Joyfully Retired

Thanks for checking on the new words I found in my reading. My words, again, come from My Antonia by Willa Cather. This is finally the last of the list. Here they are:

1.  hectoringly: “Maybe you lose a steer and learn not to make somethings with your eyes at married men,” Mrs. Shimerda told her hectoringly.

Hectoringly means to talk to someone in a bullying way.

1.  freshet: Nina used to coax Antonia to tell her stories — about the calf that broke its leg, or how Yulka saved her little turkeys from drowning in the freshet, or about old Christmases and weddings in Bohemia.

A freshet is the flood of a river from heavy rain or melted snow.

3.  aigrettes: She was formal in manner, and made calls in rustling, steel-grey brocades and a tall bonnet with bristling aigrettes.

An aigrette is a headdress consisting of a white egret’s feather or other decoration such as a spray of gems.

4.  arnica: She spent the whole morning bathing and poulticing me, and rubbing me with arnica.

Arnica is a plant of the daisy family that is sometimes used medicinally, especially for the treatment of bruises.

Wondrous Words Wednesday is a meme created and sponsored by Kathy at Bermuda Onion. Be sure to visit her for more new words.