Footnotes to a Conversation, April 28, 2025
“When we lose the right to be different, we lose the right to be free.” – Charles Evans Hughes
Traditional Food
Countries are proud of their traditional dishes. If you’re in Wales, you’ll be sure to come across Welsh cakes, flattened griddle cakes made with sugar, sultanas, flour, salt, butter, and spices. And yet, Welsh cakes have only been a tea-time favourite since the end of the 19th century, and they contain ingredients from other countries that link Wales with its imperial history. “In the Welsh cake, slavery, colonialism, and Celtic identity all collide. Welsh cakes have long been a symbol of Wales, a symbol that has travelled around the world with Welsh diaspora communities. Yet this potent signifier of Welshness couldn’t have existed without British colonialism, as it relies on ingredients that cannot be grown in the UK.” Welsh colonialism wasn’t uni-directional. As Welsh language usage declined, societies were formed to keep Welsh culture alive, free from the influence of British rule. To this day, there are 6,000 Welsh-speaking people in Patagonia. [Vittles]
Cattle Rustling in Southern Saskatchewan
She was charming and intelligent and had at least 5 husbands. She owned a ranch and was the head of a cattle-thieving ring in the 1920s. If you want more information, you’ll need to read I Want to Die in My Boots by Natalie Appleton, a BC writer, who has researched the life and adventures of Belle Jane. [CBC]
Armchair Travel
Frances Mayes, well known for her books about Tuscany, now has a blog, Proceed to the Route.
I’m also following Debora Robertson, who lives in a small seaside village in the southwest of France, at Lickedspoon.
In both cases, you can read some posts for free, while others are only available to paid subscribers.
Weekend Words
I know – it’s only Monday – but here are some words to help you plan your time this coming weekend.
“Soubhiye, from Lebanese Arabic, is the enjoyment of a quiet moment of peace before everyone else is awake.
“Gökotta is a Swedish term for waking up early to enjoy the birdsong.
“For the rest of us, there is hurkle-durkling, from Scots: lingering in bed long after it’s time to get up.” [Susie Dent]
I’ve been housesitting in Oak Bay for the past few days. There’s no lawn in their back garden, but there’s a whole lot of rock.
Footnotes to a Conversation is a weekly Monday feature covering an assortment of topics that I’ve come across in the preceding week – books, art, travel, food, and whatever else strikes my fancy. I also post occasional articles on other dates, including frequent book reviews and travel tales.
If you share my love of nature, check out EcoFriendly West, an online publication encouraging environmental initiatives in Western Canada, and Nature Companion, a free nature app for Canada’s four western provinces.