bog beans, whitsun, and parthenope (florence nightingale's sister)

 it is the 18th of may and kilvert is returned to us

'hay fair is still going on. to get out of the sight and sound of it I went up the unfrequented path from penllan to the wern below gwernfydden to look for bog beans to give to mrs. venables on whitsun day. the marshy ground was thick with the trefoil bean leaves, but not a blossom had yet opened...' 

the leaves of the bog bean plant are noted for their medicinal effects. horsemouth is unclear as to why kilvert should want the flowers and for whitsun day. it may be that (as the flowers are white) it is connected with women coming to church wearing white on that day. 

kilvert is reading lettice lisle by florence nightingale's sister frances parthenope  (named after the greek name for naples apparently).

in the afternoon of the yesterday a chat on the phone to enza. no howard later on (he was off to chat's palace - local history stuff). in the afternoon rain (and similar things). 

later still aaron bastani and james butler in conversation - the state of the british state, the possible fall of starmer. this leading to a debate about sylvia pankhurst and workers' dreadnaught.

today a coolish morning. horsemouth has a plan to record more harmonium.