BVDs

In hot weather, all tight fitting underwear 

is sticky and disagreeable.

--BVD ad, 1906

1906 ad--click to embiggen

I'm not looking forward to summer in the Midwest and having to give up my woolly socks. Last week on a Turner Classic Movies flick, there was mention of BVDs, referring to men's underwear, which sparked a conversation about the origins of the term.

After a trip down Google lane, I found BVD stands for the New York firm, Bradley, Voorhees & Day that initially manufactured underwear for both men and women beginning in 1876. The term "BVDs" has become, over time, a genericized trademark in reference to underwear of any brand.

Wondering about skivvies?  It's 1932, nautical slang, meaning underwear, of unknown origin. An earlier skivvy/skivey was London slang for "female domestic servant", 1902.

When we were raising a family, girls were in the minority at the manor, outnumbered by guys three to two, so men's underwear dominated the laundry. Somewhere along the line, in the late 80s, the boys switched from their G.I. Joe print "whitey tighties" to boxers. The youngest, still in college, has a truck load of boxers, enough to last six to eight weeks, until he comes home for a weekend and the manor is transformed into a Chinese laundry.

vintage corset and my 1950s mod vase

Speaking of tight fitting, BVD was the first to manufacture bustles for women. Dom mentioned yesterday that my mod vase looked like a feminine waistline in a 1950s basque or corset. Lovely?  Yes, but also a bit sticky and disagreeable. Thank goodness girdles and pantyhose are also things of the past. What are your undies of choice? Tighties? Thongs?

fly to the brutal clean

Castile soap is a name used in English-speaking countries for olive oil based soap made in a style similar to that originating in the Castile region of Spain, as early as the 1600s. The word "castile" actually means "land of castles". A few weeks ago, I mentioned in my poem "Molt" about sprouting "castile wings" and flying to the "brutal clean".

The poetic metaphor conjured images of the Kirk's Castile soap of my childhood, so much so, that I couldn't stop thinking about its distinctive scent.  Friday, when I was grocery shopping, I spied a small stack of Kirk's on the bottom shelf of the soap aisle at Kroger and tossed a three-pack in my cart.

It still has the white paper wrapper, now jazzed-up with a slick finish.  I was a bit disappointed, since it seems quite unscented, without any distinguishable traces of the unique trademark scent I remember so well. Maybe my olfactory system isn't as keen as it once was? Nevertheless, I adore the silky way it lathers, especially in well-water. It's the brutal clean, without dryness. I even like it better on my face than my pricey facial cleanser.  I love thriftiness. And chain reactions.  Do you have a favorite soap?

I'd like to be rich enough 

so I could throw soap away 

after the letters are worn off.

Andy Rooney

north is good

Chignon, Chuck Jones

(shēn-yŏn') 
n.
A roll or knot of hair worn at the back of the head or especially at the nape of the neck. From Old French chaignon, chain, collar, nape of the neck.

Le Chignon, Eva Gonzalès , 1865-70

My hair is finally long enough to wear pulled up into a messy chignon. For one thing, its quick and easy. It's great for keeping pencils handy, and sometimes, I add chopsticks. An added bonus is that my earrings are highlighted. The old danglies have been rescued from the back of the jewelry box.  It's nice to have at least one feature heading north these days, when everything else seems to be shifting south.

The chignon can be traced back to Ancient Greece, where Athenian women commonly kept theirs in place with gold or ivory pins. Athenian men wore the style, as well. It was also popular in Ancient China, where married women wore a low knot. During the Victorian era, chignons were often enormous constructions including false hair or pads. In the 1940s, many women wore the chignon under a headscarf, while working in factories to support the war effort during World War II. The timeless chignon is still popular today because of its elegance, and ease.

Portrait de Dora au Chignon, Pablo Picasso, 1937

It's interesting to note that in the Scottish lowlands, where my paternal ancestors hailed from, a variation of the chignon was once called a "cockernonnie" or "cock-up". That's all I have to say about that.

I think hairstyle is the final tip-off

whether or not a woman really knows herself.

Hubert de Givenchy, Vogue 1985

As you can see from the sidebar, my chapbook, Patina, is available for pre-order.  I have an advance sales period of six weeks, before the pressrun is determined.  If you are interested in purchasing a copy, it would help me tremendously if you would pre-order now.  Click the book image on my sidebar or the link below.  Thanks so much for your invaluable support, my friends. You're the best. 

