Saturday March 10, 2007
I am so enjoying this break into lovely, mild, sunny weather. To use, inappropriately, a worn-out metaphor, it’s like coming out of a long, dark tunnel into daylight.
Winter is not a tunnel. It’s a long haul, with precious little light, but it’s not a tunnel. It’s a noble season, savage and cruel sometimes, sullen and tedious like a beer-dozed hero when not. I used to take joy of my winters.
Now, I don’t.
Now, I understand why Spring is known as an old man’s friend.
In Spring a young man’s fancy turns… well we all of us know where it turns, and some of us remember what fun it was.
When daisies pie and violets…
Me, my fancy is turning, but it has said goodbye to all of that. Needs far too much energy, does that. No, I yearn more for sun-bleached turf, and to the taking of tea and cream scones in the shade of the elms. And cucumber sandwiches. Ye gods and little fishes but I could fancy a small plate of cucumber sandwiches.
The author, webmaster, and minder of the cat
16 responses so far ↓
man speech » A small plate of cucumber sandwiches // March 11, 2007 at 12:22 pm |
[...] post by oldgreypoet [...]
Bonnie // March 11, 2007 at 12:25 pm |
I’ve always wanted to taste cucumber sandwiches but cucumbers seem to hate my system.
Did your Vista change the time this morning?
Mary Lee // March 11, 2007 at 1:34 pm |
Yummm! Delicious and so refreshing and that lovely bit of crunch to it, as well. More cake and may I refresh your cup?
oldgreypoet // March 11, 2007 at 1:51 pm |
Mmmmm! Cucumber… Guess what I have for my lunch today…
Vista, acting smooth and perfect still, left my time alone this morning. And so it should, since our clocks don’t change until the regular date. Which is strange, because our Tony generally follows as close behind your George dubbya as he can get…
jee // March 11, 2007 at 3:59 pm |
Oooh. Cucumber sandwiches. My Gran (from Wales) used to make them. Tell us your “recipe,” please. Not something you see in the U.S. very often, at least not in my experience.
oldgreypoet // March 11, 2007 at 4:04 pm |
It’s not really a recipe… white bread, sliced as thin as possible and buttered very, very lightly. Cucumber, peeled, and sliced very thin, layered plainly. The tiniest dressing of fresh ground pepper if desired. Cut into quarters and eat with all the courtliness and grace you can muster …
A delicacy of the past, I fear … too plain for modern tastes …
CBG Dee // March 11, 2007 at 4:15 pm |
The sandwich sounds perfect right now … and here I am without a cucumber in sight. Will have to make a grocery run, I reckon. But I will sprinkle a teensy dab of dill, along with the pepper. (smile) May I watch you and take notes on courtliness and grace, please?
Brigitte // March 11, 2007 at 5:41 pm |
Hmm, yes, you know, some people say that food is the sensuality of the old…
oldgreypoet // March 11, 2007 at 6:44 pm |
I really like that … ‘food is the sensuality of the old’ … Mayhap. It’s certainly the only sensuality that’s acceptable in polite society.
Dee — the courtliness and grace is all about what you do with your little pinkie. Trust me on this.
Tim Reed // March 11, 2007 at 9:43 pm |
55F/14C here in the heart of the EU today, along with abundant sunshine. I love it and look forward to the same for much of the week. At least that is what the wether folks are promising. But you never know if they are spoofing us.
Rick is home for the next two weeks, so there will be a lot of fancies being turned in Brussels.
Mary Lee // March 11, 2007 at 10:19 pm |
I am so GLAD that you thought to mention the pinkie. Really all important, the proper comportment of the little pinkie. And cheers to the Brussels kids. Enjoy it while you’ve got it, weather, or anything else, is what I always say, I do! And now I’m fighting a terrible hunger for a cucumber sandwich myself. So, guess what’s topping my shopping list? Look what you’ve done, John Bailey!
K8 // March 12, 2007 at 4:58 am |
Oh I do adore cucumber sandwiches! Lovely things! And cream scones & tea under the trees on a sweet spring day — what a delight! My fancy often turns to such things as well, mostly because I don’t get much time to indulge in them. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!
andrew duffin // March 12, 2007 at 9:13 am |
“…in the shade of the elms…”
Alas, you won’t find that in England any more. They all died off about thirty years ago iirc – a tragic loss to the landscape.
Or are you exceptionally blessed down there in the West Country?
oldgreypoet // March 12, 2007 at 9:45 am |
There are some survivors, Andrew. Was it really thirty years ago? Seems like yesterday… well, only a short time, anyway. Let’s not get too factual here…
Bex // March 12, 2007 at 11:21 am |
I have everything for the cucumber sandwiches except the white bread. Don’t buy that anymore mostly here, even though I love it. But I have a brand new “English” cucumber in the fridge, so a small loaf of hearty white bread might be an idea. I always think simpler is better.
Pearl // March 14, 2007 at 8:21 pm |
Ah, that’s a lovely idea for a lunch. Cut thin you say. Something for the shopping list. Summery thoughts, I’ve already got them.