Dedh Trei Hans Nawnjek ha Dogens

De Merher, pempes warn ügens mis Kevardhû

Wednesday, 25^th December

Nadelik lôwen dhe whei oll! O whei skith? Skith o vy! Ma Nadelik ow trei meur a blesour bes meur a whel dhe wil ewedh. Ma lever coth: “Na wrewgh eva re, bes eva rag gas sehes ...” Rag Nadelik nei a dal treylya hedna dhe “Na wrewgh debry re, bes debry rag gas nown ...” My a wrüg debry re hedhyw, etho ma othom dhebm a dhebry le avorow. Thera kescowethyans da dhen – lader pednvorr yonk ha morlader yonk. (Po ew hedna vorrlader ha morlader?) Na wrüg an baby kemeres own rag an ladron. Tüs yonk a dal kemeres with. Na wrewgh codha war wòles war an degrëys a vebyon vian! Ma othom a yet degrëys.

Happy Christmas to you all! Are you tired? I'm tired! Christmas brings a lot of pleasure but a lot of work to do as well. There's an old saying: “Don't drink too much, but drink for your thirst ...” For Christmas we should change that to “Don't eat to much, but eat for your hunger ...” I did eat too much today, so I need to eat less tomorrow. We had good companionship – a young highwayman and a young pirate. (Or is that a road robber and a sea robber?) The baby wasn't afraid of the robbers. Young people should take care. Don't fall down on the stairs little boys! There is need of a stair gate.

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

degrëys stairs

kemeres own (rag) to be afraid (of)

kemeres with to take care

lader pednvorr (m) highwayman

morlader (m) pirate

nown (m) hunger

plesour (m) enjoyment

sehes (m) thirst

war wòles down, downwards, downstairs

yet (m) gate (you can also use yett)

Dedh Trei Hans Etek ha Dogens

De Meurth, pajwora warn ügens mis Kevardhû

Tuesday, 24^th December

Lôwen o vy hedhyw! Na veu othom dhebm a fittya boos veth. Ow gour a wras cofednow heb kig rag li hag o godhydh dhort Poloyn a fittyas kidnyow. Gool Nadelik ew dedh specyal en Poloyn ha ma meur a voos specyal. Ma mesk-radnow pecar en hogednow ha “pierogi” - ma toos ha tettys – saw pebys ew an eyl en forn pecar'a tesen ha bryjys ew y gila en padel pecar'a pasta. Shap kehaval ens, saw mens deffrans. “Uszkami” ew bryjys ewedh, bes ma scavellow cronek gwils ettans en le tettys, ha debrys o anjei gen cowl bettys (“barszcz”). En gordhûher nei a gerras (gerdhas) dhe Melinjy dhe weles an golowow Nadelik ha cana curlys Nadelik. Nadelik lôwen dhe bub onan.

I am happy today! I didn't have to prepare any food. My husband made vegetarian pasties for lunch and my Polish daughter-in-law cooked dinner. Christmas Eve is a special day in Poland and there is lots of special food. There are similar ingredients in pasties and “pierogi” - there is dough and potatoes - but one is baked in an oven like a cake and the other is boiled in a saucepan like pasta. They are the same shape, but a different size. ”Uszkami” are boiled as well, but there is wild mushroom in them instead of potato, and they are eaten with beetroot soup (“barszcz”). In the evening we walked to Bolingey to see the Christmas lights and sing Christmas carols. Happy Christmas to everyone.

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

cofen kig (f) meat pasty

en le instead (of)

heb kig vegetarian

hogen (f) pastry, pasty

forn (f) oven (may be permanently lenited vorn)

gohydh (f) daughter-in-law

mesk-radnow ingredients (of recipe)

pecar similar (you can also use haval or kehaval)

pecar'a (pecar ha) like, similar to (SWFM kepar ha)

Poloyn Poland

Dedh Trei Hans Seytek ha Dogens

De Lün, tryja warn ügens mis Kevardhû

Monday, 23^rd December

Trenja a vedh Du Nadelik. De a veu dalla sin Zodiak nowydh, an Aver. Hedna a wra diwedha an nawnjegves mis Genver. Rag fra “gaver”? A wrüg tüs en termyn eus passyes gweles gaver e'n ster? Ha rag fra ma lost pesk dhe'n sin? Ew an aver pecar'a morvoren? Ma'n arwòdhelieth ow tos dhort duw Sumerian gelwys Enki po Ea – hanter gaver ha hanter pesk. Kelmys o va gen creacyon, fürneth, meschyf ha dowrow en dadn an dor. Gaver a ell crambla menedhyow emann ha pesk a ell sedha en dowrow down. Ow tesîn ow honan nag ew own – nag eus lost pesk dhodho! (Bes kellys ew genam!)

