Y is
for the east Yorkshire coast ... a beautiful area of north east England ...
 |
| Haydon Wyke, Yorkshire coast - rock hopping |
Y is
for Youghal, a seaside resort in Co Cork, Ireland ... this means “yew woods”, the trees at one stage
being plentiful in the area ...
 |
| Youghal town harbour |
...
then Y is for Yew - among the hardest of the softwoods; yet it possesses a
remarkable elasticity, making it ideal for products that require springiness,
such as bows ...
 |
| 1,600 year old Yew at Estry, Normandy |
... the
trade of yew wood to England for longbows in the 1300 - 1500s was so robust that it depleted the
stocks of good-quality, mature yew ...
... a
serious shortage ensued ... Kings made orders ... but the Statute of
Westminster in 1472 stipulated that every ship coming to an English port had to
bring four bowstaves for every tun ...
Richard III upped this to ten staves for every tun.
 |
| See Wiki under tun for more info |
(A tun is an English unit of liquid volume
(not weight) used for measuring wine, oil or honey ... typically a large vat or
vessel, most often holding 252 wine gallons)
Sir Walter
Raleigh (1554 – 1618), was Mayor of Youghal – here he is painted in miniature
(c 1585) by Nicholas Hilliard (1547 – 1619), who was trained as a goldsmith and
limner (illustrator of manuscripts).
 |
| Yellow horned poppy |
Y is
for Yellow horned poppy ... a summer
flowering plant that grows on the seashore and is never found inland ...
... it
looks pretty – but is deadly ... being very toxic.
Robert
Bridges (1844 – 1930) penned a short poem to the poppy:
A poppy grows upon the shore,
Bursts her twin cups in summer
Her leaves are glaucus-green and hoar,
Her petals yellow, delicate.
She has no lovers like the red,
That dances with the noble corn:
Her blossoms on the waves are shed,
Where she stand shivering and forlorn.
 |
| Sulphur Yellow Brimstone |
Y is
for the Yellow butterflies that migrate in from the continent ... our only
native yellow butterfly is the sulphur yellow Brimstone ...
 |
| Cornish Saffron Bun |
Y is
for Yeast-levened sweet bun – a Cornish Saffron bun ... similar to the Swedish
lussebulle or lussekatt, Norwegian lussekatt ...
 |
| Gorse covered cliffs above Bedruthan Steps, north Cornwall |
That
was Y for yodelling from the Cornish granites across the cliffs of Yellow Gorse
... to yet say yes to the Yew of Youghal ... and the Yorkshire coasts on the
westerly winds ...
 |
| Yellow Wort |
... knowing
that a yellow Yeasty saffron bun can be munched on the strand surrounded by Yellow
horned poppies, Yellow-wort on the dunes, under the yelping gulls and yawing
red-billed choughs ...
 |
| Cloudy Yellow Butterfly |
...
while we wait for the Yellow butterflies migrating from southern Europe ...
these are the Ys of the Aspects of British Coasts ...
I am in need of sustenance ... the machine is fixed pro-tem ... I might be moving into the 21st plus a decade century ... ie getting updated with all things ... sadly the saffron buns are in Cornwall!
Hilary
Melton-Butcher
Positive
Letters Inspirational Stories
36 comments:
Lots of y's available today. I knew nothing about yew wood and what it is used for. It's interested in that it has a spring to it. I immediately thought of a dance floor where one needs a spring too but also a harder wood. But to solve this they put a layer of air space under the wood. I digress
Some of the pretty flowers are big foolers as far as deadly goes. That little poppy looks harmless enough to the passerby. Do people ever pick them when they walk alog the beach?
One more day to go and another A-Z under our belts.
Nature does provide an interesting subject matter.
I think we still use those vats for storing rum and wine in the factories here.
Youghal is such an old city. Love the gorse lining the cliffs.
Never knew Sir Walter was Mayor of anything, didn't know the meaning of Youghall either. Was he an Irishman then? I remember those yellow poppies, didn't know they were toxic. Another interesting post. Glad your PC was up to it for this morning, sorry afternoon for you.
