Climate, Stamps, Two Love Stories and a Goose dinner

Love conquer everything, or ...?

Nov 11, 2022

Quote of the week

“… Kiss me now a
thousand times &
now a hundred
more & then a
hundred & a
thousand more …”

Catullus

Hello,

Those of you who have read or watched Outlander, might recognise the words above. They are part of a poem by Catullus and is referred to in the first book of the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. If you haven’t read it or seen it, I can highly recommend the series. Especially, if you are interested in historical fiction.

This year I participate, for the first time, in Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month) which takes place in November. The aim is to write, write and write, no editing, just let the words flow. If you reach the goal set, you will have written 50.000 words. I am only on around 6.333 so a few more words to go. Encouragingly, the website tells me that with this rate I will be ready by 18 January, 2023.

I picked up a few interesting facts from the news this week. Let’s start.

The climate and historical master pieces

When I said I had written enough about Martinshuis museum in Den Haag, I was obviously wrong. It has lately, together with other great museums, been the aim for attacks by climate groups. This time they targeted one of the world’s master pieces, Johannes Vermeer’s Girl With a Pearl Earring.

I am very much aware that we have to do something for the climate. I am willing to do my part. I agree that too little is done by politicians or those who have a say in the matter. I agree that it is very urgent. However, I cannot agree about the means used by these groups, to highlight the climate question. To attack the world’s cultural heritage is a no-no for me, and not the way to go. In a way I think they achieve a different reaction with manifestations like these ones. It upsets people in general, and their message will disappear behind all the anger it arises.

Today (7 Nov) world leaders meet for the COP27 conference in Sharm-El-Sheikh in Egypt. When I lived in Egypt from 1991-94 we often travelled to Sharm-El-Sheikh to dive and swim in the Red Sea. It was so wonderful, clear water, lots of corals and full of fish and other sea water animals. I would probably be very much disappointed if I went back today. Almost 30 years have changed the aqua culture as far as I have heard.

In 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was adopted. Since then world governments have met almost annually. Every year people hope that something will be done, but it seems that our world is still dying. So far no measures have been enough. Let’s hope that leaders will come to a more fruitful implementing plan this year.

The most expensive stamp in the world

An envelop with a provisional stamp is exhibited in Täby, outside Stockholm. It is still glued to the over 150 year-old envelope, and is considered the most valuable envelope in the world. What makes it even better is that inside was a love letter and a story of forbidden love. Last time the envelope was sold it generated over 1 million dollar. The stamp, called “Blue Boy” is from 1847 and unique. USA introduced national postage stamps on July 1, 1847. Although the use of provisional stamps were prohibited after that date, it seems it did occur from time to time. Around the stamp it says “Alexandria Post Office - Paid 5”

The letter (that once was inside) was written by James Wallace Hoof on November 24, 1847, and sent to his second cousin Janette H. Brown. They were in love but did not have the approval of the family. On the envelopes they usually wrote “Burn as usual”, but for one reason or the other, this specific letter was not burnt. We can only be grateful. The pair did marry in the end, on February 17, 1853. According to the story Janette put the letter into a sewing box, and it was not found again until 1907, by her daughter. The envelope was sold for $3,000 at a time when only three other examples were known. And now, some hundred years later it sells for over 1 million dollar.

Experts might disagree whether Blue Boy is to be considered a traditional stamp, due to its provisional and local origin. The other one-of-a-kind stamps are the Treskilling Yellow of Sweden and the British Guiana one cent magenta, both worth a fortune.

The Greatest Love Story Ever Told?

If you ask anyone which is the most famous, and/or tragic love story in the world, I think most people would say ‘Romeo and Juliet’. In our time the story has been made famous by William Shakespeare. It has been the model for other tragic love stories about impossible love. Shakespeare choose to settle the story in Verona, which at the time, was characterised by a fragile balance of power and brutality. Maybe this is why the love story stood out. A love between two young people amidst the turmoil of politics. Many have been inspired by the story, but so was Shakespeare himself.

The Opera in Malmö is playing Romeo and Juliet, the opera. From their website I found some interesting information. It seems the initial story came from a book by Arthur Brookes; The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet, which is an old Italian story in verse from 1562. William Painter tells the same story in prose in Palace of Pleasure from 1567. Brooke, in his turn, took the story from a 1559 French version by Pierre Boaistuau, which in turn took it from an Italian short novel by Matteo Bandello, published five years earlier. A never-ending story it seems for even Bandello was inspired by an earlier version, Giulietta e Romeo by Luigi da Porto. This story was based on a real story that took place in Verona in 1303. The couple died.

According to historical sources Verona was - at the time - ruled by the wealthy Scaligeri family. Duke Scaligeri tried, without success to curb the hate between the Montecchi and Cappelletti families. Dante, who was exiled in Verona, describes the feud in The Divine Comedy.

As usual I would say, the story can be traced back to Antiquity. Ovidius Metamorphoses and the story about Pyramus and Thisbe. The Greek author Xenofon’s from Ephesos novel Ephesian Tale of Anthia and Habrocomes, written in the 2nd century, contains an ingredient recognised from Shakespeare; a poison providing a death-like sleep.

A lot of interesting facts here, but it almost makes you dizzy following the trail down the line.

Musings this week

Book challenges

In the book blogging world there are few challenges happening in November. I am participating in three of them: Nonfiction November, Novellas in November and German Literature Month. Too much to read for sure, but I noticed I could combine some books for the two last challenges.

Talking about Shakespeare, I am reading a book for Nonfiction November, The Lodger, Shakespeare on Silver Street by Charles Nicholl. Not much is known about Shakespeare’s life but there are a few things if you start searching in archives.

“In 1612 Shakespeare gave evidence at the Court of Requests in Westminster - it is the only occasion his spoken words are recorded. The case seems routine - a dispute over an unpaid marriage-dowry - but it opens up an unexpected window into the dramatist’s famously obscure life-story.”

Nicholl follow in the footsteps of Shakespeare to find his lodgings, his landlady, people surrounding him and the area he lived in. It gives a good example on how life was led at the time.

For Novellas and German authors I have read The Sandman by E.T.A. Hoffmann and Metamorphoses by Franz Kafka. Tolstoj’s How Much Land Does A Man Need is a short novella but a master piece. Head over to my blog for reviews coming soon.

Films

Enola Holmes is back for a second adventure. Just loved the first film. Watched it again with my son and then we watched the second. Although I think the first one is better, this was good as well. A charming set of characters. Millie Bobby Brown is such a great actress.

Seasonal food

On 11 November it is Mårten gås (Martinsganz in German) and the day we eat goose. On Friday, when you read this, I am going to a goose dinner with a group of former colleagues. Eating goose in November has a long tradition. In Sweden since the 16th century, but already in the Middle Ages the tradition was celebrated in Germany, France and Denmark.

It was celebrated in memory of St. Martin, a canonised bishop from Tours in France. At the time it was the most important autumn holiday. A goose is the attribute of St. Martin, because the legend says, he tried to escape being elected bishop of Tours, so he hid in a goose nest. This of course upset the geese and their cackling betrayed him. No escaping that appointment.

In the old days it was mostly celebrated in higher class families in cities. The oldest reference (in Sweden) is from the Stockholm area. On 13 November 1557, parliamentarian Björn Persson Bååt writes from a farm to his brother in Stockholm thanking him for the “sancta martens gåsz” (the St. Martin’s goose) he was invited to.

Looking forward to dinner on Friday.

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