FINISHING LINE PRESS PRE-ORDER

lord love a duck

my rubber ducky

What does "lord love a duck" mean, anyway? The only person I know who says it, is my dear uncle, who calls me "Duch", (not Duck), short for Duchess and makes me laugh until I can't breathe.

Speaking of laughing, was anyone else wacky enough to watch Lord Love a Duck on TCM Wednesday night?  It's a spazzy 60s satirical comedy, starring Roddy McDowall and Tuesday Weld, sort of a cross between Beach Party and Dr. Strangelove. It's my kind of quirk and it certainly lent its fair share of giggles.

Of all sources, the Oxford English Dictionary surprisingly notes just one, James Joyce's Ulysses. Remember this time last year, in honor of St. Patrick's Day, overtaken by my Irish DNA, I dived head first into the book, pledging to read it from cover to cover, only to come up gasping for air?  Although it has some gorgeous language, I shelved it, deciding it was much easier to read the most tasty passages singled out, online. Anyway, apparently T. S. Eliot used the phrase, "lord love a duck", as well as P. G. Wodehouse. Since it has been used a lot in inoffensive situations,  it is doubtful it is a euphemism for the F-word.  It also should be noted that "duck" or "ducky" has been used since the 16th century, when referring to a dear one, or sweetheart.

So, duckies, it all boils down to this: it's a quirky phrase to say, when nothing else seems to fit. I like that.

"...shall I wear a red yes and how he kissed me under the Moorish wall and I thought well as well him as another and then I asked him with my eyes to ask again yes and then he asked me would I yes to say yes my mountain flower and first I put my arms around him yes and drew him down to me so he could feel my breasts all perfume yes and his heart was going like mad and yes I said yes I will Yes."

--James Joyce, from Molly Bloom's soliloquy, Ulysses 

merrythought

Since we've been discussing all things auspicious this week, one particular person I know loves to save a wishbone every time he carves the turkey. I often find them, days later, hanging to dry in odd places around the manor. When I was a girl, I remember seeing them tied up with ribbons to adorn gift packages in the 1950's. I posted on this subject a few years ago, but thought you might enjoy a little reprise on the background of the quirky tradition of the luck of the wishbone.


The wishbone is the third member of the great Euro-American lucky charm triumvirate, the other two being the horseshoe and the four leaf clover. Sometimes called the "merrythought" in the British Isles, the wishbone is a bone overlying the breastbone of fowl, but most especially, the chicken and the turkey. It is the custom to save this bone intact when carving the bird at dinner and to dry it over the stove or by the fire or, sometimes, to dry it for three days in the air, three being a fortuitous magical number until it is brittle.

Once the merrythought is dry, it is given to two people, who pull it apart until it cracks and breaks, each one making a wish while doing so. The person who gets the long half of the wishbone will have his or her wish come true. If the wishbone breaks evenly, both parties get their wishes. In some families it is said that the wish will only come true if it is not revealed to anyone.

Because of its association with conviviality and festive dinners, the wishbone has a long history of use in holiday cards. The wishbone is found on numerous Good Luck postcards of the era. In the 1930s, the wishbone was a common image on North American good luck coins and one could even buy little gold or silver wishbone charms; but by the 1990s, it, like that other dead animal part, the rabbit foot, had fallen out of favour with the makers of lucky amulets.

butt in the hall of fame

All families have them, don't they? Quirky little words and phrases started by the children, that stuck for the duration. This summer, for instance, we at the manor have been calling cucumbers "cute-cumbers" ever since Jo, from A Nana's Journey, mentioned that's what her grandson calls them. Some of these words have become so commonplace, we don't even notice how strange they might sound to outsiders.

One of our particular family words is "flidge-a-later". When my daughter had her pre-kindergarten interview, one of the questions asked was, "What is the big box in the kitchen that is used to keep food cold?" The school principal later told us he did all he could to keep a straight face, when she looked him square in the eye, and said, "You mean the flidge-a-later?"

Here at the manor, if you happen to do something either outstandingly stupid or mean, not just regular every-day-kind-of-stupid, but something of the brilliantly stupid variety, you are ceremoniously bestowed the prestigious title "Butt in the Hall of Fame". This endearing practice started when the two older kids misunderstood the lyrics of the Munchkin song "Follow the Yellow Brick Road", from The Wizard of Oz, that go something like...

You will be a bust, be a bust, be a bust,

in the Hall of Fame!

At ages three and five, they had no idea what a bust was. It certainly sounded like "butt" to them. Okay, please tell me we're not the only family who has fondly and so willingly adopted silly words into their vocabulary. I would love to know some of yours.

sepia saturday, don't take any wooden nickles

Walter, the Missour-ah boy,
who originated the phrase in our family

When I found some loose change in the couch cushions the other
day, it reminded me of a phrase WT likes to say. He got it from his
father, who got it from his father. I guess you could say it is an old
"Missour-ah" boys' saying. The kids used to think it was so funny;
right on par with "I'm going to see a man about a dog", which he
would tell them when he was going somewhere and didn't want to
take them along. I'll save that for another post. I digress. The
phrase in question today is this:

Don't take any wooden nickels.

First recorded in about 1915, this expression was originally a
warning from friends and relatives to country folk in the great
migration from rural areas to the big cities, at the turn of the
century. It was a humorous bit of advice, meaning "beware of
those city slickers". No real wooden nickels were ever
counterfeited. Ironically, the country boys were the ones who
possibly did succeed in passing off wooden objects as the real thing.
Yankee peddlers as early as 1825 allegedly sold wooden nutmegs,
which cost manufacturers a quarter of a cent each, mixed in with
lots of real nutmegs worth four cents each.

A second source says the expression means "don't let yourself be
cheated or ripped off". Originating in the United States, in the 1920s
and 1930s, money that had no real value was sometimes referred
to as "wooden". Stories about wooden nutmegs, wooden hams, and
wooden pumpkin seeds contributed to the later use of the phrase
"wooden nickels" in America, and even the use of wooden rubles in
Russia.

Another source adds that the United States minted five-cent pieces
from the earliest days of the Union, but they were not known as
nickels until 1866, when the first five-cent coins containing nickel
were minted. The practice of making commemorative tokens from
wood as centennial souvenirs developed, and we assume wooden
nickels actually were made during the nineteenth century for this
purpose. Frequently such coins were accepted as legal tender while
the celebration was in progress, but they ceased to have value
when the show was over. So, the expression "don't take any wooden
nickels" became the popular equivalent of "don't be a sucker".

So, hey, there you have it, my bloggy friends.

Have a great weekend, and don't go taking any wooden nickles.



For more Sepia Saturday participants click [HERE].


info from:
The Phrase Finder
Morris Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins
by William and Mary Morris
Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins by Robert Hendrickson
Random House Dictionary of Popular Proverbs and Sayings by
Gregory Y. Titelman

conies

You probably noticed on my sidebar, that I've been having a Coney dog attack this week. I finally gave in, and made myself one, so I am happy to report I can once again live a normal life, craving free. The Coney, or Coney Island hot dog, has nothing to do with Coney Island, by the way, but is named for preparation style, rather than location. The birthplace of the Coney is actually right here in the Midwest.

Did you know "dog" has been used as a synonym for sausage since 1884? Accusations that sausage makers used dog meat, date to at least 1845. Appetizing, huh? The earliest usage of hot dog in clear reference to sausage appeared in the 28 September 1893, The Knoxville Journal.

It was so cool last night that the appearance

of overcoats was common, and stoves and grates

were again brought into comfortable use.

Even the weinerwurst men began preparing

to get the "hot dogs" ready for sale Saturday night.

Willow's Coney Dog Sauce


1 pound lean ground beef
2 cups ketchup
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp onion powder
3 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 cup water

Brown ground beef, remove from pan and drain well. In hot pan, add remaining ingredients, mix well, add meat and simmer 5-10 minutes until thick.

What's your favorite way to eat a dog? Or do you call them frankfurters, franks, wieners, or weenies?

three ships

Christmas just wouldn't be he same without listening to that smooth,

smokey voice of Nat King Cole. That opening line "chestnuts roasting

on an open fire" summons my holiday spirit. The familiarity of his

comforting voice, makes me feel all woolly inside, and says that all is

as it should be.

.

This season, the lyrics to one of the songs on the album, I Saw Three

Ships, got my pesky etymological juices flowing. I can't say why I've

not thought of it before, but what's it all about? Bethlehem is

certainly land locked, and there is no mention of ships in the biblical

story.

.

The tune of this carol is a traditional English folk song and the lyrics

were written by wandering minstrels as they travelled through the

country. In the original version of the carol, the three ships were the

ones taking the supposed skulls of the wise men to Cologne

Cathedral in Germany. Hmm. That's festive.

.

There are various versions of the song today, but they all involve

three ships. After doing a little poking around, here are some

possible meanings:

.

.

1) The arrival of ships is a symbol of good luck. They represent

prosperity and wealth, a wish bestowed for the holiday season,

since England was, at the time, a very sea oriented country.

.

2) The song is upbeat and happy. It expresses excitement about the

coming of the Christ child, much like the anticipation of a ship coming

in to port.

.

3) The three ships represent the three wise men who came sailing

in on their "ships of the desert", as camels are sometimes referred to,

to pay a visit to the holy family.

.

4) The three ships represent the holy family, Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

It's a disguised defense of Catholicism.

.

5) Ritson in his Scotch Songs quotes the following lines, stating they

were sung during the Christmas holidays about the middle of the

sixteenth century.

.

There comes a ship far sailing then,

Saint Michel was the stieres-man

Saint John sat in the horn:

Our Lord harped, our Lady sang,

And all the bells of heaven they rang,

On Christ’s sonday at morn.

.

This suggests that perhaps the ships were angelic ones, protecting

the Lady and her child, and delivering them on Christmas morning.

.

6) The holy trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit are represented as

the three ships carrying the Christ child to Bethlehem.

.

.

Here are the lyrics we are most familiar with today:

.

I saw three ships come sailing in,

On Christmas day, on Christmas day,

I saw three ships come sailing in,

On Christmas day in the morning.

.

And what was in those ships all three?

On Christmas day, on Christmas day,

And what was in those ships all three?

On Christmas day in the morning.

.

Our Saviour Christ and his lady

On Christmas day, on Christmas day,

Our Saviour Christ and his lady,

On Christmas day in the morning.

.

Pray whither sailed those ships all three?

On Christmas day, on Christmas day,

Pray whither sailed those ships all three?

On Christmas day in the morning.

.

Oh, they sailed into Bethlehem,

On Christmas day, on Christmas day,

Oh, they sailed into Bethlehem,

On Christmas day in the morning.

.

And all the bells on earth shall ring,

On Christmas day, on Christmas day,

And all the bells on earth shall ring,

On Christmas day in the morning.

.

And all the Angels in Heaven shall sing,

On Christmas day, on Christmas day,

And all the Angels in Heaven shall sing,

On Christmas day in the morning.

.

And all the souls on earth shall sing,

On Christmas day, on Christmas day,

And all the souls on earth shall sing,

On Christmas day in the morning.

.

Then let us all rejoice, amain,

On Christmas day, on Christmas day,

Then let us all rejoice, amain,

On Christmas day in the morning.

.

William Sandys, Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern

London: Richard Beckley, 1833

.

.

.

I'm much anticipating the arrival at the land locked manor of my

own three little ships this coming week. So, this carol as taken on an

entirely new meaning for me. Hope you enjoy the events in your port

of call this Christmas season, as well. ~x

.

photo borrowed from Flickr

doppelgänger

Poetikat used the delightful word doppelgänger in a wonderful haiku last week. I commented how much I liked the word and she quickly suggested I should post on the subject. After doing a bit of research, I found the word to be even more intriguing than I first thought.

dop·pel·gäng·er, noun

Etymology: German Doppelgänger,
from doppel- double + -gänger goer

Date: 1851

1 : a ghostly counterpart of a living person
2 a : double
2 b : alter ego
2 c : a person who has the same name as another

In the vernacular, the word doppelgänger has come to refer to any double or look-alike of a person. Well, you know, I couldn't let this pass without mentioning the Deppster and me. The jury is still out on whether we share the same Cherokee great-great-grandmother. We do, however, look quite a lot alike. I guess it's safe to say he and I, though we might not actually be cousins, we most definitely are doppelgängers.

The word is also used to describe the sensation of having glimpsed oneself in peripheral vision, in a position where there is no chance it could have been a reflection. In some traditions, a doppelgänger seen by a person's friends or relatives portends illness or danger, while seeing one's own doppelgänger is an omen of death. In Norse mythology, a vardøger is a ghostly double who precedes a living person and is seen performing their actions in advance.

Since I am a huge Lincoln buff, the story of the president seeing his own doppelgänger caught my attention. Here is an excerpt from Carl Sandburg's biography:


A dream or illusion had haunted Lincoln at times through the winter. On the evening of his election he had thrown himself on one of the haircloth sofas at home, just after the first telegrams of November 7 had told him he was elected President, and
looking into a bureau mirror across the room he saw himself full length, but with two faces.

It bothered him; he got up; the illusion vanished; but when he lay down again there in the glass again were two faces, one paler than the other. He got up again, mixed in the election
excitement, forgot about it; but it came back, and haunted him. He told his wife about it; she worried too.

A few days later he tried it once more and the illusion of the two faces again registered to his eyes. But that was the last; the ghost since then wouldn't come back, he told his wife, who said it was a sign he would be elected to a second term, and the death
pallor of one face meant he wouldn't live through his second term.


Spooky, huh? But, Lincoln was known to be superstitious, and old mirrors can be known to produce double images. Whether this Janus illusion can be counted as a doppelgänger is perhaps debatable. An alternate consideration, suggests that Lincoln suffered vertical strabismus in his left eye, a disorder which could induce visions of a vertically displaced image.

For the accounts of other famous reports of doppelgängers, including Percy Bysshe Shelley, John Donne, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and Emilie Sagée click [HERE].

Knock on Wood

WT recently informed me that in Bulgaria, when someone says "knock on wood", they actually knock underneath the table, in order to hide it from the fates, or powers that be. I was fascinated by this little twist on the theme and had to find out more about this familiar expression.

Knocking on wood, and the spoken phrase "knock on wood" or "touch wood" are used to express a desire to avoid tempting fate after making some boast or speaking of one's own death. The expression is usually used in the hope that a good thing will continue to occur after it has been acknowledged. So, for example, one might say: "The rain looks like it's holding off, touch wood", or "Knock on wood, I'm feeling much better now."

It is commonly thought that knocking on wood has been a superstitious action to ward off evil throughout history involving Pagan belief systems. The same reference claims that knocking on wood is also used in some form of Christianity, but in a different context, where the wood represents the cross. In an alternate explanation, the wood represents the rosary. "Lord willing" is also a common expression in Christian circles, with a similar intent.

Another explanation for this practice is the pagan belief that spirits or dryads lived in trees. By knocking on the wood of a tree while making some sort of a bold statement, the speaker could prevent the spirit from hearing them and stop the spirit from interfering. Or out of respect for the wood spirit, touching a tree indicated seeking protection from the particular spirit. Hmm. I wonder if Keebler got their marketing idea from this?

Some historians believe the saying cannot be traced beyond children's games of tag of the early nineteenth century. They maintain the earliest documented references to "touching wood" are

from 1805 and 1828 and concern chasing games where you are safe from being "tagged" if you "touch wood". "'Tiggy-touch-wood" was an extremely well-known game, and it is more than likely that the phrase was passed into everyday language. Funny, we as kids, over one hundred years later, still always chose a tree as "base".

Here are some interesting international variations:

Denmark: "bank under bordet" (knock under the table).

Germany: the version "auf Holz klopfen" (knock on wood) can be accompanied by the phrase "Toi, toi, toi" (probably derived from the Old German word for 'Devil') which is still used as a charm to ward off evil or as a good luck charm for thespians out of superstition that wishing an actor good luck brings the opposite. I'm familiar with this one from the opera world.

Italy: a similar superstition exists, it's said "Toccare ferro" and the meaning is similar: one must touch metal, preferably iron.

Norway: the term "bank i bordet" ("knock the table" or rather: "knock the wooden board" ('bordet' is an ambiguity)), is used. In Norway, it is also sometimes used to stress that you're telling the truth (akin to saying "I swear to god that...").

Sweden: the phrase "ta i trä" (touch wood) is commonly used as a part of the phrase "peppar peppar, ta i trä" (pepper pepper, touch wood), the double "pepper" also being used to ward off a temptation of fate. It's often shortened to just saying "peppar peppar" while knocking on wood.

Turkey: "tahtaya vur" (knock on wood) is used. Usually, someone else will answer: "Şeytan kulağına kurşun" (May somebody melt some lead into Satan's ear).

India: it's said as "Nazar Na Lage" (let there be no evil eye), in Hindi and the meaning is similar; it is used, when something seems too good. It's like saying "touch wood", "Kannu pada

Pooguthu" (let there be no evil eye), in Tamil.

And of course, this post would not be complete without my favorite "knock on wood" song! Now, who's lucky?

a wolf in sheep's clothing

Hmm, is this a wolf or a fox?

The discussion at the manor this past weekend centered around the
phrase "a wolf in sheep's clothing". You know the kind of individual
I'm talking about. They portray themselves to be a kind, honest
person, even hiding behind a strict set of morals, yet in reality are
totally the opposite.
.
As usual, it made me wonder about the etymology behind the phrase.
Did you know it all started as one of the fables of Aesop? According to
the fable, a hungry wolf found a sheep's fleece lying on the ground in a
field. The wolf realized that if it wore the fleece, it would look like a
sheep from a distance. He could steal a lamb for supper without the
shepherd noticing.

So, the wolf put on the fleece, and went off in search of a flock of
sheep. Just as it was about to pounce on a lamb, a shepherd came
by, looking for a sheep to slaughter for supper. Thinking the
disguised wolf was a sheep, the shepherd quickly grabbed and
killed the wolf.
.
The intended lesson was this: "Frauds and liars are always
discovered, eventually, and pay for their actions accordingly." The
moral is sometimes also told as, "The evil doer often comes to harm
through his own deceit".
.
The King James Version of the Bible, written in 1611 gives this
warning, in Matthew 7:15: "Beware of false prophets, which come to
you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. But
Aesop is given original credit, since he wrote it sometime in the
620-560 BC range.
.
Today, in English, "a wolf in sheep's clothing" has become a common
metaphor for any hidden danger or for any enemy putting on a false
display of friendship.
.
On a lighter note, remember The Big Bad Wolf used this disguise
tactic in Disney's Three Little Pigs, in an attempt to fool Fifer and
Fiddler Pigs.

Not mother?

Since next Wednesday is Earth Day, I was wondering why we
sometimes speak of Earth as "great Mother Earth". Among almost
all peoples, the Earth was at one time reverenced as the "mother"
of all. The Romans, for example, tell the story of how the two sons
of Tarquinius, together with Junius Brutus, asked the local Delphic
Oracle which one of them would succeed to the throne of Rome.
The oracle replied, "He who shall first kiss his mother." The two
Tarquinius sons raced home to find their mother, but the clever
Junius Brutus fell to the ground saying, "Thus I kiss thee, oh Earth,
great mother of us all." And the rest is history. Brutus, indeed, did
become the ruler of the Roman Empire.

Well, there you have it, dear bloggy friends. I knew you were just
craving this earthy little tidbit of knowledge, weren't you? And on
a lighter note, here's one of the funniest scenes from the film Dirty
Rotten Scoundrels. "Not mother?"

Willow's Weekly Word

blackmail

n. the threat might consist of physical injury to
the threatened person or to someone loved by
that person, or injury to a person's reputation.
In some cases the victim is told that an alleged
illegal act he or she had previously committed
will be exposed if the victim fails to comply with
the demand.

Although the crime of blackmail is generally synonymous with
extortion, some states distinguish the offenses by requiring that the
former be in writing.

Blackmail is punishable by a fine, imprisonment, or both.

Traced from 1552, mail is Middle English male "rent, tribute," from
Old English (pre-1100) mal "lawsuit, terms, bargaining, agreement,"
from Old North French mal "speech, agreement;" related to Old
English mæðel "meeting, council," mæl "speech", Gothic maþl
"meeting place." Derived from the practice of freebooting clan
chieftains who ran protection rackets against Scottish farmers.

Black is obviously from the evil of the practice. The term was
expanded in 1826 to any type of extortion and used as a verb
in 1880.

Have you personally ever suffered from the narcissistic and psychotic
behavior of being blackmailed? How did you cope? Did you cave or
did you hold out? How did you weather the attack?


info from etymonline and legal-dictionary

Willow's Weekly Word

Aries, March 21 - April 20, is the first sign of the zodiac.
Accordingly, it is linked with beginnings. People born under this sign
are typically enthusiastic about new events and are adventurous.
The ram is the symbol for Aries and, like a ram, Aries like to charge
headlong into matters. Aries is a fire sign, as well as a cardinal sign,
signaling action and excitement. They are also said to be willful and
impulsive. Especially good at initiating projects, they have a direct
and dynamic approach, making them natural pioneers. Sharp
weapons are often associated with Aries and are often noted for their
sharp minds, as well as sharp tongues.

Originating from the constellation of Aries, in western astrology, this
sign is no longer aligned with the constellation as a result of the
precession of the equinoxes. The astrological symbol for Aries is said
to represent the head and horns of the ram, and originates from the
cluster of stars which constitute the head of the Aries (constellation),
according to the work of Doctor Acacandam dating from 1592. The
head of Aries is given the name of Aluathay or Salhay, and it consists
of four stars.

In mythology, Aries is often associated with the Greek myth of the
ram which carried Athamus' son Phrixus and daughter Helle to
Colchis to escape their stepmother Ino, as well as the mythological
figure of Theseus, from the Greek myth of the Minotaur.

