Friday, 28 February 2025

Everything you need to know about St David's Day

 Every year on 1 March, Welsh people around the world celebrate the country's patron saint - St David.

The day is a celebration of Welsh culture, traditional food and music.

Many people also choose to wear one or both of Wales's national emblems - a daffodil and a leek.

Special concerts and parades are also held in St David's honour.

But who was Saint David and how is the day traditionally celebrated? Keep reading to find out.


St David - or Dewi Sant in Welsh - was born on the south-west coast of Wales, near to where the city of St Davids is today.

We don't actually know the exact year when he was born, but it is believed to be some time in between 462 and 515 AD.

There are many stories about miracles happening around St David.

One of the famous stories is from when he was speaking to a large crowd and someone in the crowd shouted: "We won't be able to see or hear him".

Then, the ground David stood on is said to have risen up so that he was standing on a hill, making it easier for everyone to see him.

It is also said that he lived for more than 100 years and died on Tuesday, 1 March 589.


How do Welsh people celebrate St David's Day?

Daffodils and leeksIMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES
Image caption,

Daffodils and leeks are national emblems of Wales. People wear small versions of them on St David's Day

The National St David's Day parade is held in the centre of Cardiff every year, with lots of exciting performances.

Usually, many children take part, wearing traditional Welsh clothing and performing traditional dances.

For girls, this includes red and black plaid skirts, red shawls, tall black hats, or bonnets.

Whereas boys often wear shirts with a waistcoat, neckerchiefs and breeches.

Across the country, many towns and villages host their own parades and concerts, including a special dragon parade in the small city of St Davids in Wales.

People also eat traditional Welsh foods such as cawl (a lamb stew with potatoes and winter vegetables), bara brith (a rich fruit loaf made with tea) and laverbread - which isn't a bread but a traditional Welsh delicacy made of seaweed.

Three facts about Saint David

St David's CatherdralIMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES
Image caption,

This is St David's Cathedral in the city of St Davids

1. He was a vegetarian

St David and his monks ploughed fields by hand and didn't eat meat.

It is also believed that St David only ate leeks and drank water.

2. His words live on

His last words to his followers before he died are thought to have been: "Be joyful, keep the faith and do the little things that you have heard and seen me do."

The phrase gwnewch y pethau bychain mewn bywyd - "Do the little things in life" - is still a well-known phrase in Wales.

3. He left his mark

It is said that he went on a special religious journey to Jerusalem and brought back a stone with him.

The stone now sits on an altar in St David's Cathedral, which was built on the site of David's original monastery.

Why is there a dragon on the Welsh flag?

Welsh flag.IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES

You may have spotted that there's a red dragon, or "Y Ddraig Goch" in Welsh, on the country's flag.

The first use of a dragon in connection with what is now Wales is thought to date back to the 7th century.

In fact, the flag is claimed by some to be the oldest national flag still in use.

The emblem has been used in Wales since the reign of Cadwaladr (Cadwallader), King of Gwynedd from around 655AD.

While, the oldest recorded use of the dragon to symbolise Wales is from the Historia Brittonum, written by the historian Nennius in around 820AD.

Until the mid-20th century several versions of the flag existed.

This included different poses and backgrounds and variations in the dragon's tail, wings and fire from its mouth.

However, it wasn't until the 20th century that the Welsh flag we know today became an official symbol.

The large red dragon on a white and green background only came into being in 1959.

How did the daffodil become the national symbol of Wales?

A child wears a daffodil head-dress and has a "Cymru" face-paint stamp on their cheekIMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES
Image caption,

Welsh sports fans can often be spotted wearing daffodil hats during football and rugby matches

While there is no accepted single answer for why the daffodil was adopted as the symbol of Wales and became its national flower, there are a number of competing theories.

One theory is that around 1 March, when St David's Day is celebrated, we begin to see daffodils starting to flower.

But, it could also relate to an older traditional Welsh symbol - the leek. That's because the Welsh word for daffodil is cenhinen Bedr, which translates to "Peter's leek". Sadly, it's not known who the mysterious Peter was who gave his name to the flower.

Because these plants both bloom at this time of year, the daffodil might have been chosen as a slightly prettier and more pleasant smelling option than the leek?

Why is the leek the national symbol of Wales?

Leeks on a chopping boardIMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES
Image caption,

Leeks are vegetables and are part of the allium family to which garlic and onions also belong

There are a few theories about why leeks have become the national symbol of Wales.

One has its roots in legend, in the year 1346, when the Prince of Wales defeated the French at the Battle of Crécy in northern France.

Welsh archers are said to have fought bravely in a field of leeks, and as a reminder of their bravery and loyalty, the Welsh began to wear a leek in their caps every St David's Day.

The legend also makes an appearance in William Shakespeare's play Henry V written in the 1500s, when a character from Wales wears a leek to show that he is from Wales.

