Vapo Rose-o-lene ~ Days of Valentines

Rose Fragrance in the Air at Corgyncombe Apothecary!

For Valentine's Day the Vapo Cresolene lamp becomes a Vapo Rose-o-lene lamp. Beside the lamp are heart shaped petals. Roses smell more pleasant than Vapo Cresolene!

Vapo Cresolene was an old time vapor inhalant treatment for colds, used at night. It was put in a little dish above the Vapo Cresolene lamp which was fueled by kerosene. Vapo Cresolene was never to be taken internally!

On top of the cupboard is handmade goat's milk soap and a jar of honey with a note attached to the back saying "Diane, May Your Marriage Be as Sweet as the Contents of this Jar" signed Paul Sutton at the old apothecary. Phidelia Finch's eggs are in a little bowl, there are test tubes and nutmeg in a jar, scented geranium leaves in another jar, and a Vapo-Cresolene Lamp. The cupboard, a recent delightful find and curiosity, has big wrought iron handles on the sides for carrying and vertical divisions, inside.

Tasha Tudor illustrated a splendid apothecary display in "Corgiville Christmas".

Diane's ancestors had an interest in herbal extractions! On the 1658 inventory of Diane's 10th great grandfather Ensign William Beamsley's estate was listed "one still for herbes in ye sellar". His home was in Boston on his land between Salutation Alley and Hanover Avenue, and "from Hanover Street thru to the bay". "Salutation Alley was originally only five and one half feet wide." Source for Beamsley information: "Fifty Great Migration Colonists to New England and Their Origins" by John Brooks Threlfall.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Staying Warm and Cozy on a Blustery Groundhog Day!

How Foolish to Pursue One's Own Shadow!

Corgyncombe Carrie was named after Diane's great grandmother who was born on Groundhog Day. Yesterday Groundhog Corgyncombe Carrie could not be coaxed out of the warm and cozy kitchen and apothecary at Corgyncombe Cottage. 'Twas so cold, snowy and blustery that Corgyncombe Carrie thought "How foolish to pursue one's own shadow!" She knew it really didn't matter anyway as at Corgyncombe spring is far away and the winters are long and hard and snowbanks have been known to linger until May. Shoveling has to be kept up at the Corg'ery to keep the corgyn from walking right over the fence. The shoveled paths look like bobsled runs and the corgyn totally disappear as they race round at top speed!

On top of the cupboard is handmade goat's milk soap and a jar of honey with a note attached to the back saying "Diane, May Your Marriage Be as Sweet as the Contents of this Jar" signed Paul Sutton at the old apothecary. Phidelia Finch's eggs are in a little bowl, there are test tubes and nutmeg in a jar, scented geranium leaves in another jar, and a Vapo-Cresolene Lamp. The cupboard, a recent delightful find and curiosity, has big wrought iron handles on the sides for carrying and vertical divisions, inside.

Heart shaped raspberry jam filled cookies are at the ready for enjoying at tea during the Corgyncombe "Days of Valentines". Diane made heart shaped thumb cookies filled with raspberry jam using the receipt "Linda de Christopher's Thumb Cookies" in "The Tasha Tudor Cookbook".

On the stove tonight is Pea Soup made from the receipt from "The Tasha Tudor Cookbook"! Mmmm, smells so good!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stones: From The Butt'ry to Ye Old Burying Ground

The Corgyncombe Butt'ry and Family Turf

The Butt'ry in old houses was oft' times on the north side of the house because it was the coolest side of the building. This is so at Corgyncombe Cottage. The Corgyncombe Butt'ry is on the north side of the cottage. Corgyncombe Cottage acquired the sandstone sink in Connecticut where Diane and Sarah's ancestors, the Stanclift family, dwelt. In the above photograph Diane has a colander full of washed carrots from the Corgyncombe Vegetable Garden.

The Corgyncombe Courant knows that their readers are wondering why we going from the Butt'ry to the old graveyard...

Gravestone of James Stanclift (1712-1785). In the border on the sides it looks like thistles and vines were carved.
Gravestone carving was a tradition in the Stanclift family. The stone in the photograph above was carved by James Stanclift Jr. (b. 1756) for his father James Stanclift (1712-1785). Diane's 6th great grandfather James Stanclift (1712-1785) also carved gravestones, as did his father William Stanclift (1686-1761) and grandfather James Stanclift (1639-1712) before him. In the graveyard, near the gravestone that is pictured above, is a stone that James Stanclift (1712-1785) himself carved for his son Thomas who was wounded in the Revolutionary War and though he made it back home he died soon after from the wounds inflicted upon him. The stone of the gravestones and the Corgyncombe Butt'ry sink are the same reddish brown sandstone. The sink, which was from a very old house in the area the Stanclifts lived, could well have been made by one of the Stanclifts.

Whilst here in the Butt'ry you will notice some handmade goat's milk soap on the sink. A goatie friend of Diane's made the soap and of course Diane wants to make some of her own. The friend recommended "Milk-Based Soaps" by Casey Makela and for cheese making, "Home Cheese Making" by Ricki Carroll.

In the Butt'ry, on the shelf amongst the yellowware, is "The New England Butt'ry Shelf Cookbook" written by Mary Mason Campbell and illustrated by Tasha Tudor. The book goes throughout the year, featuring receipts for different celebrations and contains Tasha's delightful colour illustrations for New Year's, Valentine's Day, Easter, May Day, Afternoon Tea, Weddings, Anniversaries, Picnics, Fourth of July, Birthdays, Quilting Bee Thimble Tea, Hallowe'en, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. The Corgyncombe Courant's favorite colour illustration is the corgi in the butt'ry surrounded by delectable Christmas treats and includes many of our favorite things.

Some carrots from The Corgyncombe Cannery... delicious for winter soups, stews, and casseroles. And now, dear readers, another batch of carrots needs pulling and preparing for canning. The Corgyncombe Vegetable Garden has carrots in abundance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~