Traditionally, Aries is linked to the head. These people are
sometimes called headstrong because they have a strong will. Red is
the color associated with Aries; a bold, dynamic color linked with
anger. The gemstone is diamond, the metal is iron and flower is the
thistle. Countries associated with this sign are England, France,
Germany and Denmark.

Happy Birthday to all you dynamic Aries, out there in the
bloggyhood!


info from Wikipedia and Astrology by Darby Costello
photo from Google images

Willow's Weekly Word

Pisces (February 19 - March 20) the twelfth and final sign of the
zodiac, is represented by two fish swimming in opposite directions.
Pisceans are said to be imaginative individuals who, like fish, can
appear slippery and indistinct, moving with the current. Pisces is
a sensitive and compassionate mutable water sign.

One of the most popular stories regarding the mythological origin of
Pisces is the story of Aphrodite and Eros. The story involves
Aphrodite and her son Eros escaping from the terrible monster
Typhon by turning themselves into fish and hiding underwater until
it was safe to come back to the surface. As fish, they tied their tails
together with a cord so they wouldn't lose one another while
swimming in the darkness of the deep. Upon hearing their tale,
Zeus rewarded the pair by placing them among the stars as the
constellation of Pisces

Pisces is the sign of the romantic and the dreamer. When this sign
is prominent in the birth chart, it implies great sensitivity. Pisceans
are usually private people who may feel misunderstood by others.
They often enjoy music or art as an outlet for their feelings.
Possessing strong intuitive powers, Pisceans are able to tune into
the atmosphere around them and respond accordingly. They often
indicate the need to be alone, for rest and recuperation and are,
more often than not, a bit introverted. They enjoy being on or near
water, where they allow themselves to drift along.

The ruling planet is Neptune. Gemstones are the moonstones and
bloodstones. The Picsean color is soft sea green. Flower is the
waterlily. The body part is the feet. And the countries associated
with this sign are Portugal, Scandinavia, Mediterranean Islands and
the Gobi and Sahara Deserts. (Go figure on the dry, hot deserts.
They don't sound very fishy to me!)

So, hey-hey, there you have it. Best wishes for a very Happy
Birthday to all my Picscean bloggy friends!

artwork: Pisces by Peter Goode
info from Wikipedia and Astrology by Darby Costello

The Letter E

Cait O'Connor wrote a lovely post this week on the letter "p". And

Elizabeth posted a great photo shot post on the letter "a". She then,

in turn, gave me the letter "e", which I found to be much more

challenging than the friendly "a" or perky little "p".

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E is the fifth letter in the Latin alphabet. Its name in English is

spelled e (pronounced /iː/), plural ees (pronounced /iːz/)(rare).

The letter "e" is the most commonly used letter in the Czech, Danish,

Dutch, English, French, German, Hungarian, Latin, Norwegian,

Spanish, and Swedish languages.

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E is derived from the Greek letter epsilon which is much the same in

appearance (Ε, ε) and function. In etymology, the Semitic hê first

represented a praying or calling human figure, hillul jubilation,

based on a similar Egyptian hieroglyph that was pronounced and

used quite differently. In Semitic, the letter represented h and

e in foreign words, in Greek hê became Εψιλον (Epsilon) with the

value e. Etruscans and Romans followed this usage.

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The letter "e" is the most common or highest frequency letter in the

English language. This makes it a difficult and popular letter to use

when writing lipograms. Ernest Vincent Wright's Gadsby, 1939, is

considered a dreadful novel, and that at least part of Wright's
narrative difficulties were caused by language restrictions imposed

by the lack of E. Both Georges Perec's novel A Void, La Disparition,

1969, and its English translation by Gilbert Adair omit the letter "e"

and are considered better works.

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I guess you could say this this little "e" poem is the opposite of a

lipogram.

Enchanted by eidolon

engines, I easily escape

on the evening express,

embarking Europe,

an ebullient excursion.

Estonia and east to Essen,

Epernay, eating elysian

eggplant and escargot.

Emerita or eluding empress

in ecru ermine and earrings,

I execute excellent,

elegant erg.

Entirely in element,

educing this ethereal emprise.

