanley (1609 – 1676) – Political Philosopher amongst his other talents and ideals … I call upon us all to ...

Think,

read, and seriously ponder between the lines,

concentrate on the quieter words,

no need for division … I like marmite – I know many don't – but I'll be happy for you with your vegemite!!

2025 was not the easiest of years for most people in this world … 2026 doesn't portend well …

Let's do all we can to help others in all ways … so many far worse off than we are … 'doing good does us good' …

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories