A Tale of Two Robins
Cock Robin and Jenny Wren, Reunited
Little Robin Redbreast sang to me, Jenny Wren. He was quite insistent as I walked beneath his branch. When my eyes failed to find him in the riot of leaves above, he kindly alighted momentarily on the path before me before fluttering back up to his branch.
I played my role as written by Robbie Burns, and smiled up at him as he sang his little tune. His little red chest puffed out proudly, and I could almost imagine his little bow and quiver of arrows on his back. My brave little Robin, how I adore thee!
He truly was a little robin, as he was a European robin (Erithacus rubecula). This means he was only a fraction of the size of the American robin (Turdus migratorius)I am more familiar with. Not only are American robins several times larger than the palm-sized European chap, they are also much more solitary. Both sport a dark head and bright ruddy chest, and both will aggressively defend their families and their homes. Not brothers, perhaps, but cousins.
As Jenny Wren, I have always felt close to brave Robin. He featured in the nursery rhymes of my childhood, gallantly winning against the pussycat and singing to his beloved Jenny. I did not know of European and American robins as a child, only that I must be kind to birds for Robin loved me.
My mother tells stories of my childhood sometimes, giving me a glimpse of the times before my memory became dependable. One of her favorites to tell is how I would go outside when I was three and sing to the birds, and that a row of robins and sparrows would alight on top of the swingset and sing back at me. I also have fuzzy memories of sitting among the bean poles and watching between the vines as Robin pecked for insects and bugs.
I am proud to be a plain and ordinary person. My eyes are brown, my hair is brown, I am short and tiny. That was good enough for Robin’s Jen and it is good enough for me.
And now I know – I am good enough for Robin. Both iterations of my dear bird chose to sing to me, both in America and in Europe. My only dream is to continue to be good enough for the dear chap, to be worthy of his love.
“Twas once upon a time
When Jenny Wren was young,
So daintily she danced
And so prettily she sung;
Robin Redbreast lost his heart,
For he was a gallant bird;
So he doffed his hat to Jenny Wren,
Requesting to be heard.
'O dearest Jenny Wren,
If you will but be mine,
You shall feed on cherry-pie,
You shall drink red currant wine;
I'll dress you as a goldfinch,
As any peacock gay;
So dearest Jen if you'll be mine,
Let us appoint the day.'
Jenny blushed behind her fan,
And thus declared her mind:
'Since, dearest Bob, I love you,
I take your offer kind;
Cherry-pie is very nice,
And so is currant wine;
But I must wear my plain brown gown,
And never go too fine.'
Robin Redbreast rose betimes,
All at the break of day,
He flew to Jenny Wren's house,
And sang a roundelay.
He sang of Robin Redbreast,
And little Jenny Wren;
And when he came unto the end,
He then began again.”
-Robert Burns
An Ordinary Cake for a Wren’s Wedding
As a firm believer that the ordinary is often the most extraordinary, I chose a plain cake for my own wedding nearly 20 years ago. It was my favorite cake, and still is. It’s not a wedding cake, but a simple tea cake, or a tea brack as I was taught by my grandmother as a child.
The simple batter is chock-full of tart dried summer fruits and berries, making it suitable for any season. In fact, I think this is a cake fitting for Wren and Robin’s wedding day, for although it’s an ordinary everyday sort of cake, it also makes every day seem a little bit extraordinary. Enjoy a slice with your favorite warm drink, whether that’s an apple cider, cup of strong coffee, a lovely herbal tea, or something spiked for a bit more heat.
Ingredients
1 cup mixed dried fruit (raisins, blueberries, currants, cherries, cranberries/craisens – whatever makes your heart sing!)
1 cup hot black tea
1 cup flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
½ cup sugar
2 beaten eggs
2 TB orange marmalade or fruit jam
Begin by soaking the dried fruit in the hot tea for an hour. Don’t skip this step, or you will end up with chewy cake, which is disappointment best avoided!
Preheat your oven to 375 F and butter your pan. I usually use a loaf pan for this simple tea cake, but I have also had success with an 8-inch square or a 9-inch round tin.
Mix your dry ingredients then add the fruit, tea, eggs, and marmalade or jam. Just mix until combined, no need to beat it. This is a quick and easy task, not something to work out your frustrations upon, after all!
Pour into the pan and bake. For loaves, I find that it takes about an hour, but I begin checking at about 45 minutes as sometimes it bakes more quickly if the fruit was especially dry and absorbed most of the tea. Insert a toothpick, rechecking at 5 minute intervals, until it comes out clean.
Cool slightly and serve warm, or cool completely and serve cold. It’s especially delicious with a smear of cream cheese icing on top if you want something a bit more dessert-like!
Daybook
First, some housekeeping. You may have noticed that I have turned on the option for paid subscriptions. Currently, a paid subscription is voluntary for those that wish to and are able to support my work. Beginning in November or December, I will begin offering additional content that will only be available to paid subscribers. Parts of the Flora will remain free, so please don’t feel as though you have to leave!
Weather~
We left Ireland before the hurricane and foul weather made landfall. Our last days there had a small bit of rain, a small bit of sun, but plenty of joy. Back home, we enjoyed one last day of sunshine and temperatures in the 70s – a fitting sendoff to summer on the eve of the equinox.
Moments of Joy~
Standing within the burial mound at Newgrange, surrounded by the handiwork of humans from 5200 years ago – joy isn’t quite right, perhaps awe is better. Also, the simple joy of walking through my own front door, gathering up my beloved cats in my arms, and falling asleep in my own bed surrounded by those whom I love.
Sticky Wickets~
The stickiest of wickets occurred when we were stuck at Bru Na Boinne, 5 miles from the train station, and no taxi would come. The museum was closing, and we were stranded with dying phone batteries. Our savior came in the form of an OPW museum employee, dear Peter. He offered us a ride to the train station, although out of his way, and proved that the kindness of the Irish is not overstated in the least.
On the Homefront~
We’ve spent the last few days readjusting to our ordinary everyday life. I’ve developed new habits that I enjoy. For example, I don’t jump right onto the computer when I wake up, instead I read and sit in my lovely rocking chair for an hour or so as I slowly sip my coffee. I don’t live tethered to my phone or the online world anymore. It’s lovely, positively lovely.
The car battery was dead, but I made a point to instantly file the roadside service claim with my insurance and already have compensation in hand.
I filed for compensation for Mo’s medication replacement that we had to pick up in Ireland.
Advance planning – I stashed some frozen pizzas in the freezer since I knew we would be hungry and tired the day of our return.
Thrifted some new winter clothing and boots.
Since returning home, all meals have been made from scratch.
Frozen pizza – it counts after a 9 hour flight and three hour drive home!
Chicken cobb salad with toast
Guinness beef stew over mashed potatoes (Yes, I’m already missing Irish food!)
Little Jenny Wren fell sick,
Upon a time;
In came Robin Redbreast
And brought her cake and wine.
"Eat well of my cake, Jenny,
Drink well of my wine."
"Thank you, Robin, kindly,
You shall be mine.”
-Nursery Rhyme
Fondly yours in love, peace, and gratitude,
Jenny Wren