Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Wassail


Wassail
Originally uploaded by linfrye.
In honor of the New Year -- Wassail -- a spiced wine beverage --


Here we come a-wassailing
Among the leaves so green.
Here we come a-wassailing
So far to be seen.

Love and joy come to you
And to your wassail too.
And God bless you
And send you a happy New Year,
And God send you a Happy New Year!

And a bit from an article I wrote about the Natural History of the New Year:

Celebrating the New Year is practiced the world over with special foods, ceremonies, parties, proverbs, and resolution-making. The wassail bowl, from the Middle English words, waes haeil, means “to thou well” or “to your health,” and was a long ago custom in which participants drank to one another’s well-being. A mixture of ale, sugar, nutmeg and roasted apples was prepared, and the merry-makers would toast one another just after midnight on New Year’s Eve.

“Wassailing,” another old custom, had the well-wishers going from house to house with their wassail bowl of cheer. In exchange for a toast of the beverage and perhaps a chorus or two of the carol above, they would receive New Year’s gifts of fruit and nuts. In addition to the wassail bowl, the New Year’s visitors would make their calls, carrying sprays of evergreen hung with apples, oranges and ribbons.

And while I wish I could carry good wishes to everyone door-to-door, please let this painting suffice --

HAPPY 2007 EVERYONE!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Happy New Year Lin!! I've enjoyed visiting in 06 and will be here for visits in 07!! Your joy and exuberance is contagious!!! I love your flower series lately by the way.

Teri said...

There is just no end to your talents Lin! I love your faint hint of the stick in the glass. Great color in this also.

Anonymous said...

Hey Lin - i din't know any of this, even thoguh i come from this isle. I do know that now when we rink to somebodies well being we say 'Cheers!' So cheers to you Lin - have a wonderful 2007 and look forward to seeing your work during the next year. Thanks for your lovely comments, they mean a lot. Love Andrea.

Anonymous said...

Good cheer, good health and good painting to you, too Lin. Have a wonderful 2007 and may all your artful dreams come true.

Thanks for your constant support through the year!

Anonymous said...

it looks delicious - great shading!
Ive never heard of Wassail though...
Cheers to you!!

Terri said...

Thank you dear. Some of the old customs are wonderful are they not? The drink looks warming and delicious. Cheers to you dear friend. Here's to a wonderful 2007!!

Anonymous said...

Happy New Year, Lin! I hope 2007 is a good year for you.

Anonymous said...

I love this mug drawing. Happy new year, happy birthday, and happy drawing! I love your productivity and enthusiasm :-)