Candlemas

It is a long and dark winter this year as always. The days are so short, it seems we have hardly begun our work when it is time for quieting down for the night. It is cold and wet, too and the ground frozen as often as not. Candlemas helps to lift our hearts with its magic. There will be a procession around the churchyard and everyone will be carrying a candle specially decorated for this day. I like to be near the end of the procession because then I can see the long line of candles twinkling in the early morning light. After mass, we will keep the candles and burn them to protect us against storms and sickness.

On long winter evenings such as we have at this time of the year, William has been teaching Gilbert how to carve his own wooden flute, hollowing it out and making the holes for his fingers. It is much harder than making spoons or bowls, but GIlbert will master it as he did the other. William plays for little Matilda to help her go to sleep, and is much in demand at the alehouse after that. He loves the good times and sharing the music-making with his brother Geoffrey who plays the rebec wonderfully

Winter duties

Over the winter months, repairs had to be made to the home and the farm outhouses and fencing that there was not time for during the rest of the year.