Skip to main content

28 April 2018 - Spring Clean isn't a Thing

Spring Cleaning? It's "For the Birds"

"If you shudder to think of spring and fall because they are housecleaning seasons, relax. It isn't necessary today to go through the trauma of tearing the house apart twice a year, or even once."


Trauma.

This is the perfect word for housecleaning.

Our Almanac suggests that Spring Cleaning just ain't what it used to be.

Let's take a look at history to find out what started our fixation on the ritualistic cleaning of spring.

Nowruz

Nowruz is the the Iranian New Year. Also known as the Persian New Year which falls on the first day of Spring.
The practice of "khooneh tekouni" which translates to "shaking of the house" is practiced just before the New Year celebrations. Everything is the house is cleaned!

Passover

Before the celebration of Passover, Jewish people would rid their homes of every remnant of "chametz". Chametz is any food that was leavened or fermented with yeast. Observant Jews would clean their homes throughly to ensure every crumb of leavened bread was out of the home prepare for Holy Week.

Clean Monday

This is a Catholic tradition of preparing for the season of lent. During Lent there is a period of fasting. Certain foods are not allowed so this is time of "cleaning out" your home of non-fasting foods. We briefly talked about the Lent season in these posts!

17 February 2018

18 February 2018

19th Century Cleaning

The more practical reason for Spring Cleaning was because of the winter. Before vacuum cleaners and central heat and air units, winter would be a time that dust, soot, and bugs would just accumulate in the home. It was cold! So naturally doors and windows were sealed to keep heat inside the home.

As March comes along and warmer air begins to blow, many took advantage of this time to open windows and doors to sweep and dust. They would even take out furniture, drapes, and rugs to clean out dust and soot.

They even cleaned their walls because of the soot from a fire going all winter!

2018

Today we don't have to worry about beating rugs outside or washing our walls. We have modern air flow and cleaning tools that help us to keep our homes in shape during any time of year. We mostly now think of "Spring Cleaning" as getting rid of items we might not need. Like clothes your kids don't fit into any more. Maybe it is doing some Home Improvements around the house.

So don't worry too much that you have to jump up and go on a cleaning frenzy!

It's just Spring so enjoy the modern conveniences of this century.





Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

26 March 2018 - Guess Who's Back, Christ is Back, Tell a Friend

Stuffed Lamb Cushion for Easter "Lamb is a traditional food for Eater. The lamb is a symbol of Jesus. In John 1:29 Jesus is referred to as "The Lamb of God", who takes away the sin of the world." Lamb is also a traditional Passover meal. In the book of Exodus, God was determined to save His people from their captivity in Egypt. The last plague He sent to Egypt was the death of the firstborn. God commanded that His people take an unblemished lamb, kill it, and but the blood of the lamb on their door post.  This would be a sign for the Angel of Death to "passover" the house and not strike their firstborn. It would be after their freedom from slavery that God would institute traditional sacrifice for sins that would involve a lamb. Jesus' last supper was the Passover meal. He and His disciples ate lamb before He instituted the new covenant, teaching His disciples to remember Him in communion.  Jesus would go on to be betraye...
Post a Comment
Read more

7 May 2018 - Mary Had a Little Lamb.....Had...

Tips on Buying Lamb "A reference to "spring lamb"may make your mouth water - and well it should." Lamb is typically thought of as a seasonal meat with celebrations of Passover and Easter where lamb is usually eaten. A spring lamb is usually 3-5 months old so that the meat is very tender. Anything at the store that is labeled "LAMB" is a sheep that is a year or younger. These lambs are sometimes only milk fed. So keep these in mind as we keep talking about how to choose meet from a baby sheep. Meat from a lamb is taken from one month to one year. Lamb Chops, Leg of Lamb, and Lamb Shank are the most popular cuts. These cuts are perfect for dry-heat cooking, broiling, or roasting. You can find some delicious recipes here! Go ahead... Take a peek and eat one of these adorable babies You monsters.
Post a Comment
Read more

30 January 2018 - Scotch Woodcock Two Ways...and more

Scotch Woodcock - Two Recipes "From Mrs. Beeton's nineteenth century homemaking guide: Spread hot buttered toast thinly with anchovy paste. Pour over a sauce made by stirring three beaten egg yolks into 1/4 pint cream, bring to a boiling point, but do not allow to boil or the sauce will curdle." This is a traditional Victorian recipe as you can tell because we get a return from Mrs. Beeton in today's Almanac post. Basically this becomes a creamy scrambled egg on toast with anchovy paste.  This is the second recipe for today "Add finely chopped hard cooked eggs to a white sauce that has been seasoned with anchovy sauce and paprika. Pour over toast." If you are wondering what eggs has to do with the title of the recipe just know that most Scottish recipes that contain chicken in it will have the word "Cock" in there too. (Don't blush you prudes) I'm not trying to be silly. (Get your head out of the gutter) ...
Post a Comment
Read more