Eyre, by willow

favorite e's:
edelweiss, Edna St. Vincent Millay, ebullient, equality, ewes, exits,
eyes, Elspeth, evening, England, ebony, elevators, elegies, east,
eleven, Empire State Building, El Decor, eggs, Eiffel Tower, eight,
Elizabeth I, epiphanies, escutcheons, ephemera, emeralds, envelopes

not so great e's:
exile, envy, eels, evil, empty, embarrass, enrage, ether, excuses,
exploitation, earwax

(If you would like a letter, just ask for one in the comments.)

photos from Flickr, info from Wikipedia

Willow's Weekly Word

Aquarius is the eleventh astrological sign in the Zodiac, 21 January
to 18 February, originating from the constellation Aquarius. The
corresponding month in the Babylonian calendar is Arax Šabaṭu,
the destroying month, also called arax arrat zunne, month of the
curse of rains, associated with the Great Flood and is dedicated to
Ramman, the storm god. The zodiacal sign of this month was called
GU or Assyrian qâ, the name of a dry-measure. This was associated
with Hebrew kad, pitcher jar, presumably in reference to the urn
of Aquarius. According to the Greek mythology, Aquarius was cup
bearer to the gods, Ganymede, son of Tros, king of Troy. While
tending his father's flocks on Mount Ida, Ganymede was spotted by
Zeus, who became so enamored of the boy, he disguised himself as
an eagle (represented by the constellation Aquila) and whisked
Ganymede off to Olympus, to be his personal cup-bearer to the
gods. So, this is why the sign is symbolized by the water carrier,
even though it is actually a fixed air sign.

People born under the sign Aquarius have a contradictory side to
their nature. They believe in the ideal of equality, but have a
strong will and an individualistic streak. They are driven to rebuild
and reform as well as disrupt, revolutionize and challenge. It is
sometimes considered an unpredictable sign. Aquarians are usually
friendly, though unemotional, independent and need to maintain
their own personal space. They like to keep in touch with current
thinking and the latest modern technology.

The gemstones associated with this sign are aquamarine and
turquoise. Their flower is the orchid. The body parts associated
with Aquarius are the ankles and shins. Countries associated with
this sign are Russia, Sweden, Poland, Israel and Iran.

So, there you have it. Happy Birthday, all you Aquarian bloggies
out there, wherever you are!

.
info from Wikipedia and Astrology by Darby Costello

photo: Aquarius statue, Val's restaurant, Alviso, CA by hayleybeee, Flickr

Willow's Weekly Word

e·bul·lient / iˈboŏlyənt; iˈbəlyənt/ • adj. cheerful

and full of energy: she sounded ebullient and happy.

1599, "boiling," from L. ebullientem, prp. of ebullire "to spout out,

burst out," from ex- "out" + bullire "to bubble". Figurative sense of

"enthusiastic" is first recorded 1664.

Reya posted yesterday about the energy level in Washington being

absolutely ebullient. It's a wonderful bubbly word and perfectly

describes the feeling, not only in Washington, but around the world

with the anticipation of this week's inauguration ceremonies. She

described her household as being practically giggly with happiness.

I love that.

In your life expect some trouble

But when you worry

You make it double

Don't worry, be happy...

Don't worry, don't do it, be happy

Put a smile on your face

Don't bring everybody down like this

Don't worry, it will soon past

Whatever it is

Don't worry, be happy...

Bobby McFerrin

photo by willow, 2001

Daughter and Uncle Bachelor at Wellington striking an ebullient pose

Willow's Weekly Word

With all the inaugural buzz, I wondered about the etymology of the
word. To inaugurate is to get something started. You might wonder
why I posted a picture of birds to go along with this word, but there
is an etymological reason. In ancient Roman times, before you
started something, it was a good idea to check in with the gods.
Rome had official state augurs or forecasters who would advise on
how things bode with the gods. That's where we get the phrase
that something doesn't augur well. Now, to the bird connection.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the source of augur
likely means “bird talk.” The au part is supposed to be related to
the Latin word for “bird” and the gur part a Latin word for
“chatter” that goes back also to Sanskrit. One of the signs these
Roman forecasters would look for, is the behavior of birds; if they
were chirping, how they were flying, what their insides looked like
if you cut them open. If things looked good, after the augur's
evaluation, you could go ahead with plans. So, inaugurate, back in
Latin inaugurare, meant both to look for these omens and then to
act upon them.

So, there you have it, my bloggy friends. Hope this explanation
augurs well with you and that good omens are in store for our

country with this particular inauguration!

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*info from Wikipedia and Podictionary

*painting, Birds in Flight by Elizabeth Bunker

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This morning there was a loud ruckus of chattering going on in the

trees outside my window. Can you see all these birds? It must be a

good omen.

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