Yesterday I saw millions of snowdrops beside the road and woods and still looking in peak conditiois unlike mine at home which are dying.   I picked a few for the vase which was very special for my mother as it was the first present my father gave her.
I was surprised that so many recognised yesterday’s object as being a vesta used for keeping matches dry and safe.   Sallymair wrote “the base of the container is to strike the matches on. Because they were silver and more or less airtight they stopped the matches striking inadvertently and going on fire in your pocket!”  This one dates from 1852