My friend and I loved the yellow daffodils we saw all over the UK. I know they're a weed but they're so pretttttty. :)
Quite rightly Yorkshire comes first as it does for my dogs today.
A most wonderful collection of Ys.
That is a beautiful old tree. I would love to place my hands on it, sit beneath it for a while...
And wasn't Raleigh a dashing fellow? But can you see any male these days wearing all that lace? HA!
Yellow is becoming a favorite color of mine. AND yellow flowers just make me--happy all over.
I wonder how far a yodel can carry?
Hilary, Youghal sounds like a charming place to visit. The Yellow horned poppy is beautiful. Sad that it's so deadly. Love the butterflies. Wishing you a wonderful day.
Gosh you did great with all those "Ys" Hilary! I'd love to visit the Yorkshire coast, among other places. I haven't had much to eat yet today and now I'm hungry after reading about those Cornish Saffron Buns!
An explosion of yellow brightens our day. Loved the tour of Y aspects of the British coasts, Hilary. Saffron buns sound interesting. That poisonous yellow poppy sound ominous. Wonder if they used it for poison in the old days. . .(that's my 'suspense' mind wondering)
I have some lussekatter frozen and ready to eat! I always save some. We don't put saffron in ours in Sweden, but cardamon. Raisins, yes.
That butterfly against the blue flower is a gorgeous shot.
I do love how you alliterate your wrap-ups so cleverly each post. Amazing series, Hilary.
Tina @ Life is Good
A to Z Team @ Blogging From A to Z April Challenge 2014
I love the color yellow, it just makes me feel happy.
The yellow butterfly is beautiful and that bun is making me hungry ...LOL
Great post, you are almost done, Bravo, Hilary
So many Y's today! Great job Hilary. I liked the poppy poem you included.
The thing is, in order to know the plant was poisonous, somebody had to eat it, or drink tea made from it. Fascinating that so many of us have to be dead.
As usual, this was very interesting, Hilary. Your knowledge on Britain is astounding.
You have me yearning for a visit to the British Coast...a wonderful series
Ah, Yellow--such a happy color and Yorkshire is my favorite, small travels (me) and wonderful novels set in Yorkshire--wasn't "All Creatures Great and Small" set in Yorkshire? And now you will be more of a computer whiz than you already are, Hilary!
Lots of Ys! My favorite is the butterfly.
Hi Hilary - I'm pleased you're getting your computer sorted out. I hope it's not Windows 8 because I don't know anyone who can recommend that version.
Lots of 'Y's here and excellent choices. I frequently see those yellow horned poppies around Southport beach; thankfully I no longer pick wild flowers. I didn't know they were toxic.
I enjoyed the Robert Bridges poem, depicting that nasty rose.
I'd like one of those saffron buns myself.
One day to go... and thank you for helping me through it all with your comments.
A fascinating post with so many interesting parts to it. Lovely yellow has many faces! I never knew Walter Raleigh was mayor of Youghal! How special is that?!
Wow. I never knew those yellow poppies were toxic. Great information here, and I'll probably use a lot of it. I'm your newest A to Z follower, and I'm sorry we haven't met sooner through this challenge.
Deb@ http://debioneille.blogspot.com
I've spent a good few holidays in Yorkshire - beautiful county, and driving up the coast around the edge of the moors is just fantastic. I've never seen a yellow horned poppy, but I'll admire from afar if I do!
Sophie
Sophie's Thoughts & Fumbles - A to Z Ghosts
Fantasy Boys XXX - A to Z Drabblerotic
Hi human, Hilary,
Yew nailed it with this one. I wonder if there's still a demand for longbows.
Will certainly stay away from the Yellow-horned puppy, um, poppy.
Nice pawetry. See loads of those butterflies in the summer.
Yeast is Yeast. I shall Yodel from Yeovil.
Thank you, my dear human friend.
