A few days ago my "suggested reading" from Amazon included included "A Winter Dictionary" by Paul Anthony Jones. I had a quick look and was hooked! It's full of obscure words often with their origins in English Dialect, and all so descriptive. (I found "Daft Days", which I wrote about here, in this book.)
I want a "hibernaculum"! It's somewhere to retreat to during the long winter months. It was used to describe soldiers' winter quarters, or a place for over-wintering plants, or the lair of a wintering animal.
In it I can "hiemate", which is a less sleepy activity than hibernation. My home is "howffy": in other words it is cosy and comfortable and snug and I can "moble" or dress in multiple layers of clothing.
Anyone care to join me?
That sounds like a very interesting book. I checked my online library to see if they had a copy I could borrow, but, they didn't. I am definitely ready to "hiemate" and it's not even that cold where I live! But, I feel cold very easily.
ReplyDeleteIt's perishing cold here tis morning!
DeleteWhat a fascinating sounding book. I think I've seen the word hibernaculum before - it might be the name of the place where bats live at Ickworth house NT place - or not!
ReplyDeleteThe book isn't in Suffolk libraries either but they do ahve another word book by him
The "batty" comment sounds about right - if you see what I mean.
DeleteTwo blogs this morning have referred to Januarys "Stay at home" moon
ReplyDeleteAnd they are so right! Except I'm going dog sitting!
DeleteDefinitely staying in until the weather improves-it’s thick frost here this morning and I don’t want to fall. I have books, fabric, yarn and coffee so doing a hiemate will be a pleasure. How fry in Scotland means your place is like a tip so I’ll stick with the Danish hygge for my home. Catriona
ReplyDeleteThick frost here too. I had to go out and the car doors had frozen shut.
DeleteAlready there! Coping with Bronchitis means hibernation big-time.
ReplyDeleteLook after yourself. Bronchitis is not a good idea!
DeleteI think I just might be hiemating right now. Much too cold here to even dress in lots of layers.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Enjoy your hiemation!
DeleteInteresting sounding book. Not sure I will join you in hibernating.
ReplyDeleteIt's a great way to spend the winter!
DeleteCan you imagine writing a blog post using these “new” words? It would be hilarious!
ReplyDeleteMaybe. But it would take a long time to write nd I suspect most readers would give up!
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