ST201903

STORIES BEHIND

SUPERSTITIONS

Why are horseshoes lucky? Hot foot it to your nearest

stable, for some serious horse(shoe) power

It’s been a long time since most of us rode a horse, yet we

still use horseshoes as a good luck symbol in our homes,

jewellery and even weddings. The tradition may

originate from the fact that iron was once thought to

ward off evil spirits and also because blacksmiths were

treated with awe, due to their mastery of fire. This was

given a Christian take in the 10th century, with the tale

of Saint Dunstan. A blacksmith himself, he was visited

by the devil. Rather than shoe the devil’s horse, he

painfully nailed it to the devil’s own foot, only removing

it once he’d extracted the promise that homes with a

horseshoe would be protected from the devil. Dunstan’s

deal with the devil was less clear on one detail: which

way up said shoes should be hung. Some believe having

the ends down will make luck f low away, while others

believe the luck will f low onto those entering the house.

Get them to look into your eyes, it says. Give

them a countdown and tell them that their

eyelids are feeling very heavy, it says. Well, all

my A Dog’s Guide to Hypnosis seems to be

doing is sending me to sleep! It is quite tiring,

and it’s just so warm and cosy here. I’m not

doing all that badly though – could you fetch

me another blanket? See, I’ve managed to

get you firmly under my control...

Tweet us a pic of your #dogsinblankets or

#catsonmats @simplethingsmag

TIPPLE OF

THE MONTH

A classic cocktail dating to only 1996 (so just

old enough to be a mother) and invented

when Salvatore Calabrese, (who “doesn’t do

breakfast”) was forced to partake of some

marmalade by his wife one morning. Citrus

f lavours provide get-up-and-go zest.

SERVING NOTES: Add 1 tsp orange

marmalade, 50ml dry gin, 15ml Cointreau

and 15ml fresh lemon juice to a cocktail

shaker, filled with ice. Shake. Pour into a

glass garnished with orange peel, and pop

some toast on the side.

Mothering Sundaymorning’s

unofficial cocktail

BREAKFAST MARTINI

DOGS IN BLANKETS

The secret thoughts of readers’ pets:

Toby, 13, Beagle/Terrier mix

Dry out used coffee

grounds and put

in a bowl in your

fridge or freezer

to get rid of any

unwanted pongs.

Pop them into a

pair of tights and

you can try the

trick on whiffy

trainers, too.^

HOUSEHOLD