Penny,
The Alpo Lapdog dog :)
Beautiful pictures and delicious descriptions! I think I'm going to google saffron buns now...
A fabulous selection of "Y"s! Thank you, Hilary. I'd not heard of Youghal and some of the others. I loved the poem and photos, it's a great post:)
Nice post. Learnt about the 'tun' part. Haven't heard of it before and good to know :)
I love those yellow butterflies, Hilary.
There are lots of them in Wisconsin.
@ Manzanita - yew is an interesting wood ... but it is very slow growing. I can’t see any reference to the history of sprung floors ...
I’ve no idea whether people pick the poppy – but as we’re discouraged from picking wild flowers, I’d hope not ... I don’t know how prevalent it is .. or if Councils might weed it out as it’s noxious ...
@ JL – nature is quite extraordinary if we take our time and look – you’re so right .... and I’m sure you use those types of vats for storing rum and wine, we use oak barrels over here as do the French ...
@ Susan – Youghal must be fascinating to visit ... and I too love the gorse across the cliff faces and granite outcrops ...
@ Jo – Raleigh is a Devonian, but spent many years in Ireland ... Wiki has a bit more info ... I didn’t know about Youghal either, but even though it’s in Ireland I felt I could include it ... for its history – Raleigh and Yew ...
There are variants of the yellow poppy – these are grown on shingle and never found inland ... and are considered a poisonous plant ...
@ Trisha – the daffodils you saw are cultivated ones, the wild daffodils are relatively rare now. There are 60 or so wild species around the world, through which we now have 10,000 named cultivated varieties ...
But in Spring they do bring us to life ... along with bluebells, snowdrops, cowslips .. really start to bring the greening back into our green and pleasant land with its colours ...
@ Bob – yes I thought you’d like Yorkshire first .. and your Yorkshire terriers are wonderful to see ... !!!!
@ Bish – thanks re my Ys ... the tree is in France, but is such a fine specimen and was in Wiki ... it had to go in!
Re lace and the male .. there are one or two who are very avant garde so it is highly possible ... but the intricacy of 16th lace is stunning ... and Hilliard’s workmanship is quite extraordinary .. so painstaking its detail.
@ Teresa – yes Spring makes us happy and the carpets of yellow flowers we see are just heart-warming ...
@ Alex – yodelling ... no idea: in the mountains some distance ... but it was my imagination just ‘a-thinking’! Being practical it’s way too far ... but ... yodel came to mind and got put in ...
@ Mason – if I get to Ireland again, then Youghal will be on my list to visit ... thanks the Yellow colourings of plants and butterflies are just so lovely to see ...
@ Lisa – Yorkshire is a coastline I don’t know much about ... so another place for me to visit sometime ... and Saffron buns I miss ... I miss going to Cornwall as often as I used to ... still I shall return sometime ...
@ DG – Y for yellow ... such a lovely fresh colour and it’s Spring for us in the northern hemisphere ...
I’m not sure about the poppy ... but the early peoples were well aware of their countryside and its uses ...
@ Tina – I thought you might pick up on the lussekatter .. having family it makes sense .. oh ok you use cardamom and raisins ... I just love the colour of them .. rich yellow bun!
The butterfly is a Wiki shot ... but the sulphur yellow shows ... and thanks re the alliteration ... it started with the crumbling cliffs at C ... and I felt that’s a good thought for the other letters ...
Part 2 following ..
@ Margie – yellow is a warm colour isn’t it .. and thanks so much for being here ...
@ Cely – and thanks re the poem – Robert Bridges had been triggered by a talk I’d been to ... so he and the poem resonated with me ...
@ Joylene – now don’t ask difficult questions! Probably the early natives would have watched the animals and birds avoid it .. and thus not use it themselves .. so I think we’d have lived ...
Thank you so much I can’t really take the credit! – I use others’ info .. but put my twist on it and pick and select what I want to write about ... considering everyone who might be reading ...
@ Paula - I hope sometime you can get to visit our shores ... and I’m glad you’ve enjoyed visiting the blog to take your mind of things ...
