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.
I've been thinking about the servants, who would have to get the morning chores finished on Mothering Sunday …
The village of Altarnun
... 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' |
...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?!
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:
Violets
"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
21 comments:
Hari OM
Easing in is the way to go... do what you can and acknowledge what you can't. Yes, Mothering Sunday honouring the home church is something very few think upon in these days of commercialism... YAM xx
My mother did like violets, but I usually got her something more practical. No longer do I need to worry about it, though. Sigh.
Glad you are feeling your way back in. Onwards and upwards!
Surprised yours hasn't fallen into the commercial trap of ours.
Your version of Mother's Day seems much less commercial than ours, which is definitely better. Glad you're doing well, HIlary!
When my brothers and I were young, we used to take the parents a cup of tea and toast into their bed each Mother's Day. I don't supposed they loved the tea and coffee, but they appreciated the effort their children were making :)
Good to see you back, Hilary. Yes, spring is a time for a fresh start.
Nice to note the practice of servants being given a day off to visit their "mother church" and their own families often picking violets along the way as gifts. :-)
If anything will put a spring in your reinvigorated step, Hilary, it is those beautiful violets. I was familiar with the term Mothering Sunday as opposed to Mothers’ Day here, but I did not know of its origins as a mark of honour to the home churches. Here in North America, as is the case with all festivals and celebrations, it has become an orgy of crass commercialism. Cling on to ancient practices as long as you can. Very best wishes - David
I wish more people paid heed to the true origins of Mothering Sunday. What a hard life it was for young servants, and how sad they must have been to leave their homes again after just a few hours.
Glad to hear you are feeling better, long may it last. Happy St. Patrick's Day. We are still in Africa at present seeing lots of wildlife. Take care Diane
@ Yam - thanks ... I am being pretty lazy, which is a bit of a nuisance! Doing what I want to do .... Thanks re Mothering Sunday - a day, as you say, we should remember.
@ Liz - I'm sorry your mother has gone ... but I'm pleased that you now remember her love of violets.
@ Anabel - yes ... slow but sure, or as you say onwards and upwards!!
@ Alex - yes, I'm glad we haven't completely fallen into the commercial trap - those traps are very sad that the public have fallen for.
@ Debbie - it definitely is much less commercial than yours. Sadly people seem to forget the reason why sometimes ...
@ Hels - those were the days ... brothers and sisters doing things for their parents - bet your parents remembered those days ...
@ Pradeep - thanks so much ... I must get back into commenting and catching up. Desperate times for those servants - still I guess they had a job ... and picking early spring flowers for their mothers - a kind thought ...
@ David - I do hope Spring catches me very soon and keeps reinvigorating me. Violets are such delicate flowers ... always beloved over the centuries. I remember my year in Canada - and noting the commercial aspects ... it's intruding here. It's good to remember our ancient time-honoured practices ... long may they last. Thanks for your thoughts ...
@ Janice - I know we forget so much of where our traditions and culture came from. Desperate times for servants ...
@ Diane - thanks and as you say: long may my health continue improving. Thanks re St Patrick's Day wishes. I'd love to be in Africa ... seeing lots of wildlife, flora and fauna, and the landscape ...
Thanks everyone for coming over and commenting - I'll be around soon - cheers Hilary
Is this the inspiration for Mother's Day?
Hi Karen - 'funnily enough' Christianity started over here having spread up from Europe ... so no ...Anna Jarvis was the founder of Mother's Day in the US. She wanted to establish a holiday after her own mother's death in 1905 ... unfortunately Jarvis had to struggle against forces of commercialization - which lost, as we know. I hope that clarifies that aspect. Cheers Hilary
Very glad you are easing into spring. I am back from vacation to Costa Rica and trying to visit favorite blogs and catch up. I will have plenty of posts soon about CR - lovely country and people.
The US Mother's Day is in May, but now I see dandelions popping up. I loved those as a kid and would pick the darn weeds for my mother. She'd put them in a paper cup.
Take care and hope the sun is shining!
Alturnan is a beautiful village, and I love the landscape as well but not the cold haha and love Shake spears words about the pretty violets. Happy you are feeling better
@ Joanne - yes so am I. You've been to Costa Rica - I gather it's beautiful and such an interesting country ... lucky you. Dandelions ... well as kids it was a pretty flower ... particularly later on with its seed pods ... good on your Ma - putting them on show. Yes - sun is shining, still cold at night.
@ Marja - Altarnun has lots of history ... relative to Jamaica Inn - Daphne du Maurier's novel. I agree the cold can be too much, and on those moors ... yugh at times! Shakespeare does describe life beautifully ...
Cheers to you both - Hilary
Now, now...you might copy America in many ways but you still have your Mothering Sunday in March and not Mother's Day in May. Since my mother in law was in Eastbourne, I always sent her cards and presents in March and May! Dear Joan, I miss her.
I must be heavy fingered. My comment went twice!
I don't think I'd heard of Mothering Sunday until this year and I have heard it several times. I hope to visit Cornwall someday.
Thanks Kay - yes ... our Mothering Sunday was first though ... and I think some very brave people crossed the Atlantic about 500 years ago ... and thus the USA was beginning to be born. Granted the English only really came about 1,000 years ago, after the previous 1,000 years when the various tribes were working out what was next (so to speak).
That's great you were so thoughtful to your MIL - we do miss our parents as we age, don't we ... No worries re duplication - I take them out should they pop up ...
@ Jeff - good to see you ... yes our English traditions are mainly based on religious connections. I do hope you get across here and visit Cornwall - it's a lovely county ... I wrote an A - Z Challenge on Cornwall in 2015, should you be interested.
Cheers to you both - Hilary
Post a Comment