The day after tomorrow will be Christmas Day. Yesterday was the start of a new zodiac sign, Capricorn (the Goat). That will end on 19^th January. Why “a goat” ? Did men in past times see a goat in the stars? And why does the sign have a fish tail? Is the goat like a mermaid? The symbolism comes from a Sumerian god called Enki or Ea – half goat and half fish. He was associated with creation, wisdom, mischief and subterranean waters. A goat can climb up mountains and a fish can dive in deep waters. My own design is not correct – it doesn't have a fish tail! (But I've lost it.)

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

arwòdhelieth symbolism

down deep

Du Day (used for special days such as Du Nadelik)

duw (m) god (Duw = God)

gaver (f) goat (an Aver, may resist mutation an Gaver)

kelmys associated, linked, connected

meschyf mischief (you can also use myschew or myschyow)

morvoren (f) mermaid

sedha to dive, sink

trenja (on) the day after tomorrow

Dedh Trei Hans Whetek ha Dogens

De Sül, nessa warn ügens mis Kevardhû

Sunday, 22^nd December

My a welas an howl deg ar glogh hedhyw. Nag o va bes scant dhe vos gweles a-ûgh an gwedh. Montol ew hedhyw, ha ma'n howl ort y iselha. Nebes môy diwettha, hont dhe hanter dedh, an howl a dalvia bos ort y ûhelha. Na aljama y weles emesk an gwedh. Nebes òja hedna thera an howl a-wòles ow gorwel, a-drev dhe'n mena. Na wrüga vy y weles ow honan bes thera lies person en Stonehenge dhe vires orth an howldrevel – pagans ha drewydhyon gen tabours.

I saw the sun at ten o'clock today. It was hardly visible above the trees. It's the solstice today, and the sun is at its lowest. A bit later, just after midday, the sun should have been at its highest. I couldn't see it among the trees. Somewhat after that the sun was below my horizon, behind the hill. I didn't see it myself but there were many people at Stonehenge to watch the sunrise – pagans and druids with drums.

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

a dalvia should have, ought to have

a-drev dhe behind (you can also use adhelergh dhe)

a-wòles below

an iselha the lowest

an ûhelha the highest

gorwel (m) horizon

hont dhe beyond, just after

òja hedna after that

mena (m) hill (you can also use menedh)

nebes somewhat, some, a bit, a few, etc.

Dedh Trei Hans Pemdhek ha Dogens

De Sadorn, kensa warn ügens mis Kevardhû

Saturday, 21^st December

Mantolys ew an vledhen hedhyw. Ew an pres-ma cres an gwav poran? An nos-ma a vedh pur hir ha'n jedh avorow a vedh berr. Scon an dedhyow a vedh hirra; na wrons treylya cotta. Ma hencovadhow en lies pow e'n termyn-ma an vledhen – lies gweyth ow mellya gen tan. Wor an gis, re yeyn ha gleb ew rag tanjys mes a-jei – rag hedna ma dhe nebes tüs stôg “yule” specyal dhe lesky a-jei, e'n oles. Mars nag eus stôg gwir dhewgh dhe lesky whei ell cawas stôg choclat dhe dhebry. Terweythyow ma tanjys en Kernow west en le golowow tredanek. En Pensans ma tradicyon “gis” rag Gool Montol - gen "hebyhors".

Today the year is balanced. Is this time the exact middle of winter? This night will be very long and the day tomorrow will be short. Soon the days will be longer; they will not get shorter. There are traditions in many countries in this time of year – often involving fire. Usually, it is too cold and wet for a bonfire outdoors – so some people have a special “yule” log to burn indoors, in the hearth. If you don't have a real log to burn you can have a chocolate log to eat. Sometimes there is a bonfire in west Cornwall instead of electric lights. In Penzance there is a “guising” tradition for Mantol - with an "Obby Oss".

