May long-weekend and half-term holiday – a time to get away or a time to simply appreciate some of the joys of Nature close to home.
Our tiny, feathered friends have returned to nest and raise their second brood of the year. Meanwhile, the roadsides and hedgerows nearby are festooned with cascades of Laburnum and random patches of poppies and wildflowers. Hawthorn, colloquially known as May or the May Tree is widespread in the UK and the white blossom typically appears this month.
“N’er cast a clout till May is out”.
This proverb alludes to the fickle British weather. It is commonly thought that the reference isn’t about the end of the month of May, but one of our most common trees, the Hawthorn. Clout is from an Old English word for cloth or clothing, and the saying is a reminder not to be too quick to put away your winter clothes until summer has fully arrived.
Have a lovely weekend.
by Dr Julie Charlesworth 26/05/23
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