Unsuspected Majesties

First butterfly I've managed to get in ages - so beautiful on the blue chia flowers. A gorgeous morning of sunshine sparkling on raindrops everywhere, after a few days of greyness. 

Walked into market, lots of chats with folk, and off in a bit to an evening of Coimbra fados (musically different from Lisbon ones, but also the subject matter, being more about Uni life, and more erudite), including dinner, at Casa dos Lacerdas, in our main square.

Capon's next chapter, "The Tin Fiddle" is on the importance of good knives. I've already quoted from it here, but worth another:
A woman with cleaver in mid-swing is no mere woman. She breaks upon the eye of the beholder as an epiphany of power, as mistress of a house in which only trifles may be trifled with - and in which she defines the trifles. A man who has seen women only as gentle arrangers of flowers has not seen all that women have to offer. Unsuspected majesties await him.

I still don't own a cleaver, or even an excellent knife (though I do keep the ones I have very sharp), but have gifted good ones to our son and son-in-law, and gladly benefit from their use.