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

cotta shorter

hencovadhow traditions (you can also use tradicyons or hencovyon)

hirra longer

lies gweyth often (you can also use menowgh)

mantolys balanced

mellya gen to involve

oles (f) hearth

poran exactly

stôg (m) log

tanjys bonfire

Dedh Trei Hans Pejwardhek ha Dogens

De Gwener, ügensves mis Kevardhû

Friday, 20^th December

Ma lavar coth: Ma tû bera arhans dhe bub cloud dû. En gwettha pres my a welas cloudys dû en mettin-ma – ha devedhys gleb o vy. Bes na wrüga vy gweles tû bera arhans veth bys an dohajedh ma. Isel ew an howl e'n cres an gwav. Howlsedhes hedhyw a veu seytek mynysen òja pajar ar glogh – nag ew an jedh hir. Howldrevel avorow a vedh etek mynysen òja eth ar glogh – pur hir a vedh an nos. Thera nei ow tebry côn en tewlder ha divüna en tewlder ewedh. Cres an gwav ha nosow dû ew perfydh rag golowow Nadelik. An re en Porth Enys ew aswonys da.

There's an old saying: Every dark cloud has a silver lining. Unfortunately I saw dark clouds this morning – and I got wet. But I didn't see any silver lining until this afternoon. The sun is low in the middle of winter. Sunset today was seventeen minutes after four o'clock – the day is not long. Sunrise tomorrow will be eighteen minutes after eight o'clock – the night will be very long. We have supper in darkness and wake up in darkness as well. The middle of winter and dark nights are perfect for Christmas lights. Those in Mousehole are well-known.

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

ajwonys known, recognised < verb ajon (SWFM aswon)

ar glogh o'clock (you can also use eur)

côn (m) supper > côna to have supper

divüna/difüny to awaken, wake up (SWFM difuna)

isel low

mynysen (f) minute (you can also use münys)

perfydh perfect

Porth Enys Mousehole (literally Island Cove)

tewlder (m) darkness

tû bera lining, interior

Dedh Trei Hans Terdhek ha Dogens

De Yow, nawnjegves mis Kevardhû

Thursday, 19^th December

Da ew genam gwedh. Ma kelynen vian ow tevy war ladn reb an chei. Res veu dhen trehy nebes scoryow, drefen bos cravys agan bejethow. Anfujik ew, car dre hevel, dhe dhestria kelynen et tien. Ma gwedhen Nadelik ow tevy war ladn aral ewedh. Bian ew hei ha ma hei ow tevy en syger. Martesen na vedn hei bos brâssa po martesen re vian ew hy gwredhyow. My a wrüg gonis diw wedhen en ogas dhort has bian. Mowns ow tevy en üskis – res veu dhe nei aga threhy nebes. Da ew an wedhen ma gans üdn gath – esy ew dhe grambla. Otta has bian môy – codhys ens dhort aval pin brâs. Da ew avalow pin gans an gath aral.

I like trees. A little holly tree is growing on a bank by the house. We had to cut several branches, because our faces got scratched. It's unlucky, it seems, to destroy a holly tree completely. There's a Christmas tree growing on another bank too. It's small and it grows slowly. Perhaps it doesn't want to be to be bigger or perhaps its roots are too small. I grew two trees nearby from little seeds. They are growing quickly – we had to trim them a bit. One cat likes this tree – it is easy to climb. Here are more little seeds – they've fallen out of a big pine cone. The other cat likes pine cones.

Deg ger rag hedhyw: Ten words for today

aval pin (m) pine cone

bejeth (m) face

car (pecar) dre hevel it seems, apparently, etc.(SWFM dell hevel)

cravys scratched < verb cravas

(en) syger slowly (you can also use en lent)

(en) üskis quickly

et tien completely (you can also use en tien)

gladn (f) bank, verge (soft mutation after war on)

kelynen (f) holly tree < collective kelyn

scoryow, scorow branches < singular scorren