May is usually a lovely time of year, and the May Day celebrations are a wonderful tradition which fortunately still carry on to this day.
I grew up in a Northamptonshire village where we had our May Day in the centre of the village, with the May Queen and her attendants taking pride of place on the stone Market Cross. They sat on cushions as the stonework was notoriously cold even in May; I’m not sure if that still continues as I think the Queen was actually perched quite high up!
We all got dressed up in our best party outfi ts - in those days pretty fl oral dresses for the girls, smart shirts and trousers for the boys - and did our Maypole dancing. This occasionally went wrong when somebody ducked under instead of going over the neighbouring ribbon or got completely out of step with everybody else, but usually we got it right and made the tightly plaited colourful pattern as well as the ‘spider’s web’ design.
The boys dressed up as Morris Men and did their dance with sticks, heartily bashing www.northantstelegraph.co.uk/news/opinion/helen-bach www.helenbachuk.blogspot.co.uk each other when they could while the bells on their legs jingled.
The younger children partook in the country dancing and skipped happily through the crowds of parents, grandparents, friends and fellow villagers who clapped in time to the music.
Such happy memories, and I’m glad that at my daughter’s school the tradition continues with a King and Queen, attendants and various dances.
Heading into June, it was always referred to as ‘fl aming June’, but from memory it’s sometimes a little hit and miss weather wise. However, I’m sure people of a similar age to me remember the very hot summer of 1976 and the drought. I remember huge cracks opening up in the garden where the ground was parched.
I wonder what this summer is going to be like? One thing I can guarantee is I shall be partaking in my favourite summer drink - Pimm’s o’clock anyone?!
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