During the Tudor period, monarchs asked their guards to wear leeks on their uniforms on St David's Day.

One legend has it that when St David went into battle, he asked all of his army to wear leeks on their armour to keep them safe.

In the 16th century, Henry VII's daughter, Princess Mary, is said to have been presented with a leek on St David's Day, and there are also records of payments for leeks in the accounts books of several Tudor kings.

By the 17th and 18th centuries it was common practice for the king and members of his court to wear leeks on St David's Day.




St. David’s Day By Andrew Challis

 


Wednesday, 26 February 2025

Almond snowballs for Jeanette




Make these delicious almond biscuits with extract rather than essence – extract comes straight from the nuts, so a genuine flavour is guaranteed.

My mum LOVES these!


Ingredients



Method

  1. Line two large baking trays with baking paper. Place the egg whites in a large bowl and whisk with a hand-held whisk until they look like clouds. Slowly add the caster sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until stiff and glossy.

  2. Gently fold in the ground almonds, almond extract and chopped almonds until well incorporated (be careful not to knock any air out of the mixture). Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

  3. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Place the icing sugar in a large bowl. Using wet hands, shape the mixture into 24 balls and coat in the icing sugar. Place on the baking trays, leaving space for the balls to spread.

  4. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, until pale golden and a hard crust has formed. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/almond_snowballs_48356









Monday, 24 February 2025

Why Do Dogs Lick Each Other?

 

Dogs lick other dog’s ears and faces as a social behavior and to explore the world, although research also points to submission and stomach pain.

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Dogs explore the world using their incredible sense of smell and their tongues. Licking is an established dog behavior, and at least one study has linked it to the release oxytocin, a hormone commonly called one of the “happy” hormones. So, licking makes your dog feel good.

Licking is also an important method of communication. In Psychology TodayStanley Coren PhD., DSc, FRSC, said: “For dogs, licking can communicate information about relative status, intentions, and state of mind, but it is most frequently a peacemaking or pacifying behavior.”

Why Do Dogs Lick Faces?

We know that female dogs lick their puppies at birth to stimulate elimination and to clean them.

But why do dogs, often unrelated, lick each other’s ears, mouths, and faces? Research holds many viable theories. Among the most common beliefs is that it’s a way of appeasement or calming. German animal behaviorist Angelika Firnkes’s 2016 study published in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior found that licking their own lips may be a way of canine appeasement when greeting another dog or a person.

There may be a physical reason, too. A 2012 study published in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior found a relationship between dogs who obsessively licked surfaces and internal gastrointestinal disorders.

Dog Licking Behavior

Puppies lick their dams around the mouth to stimulate vomiting up partly digested food, begging for food, and for submissiveness. The overall body language of a submissive dog is a lowered body, ears back, coming up to the mouth. Adult dogs who do a lot of this are often low on the totem pole in the household.

The University of Bristol Veterinary School cautions that an increase in licking activity may be a message that the dog is experiencing anxiety or fear. Look closely at what’s happening when the licking begins to see if you can determine why the dog is licking. If you suspect anxiety or fear, your veterinarian can prescribe medication to help.

Why Does My Dog Lick Other Dogs’ Ears?

As we’ve noted, licking may be a social, or pack, behavior. From the veterinary standpoint, physical causes also may a reason. Some licking may be stimulated by blood due to an injury or the smell of an infection. Oral infections could also attract licking due to the odor, so it may not be just ears.

Of course, licking around the mouth could also be opportunistic if the dog being licked has food residue around his muzzle.

Some veterinarians think dogs simply like the taste of ear wax or discharge. Ear wax is believed to be a little salty, and it includes dead skin cells, dirt, and other debris. If the dog with the wax-laden ears seems at all painful, that dog should be seen by your veterinarian to rule out illness and so you can learn more about cleaning your dog’s ears.

If your dog is licking other dogs as a way of socializing, and you don’t see any indication of fear, it’s OK.  If the dog who is being licked doesn’t seem well, your licking dog may have just given you a heads up to a brewing infection or injury.


Deb M. Eldredge, DVM, is a graduate of Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and the first recipient of the vet school’s coveted Gentle Doctor Award. Currently retired from clinics, Dr. Eldredge is an award-winning writer and the technical editor of Cornell’s DogWatch. She and her daughter own the Coyote Run Belgian Tervuren kennel. Dr. Eldredge actively competes her dogs in all dog sports and breed shows. 



Sunday, 23 February 2025





















“Don't make yourself small.
Not for anyone.
If someone tells you
you're too much...
too loud, too sensitive,
too fierce, too caring,
too intellectual, too optimistic,
too realistic, too logical, too emotional...
just smile and move on, my friend.
Clearly, they aren't enough for you.”
✍️🏻Author| L.R. Knost
✍️

🏻Art Credit| Pinterest upload