Michaelmas

Today is Michaelmas, the Feast Day of St Michael.

Michaelmas chickens and parsons' daughters never come to good - traditional saying

MIchalemas is one of four days on which quarterly rents are paid. The tradition of serving goose for dinner on this day may stem from the practice of giving one's landlord a bird as a gift. It was also thought that eating goose on this day would bring financial prosperity in the year to come.

And when the tenants come to pay their quarter's rent,
They bring some folw at midsummer, a dish of fish in Lent,
At Christmas a capon, at Michaelmas a goose,
And somehwat else at New-year's tide, for fear their lease fly loose.

Weather lore associated with this day:

So many days old the moon is on Michaelmas Day, so many floods after

If St Michael brings many acorns, Christmas will cover the fields with snow

A dark Michaelmas, a light Christmas


We won't be having a goose today for supper - it's cottage pie, I think. I've cooked and eaten goose twice, both times at Christmas. I did enjoy it, a lovely, rich meat, but not the most economical of things to buy! Worth it once or twice as a special treat just to taste it. I don't think it's widely eaten in Scotland, so I'd not much to do with it until I moved to England. I suppose it was very different when a lot of households reared their own geese along with their poultry. Having animals myself, I realise how expensive it is to rear them - food, housing, the work involved in preparing them for the table, etc, so I can see how the price is justified. I'd like geese of my own one day, but MrL not keen here for some reason. I'd like to make some quill pens too.............