@ Natalie – yes a happy colour ... and Yorkshire – yes the Herriott series was set in the Yorkshire Dales ... and brought to live so vividly through his books and subsequent tv programmes.
I might get slightly more clever with computer skills – pretty much basic at the moment ... I do what I need to do just and somehow!! But thanks for the thought ...
@ Stephanie .. yes lots of Ys ... and glad the butterfly satisfies ...
@ Fanny – computer at least got me to Z ... and now I’ll move up the series towards 2014!! I’ve noted your comment ... and trust the people who are supplying me – they seem to know what they’re doing ...
Interesting that the yellow horned poppy grows around Southport beach ... I wonder if Southport information service advise on its toxicity ... and yes we might not pick wildflowers .. but toddlers or youngsters may well do ...
Thanks re the Robert Bridges poem – I’d only just heard about him and then up he pops in Wiki under the Yellow Horned Poppy with that poem ...
Saffron bun would be good ... wouldn’t it ...
@ Val – you must see lots of yellow along the canal paths ... well I wouldn’t have known about Raleigh and Youghal either .. except for a little encyclopaedic insider information ... ?!
@ Debi – with pleasure use the info – I’d be delighted ... and it’s great to meet you .. and I’ll see you as we continue blogging ...
@ Sophie – I know you and Natasha spent much time in Yorkshire ... it’s an area I don’t know that well ... but would love to visit. Yes please admire that flower from afar ...
@ Gary – many thanks ... I’m sure there’s a small demand for longbows with all the recreations the various societies put on ... thanks for joining in the Ys ...
@ Colleen – delighted that you enjoyed the post and hope you found sufficient information on saffron buns ...
@ Sharon – I was pleased in the end to come up with interesting Ys ... bringing the post together ..
@ Kaushik – thanks so much ... and glad the “tuns” interested you – pleased I put them in!
@ Julia – you too get migrations of butterflies coming up from Mexico and central America ... they are just amazing when they come in swarms ... yellow clouds ...
Cheers to you all – thanks for all your great comments ... Hilary
I love the Yorkshire coast! Such a shame that all the yews were cut down. Speaking of the sea, and trees, reminds me of that line from Susan Cooper's books: what is the wood that fears the sea?
The wood of the beech tree.
And for Z - hadn't thought of the zones so specifically before. How interesting!
Hi Deniz - thanks for commenting - the Yorkshire coast is special, just wish I didn't live so far south so I could visit properly ...
The yews were cut down because it was the Medieval era of needing wood for boats ...
Now - I'm a dummy and can't work out the correlation re the wood that fears the sea and the beech tree - must be staring me in the face ... but?!
Z - I was pleased I used it for tidal Zones ... it was a good wrap up Z ... cheers Hilary
Very cheerful Y-post with its Y-alliteration, Yellow horned poppies, Yellow Wort and Cloud Yellow butterfly!
I'm on catch up...may just finish March 2015!
Great Y's Hilary, my mum is from York so I'm half Yorkshire and half Lancashire...they are both close to my heart. Great images.Shame we can't swap places for a few hours a week. :)
I will go back over older posts I may have missed, please don't think me rude if I don't always comment.
Maggie@expatbrazil
Hi Hilary, it was a riddle in the Susan Cooper book. For some reason it always stuck with me :-) I guess you can't get beechwood wet?
@ Michelle - glad you liked the alliteration I add it ... not sure why I started it - but can't seem to stop for my A-Z posts ...
@ Maggie - yes that would be wonderful if I could teletransport to Brazil - I'd gladly swap ...
No worries re commenting - especially if you have a blogger who takes 2 years to reply ... I guess I never checked in again ...
@ Deniz - thanks for answering me re the sea and the wood - beechwood ... I expect that might well be right, or get sea water on to it ...
Actually looking at the Susan Cooper quote ... I couldn't make head nor tail of it ... but at least we have the source you were thinking of ...
Cheers to you three - sorry I'm so late ... Hilary
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