While I’m not as brief as a dolphin, I’m also not one for long goodbyes, so I’m keeping this short. Besides, the sooner I’m done, the sooner I can go off and carouse in typical Twelfth Night fashion.
After 366 days (plus an extra New Year’s Day), 380 posts, and give or take 177,664 words, The Everyday Lore Project finishes tonight, Twelfth Night. Well, Twelfth Night again, depending on how you count.
Anyhow, it finishes tonight as Twelfth Night is the night where the world turns upside down. The servant becomes the master, the master becomes the lackey, the Lord of Misrule makes mischief, and everything runs amok. It’s the last big hurrah of the season and it felt like a fitting end. And which is also why I started the project last year tomorrow with hangover cures, as that’s the moment the world tilts itself back to normal.
So I made lamb’s wool, a hot, spiced, sweetened ale (or cider) thickened with roasted apples and whisked into soft white peaks to look like, well, lamb’s wool. It’s traditionally drunk tonight (or last night) and/or while wassailing. I’m not going to lie. I’m going to need those hangover cures tomorrow. It’s like drinking thick, warm, alcoholic, nutmeg honey. I didn’t manage the wool bit, even after abandoning my whisk for a stick blender. But right at this moment, I just don’t care.
Thank you to everyone who’s made this last year so brilliant. Your help, patience and kindness has kept me going despite all that Other Life going on. I’ve just performed and written about folklore every day for a whole year. What the fuck was I thinking?
Have some beans.
And that was The Everyday Lore Project. Cheers!
Resources
Cooper, Q. and Sullivan, P. (1994) Maypoles, Martyrs & Mayhem: 366 Days of British Myths, Customs & Eccentricities, London, Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Jones, J. and Deer, B. (1987) Cattern Cakes and Lace, London, Dorling Kindersley Limited
Roud, S. (2006) The English Year: A Month-By-Month Guide To The Nation’s Customs and Festivals, From May Day to Mischief Night, London, Penguin Books
https://oakden.co.uk/lambswool/
Hi Liza,
I feel quite bereft now that your Everyday Lore draws to a close!
Have followed along with interest, learnt so much, been inspired to read in depth around certain topics, and enjoying your daily posts became part of my routine.
Your style of writing and sense of humour has cheered up some of the very hardest lockdown days…no mean feat.
Massive thanks for all your research effort and hard work. I look forward to any future projects.
Wishing you (and all your audience) a far kinder 2021,
Stay safe,
Lara x
That’s such a lovely and kind message to write, Lara, thank you! Very pleased you’ve enjoyed the project and it’s helped with Other Life. And yes, there’ll be future projects, I’m already cooking one up. Not literally. I’m a disaster in the kitchen as you know. Keep safe x
Well done Liza what an achievement! Thank you for all the wassailing, haggis hunting, pip spitting, dreggracing, beetledriving, folklorin fun
Couldn’t have done it without you, Suze! Thank you!
Amazing achievement! Well done for keeping it going for a whole year! You can relax now. And may your lambswool wassailing always produce a frothy head 😉
Cheeky bleeder 😉
Congratulations! A triumph of determination and stamina. Well done, Liza.
Thanks, Geraint! And thanks for reading it all this time! Maybe now things will get back to normal…
Thank you so very much for all the wonderful posts.
Aw, thanks Jennifer!
Wow what a wonderful blog. I will be referring back to each post this year to keep up with the special things to do that I missed.
Thank you! What a lovely thing to write! And I hope it’s useful to you throughout the year.
Thank you for such an entertaining, good-humoured blog. Looks like the American Lord of Misrule really trumped himself in his efforts this year! Congratulations on your amazing year-long project. I’ll be looking forward to your new adventure!
Hi Mark, thanks for such lovely words! And yes, Misrule seems to be everywhere just now… Fingers crossed you enjoy my next adventure (which won’t be for a while, I really could do with some sleep)
Liza, Thank you for making me chuckle every morning and adding to my store of fascinating (useless to some) knowledge. Well done !
Cheers
Magg
My pleasure, Magg! Glad you enjoyed it!