What Beowulf might have eaten (or not)

The sun has been shining for days now, and it is almost as if summer is creeping up around the corner. Except it's April, and I know, even though I would rather I didn't, that there will probably be snow next week. So we have spent lots of time on our rather diminutive patch of outside space, planting seeds in all sorts of unsuitable containers, and sowing wild flower seeds literally everywhere.  So the blog, and writing in general, took a back bench position for a wee while. That was, until we went on a little family outing to Birmingham yesterday, and visited the Staffordshire hoard. The largest Anglo Saxon gold and silver metal work hoard ever found, over 3500 pieces, all beautifully wrought, detailed pieces of weaponry and spoils of war, dug up out of a ploughed field in 2009. Interestingly, all of it is for fighting, in some form or another. Not one of the tiny fragments of gold or silver were for decoration or 'female uses'. And lots of swords. Many many different bits of swords, and daggers and scabbards and accoutrements. There was one particular detail that I found really enchanting. They found lots of these small, pyramid shaped buttons, in pairs, richly decorated and apparently attached to scabbards. It is now believed that these were probably tied to leather cords, which were strung around a scabbard which then tied around the dagger or sword within it, and tied. They were maybe (because we don't know for certain) known as peace cords - because they prevented a sword from being drawn in haste or anger. You had to untie it first, which gave you time to think. What a beautiful, poetic, poignant thing.
So beautiful, so enticing, and yet all instruments of war. It got me completely fired up over Beowulf, about Beawa's story and where she might lead. I think she would struggle to untie her dagger when she was cross.  I think it might save her from herself once or twice too.
When we got home we were so inspired we had what we imagined to be what the Saxons might have had for tea too (with a little poetic licence). Insanely good bread from The Bread Collection in Knowle in Birmingham - a crusty rye flecked loaf full of nuts and raisins and a delicious wood charred crust... mmmmmmm...... sorry. Yes, that, with good yellow butter, stinky melting blue cheese, a pile of walnuts, a  wedge of ham and some ripe little tomatoes (I told you there was poetic licence) with a really cheap bottle of rioja (again, sorry). So good.
So this is it. I am stating this here so that there's no turning back. Beawa's story is shouting to be told, and now is the time. I cant keep her quiet any longer, no matter how much rioja I drink. Watch this space. (Oh, and there'll be some recipes soon too)