After A Rainy Start....

Photos Copyright: Maggie May

The day started off by pouring with rain. Why hadn't the Morris Dancers taken advantage of the hot sunny days when May began? We were having a drought and the weather was exceptionally hot then.

However, this was the day that was advertised to walk from the centre of Bristol to a Common several miles away.

Bristol is one of the few cities out of the whole of England that celebrates the beginning of the summer by parading the streets and dancing at regular intervals on the first Saturday following May Day.

This is called Jack of the Green. It is a tradition that goes back for years.

They are a group of people who dress in rag jackets and dance and play all sorts of instruments, dabbing a green blob on people's faces as they walk by.

This is usually received in good humour and everyone gets wished a Happy Summer because that is what the celebration is about.

They dance at regular intervals as well as popping into several pubs on their journey.

I made four of the rag jackets in the group, some of them while I was feeling quite poorly because of chemo.

Amber and Millie, my granddaughters managed to walk the full journey on this occasion. The wet weather hadn't lasted long and the sun came out and Granddad and I managed to meet up with the crowd when they had travelled three quarters of the way.

I walked with them to the Common and watched as the *Jack* pictured in the first photo and explained more fully in the link, was smashed up and killed.

I go because I enjoy it and for me there isn't any belief system involved. It is purely a tradition and I am pleased to be in Bristol and be able to walk some of the way with my granddaughters.

I came home quite tired after spending the afternoon with a really friendly and kind bunch of people and was pleased that the weather stayed dry for most part of the day.

Wassailing

Photos Copyright: Maggie May

I recently wrote about a walk round the allotments.

They are not normally open to the public and usually there are locked gates on all allotments and only genuine tenants get a key.

On that occasion though, there was a function for the public to attend because of the celebration of Wassailing.

Although I am not a bit interested in the Wassailing ceremonies, I do appreciate that there is a communal orchard there and in the autumn the produce is sold off towards the maintenance etc. On this occasion, there was a cake stall. I am all for small communities getting together to support this kind of activity.

There was also some Morris Dancing which my son, Sam, usually takes part in. However he is struggling with back and ankle problems at the moment so he likes to attend these functions but doesn't aways feel up to taking part.

I am, at present, making a green rag jacket for Amber, who has passed the one I made for her last year on to her younger sister, Millie because it is a bit tight. The new one is going to be a much bigger size.

While I was at the allotments, I took a photo of these teasels and the catkins.

There doesn't seem to be much going on in my own garden, but on closer examination, I see snowdrops peeping through.

Some of my shrubs have been severely damaged by the bad winter and only time will tell whether that damage will be permanent. I feel it is never a good idea to chop things up without giving them a chance to recover.

I keep having to remind myself that there are at least two months left that we could have more snow and severe frost. Heres hoping that Spring weather is really on the way.

This weekend was The RSPB Great Garden Birdwatch.

Although I watched for the required hour, only three house sparrows and a wood pigeon came to my garden. At one time my garden was teeming with birds.

Have other people noticed a decline in garden birds?

Ring Out Those Bells

Photos Copyright: Maggie May

I have posted about Morris Dancers before. That is because my son belongs to a Morris Dancing group and he often asks me to go with him on his various excursions. (Probably to babysit the girls or at least take them off his hands for a bit!)

I must say that I always manage to enjoy myself on these occasions and I find that Morris dancers are an extremely friendly bunch of people.

Some of these pictures were taken at the Sidmouth Festival while we were on holiday recently.

Others were taken when I went to various engagements with my son's group.

Some have outfits that make them stand out from the rest, following a definite colour. Others have rag outfits of many colours.

There is sometimes a horse or a clown type figure to bring a bit of humour into the dance.

Most groups have music of some sort to accompany the dancing.

Many carry sticks that are used in formation dancing.

But everyone have bells on their legs!

The tradition goes way back in time and each group seems to put a slightly different slant onto their dances and outfits.

If there are still any overseas readers who don't understand what Morris Dancing is about, they can go here.

Sometimes the sticks seem positively dangerous and it isn't that unusual to get a whack on the head from time to time.

But it seems to be a very good form of exercise.

Pity I'm a bit long in the tooth to take it up.

The Merry Month of May

I expect that many of you will remember the weeks I spent making rag jackets for my son, granddaughter and a friend for the May Day procession of the Jack in The Green Festival, while I wasn't well. These are the three jackets in the above picture.

The walk took place on Saturday.

The making of these jackets really did give me a purpose to get up and go, when I was going through the uncharted waters of chemotherapy.

Sam and Amber left the house early on Saturday morning. The weather forecast was not good, but it kept dry.

Millie, the youngest granddaughter was not capable of the long walk from the harbour side to the site in Horfield where the procession ended, so it was decided that I would look after her and meet them half way, later in the afternoon.

Millie was happy to go on the swings in a Park about a mile and a half from where we live. It was still quite a hilly walk for the two of us but we did it with no problems.

Very soon we heard the beating of the drums and the sounds of the melodian, violin and pipes, so we knew that the procession was nearing the place where we were waiting.

Millie was pleased to be reunited with her daddy and I was very warmly greeted because most of the group knew that I had undergone chemo and admired my effort to get there, and of course, I'd made the jackets!

I must admit that they are among the nicest group of people that you could ever come across.

I was able to complete the walk (another 2 miles or so) and we ended up on Horfield Common where the Jack was *killed* and dismantled.

I dare say there are some deep folklore beliefs involved in all of this, but I am not at all interested in them.

What I am interested in, is the close-knit community spirit that goes on in this group and the way they react warmly to all those around them. I also love processions.

They inspire tradition and a community spirit that is sadly lacking in our area today.

I was so pleased that Amber could manage the long walk from the very beginning to the end and also that I could make the occasion too. I had no idea whether I would be well enough to go until the last minute and I was glad that the weather kept dry because the very next day turned out to be extremely wet in the morning.

Whatever the Jack did..... it has been raining and cold ever since.

If you would like photos of last years Jack in the Green you can read about it on my blog here.......

or you can find out more about the festival here. ( On the official site.)

Photos copyright: Maggie May

May is also the start of the summer and it is also the month of my birthday.

The green flowers in the garden are, I think, some kind of early clematis. They seem to battle through a passionflower every year, though the passion flower has been severely stunted by the bad frost of last winter and is still a brown mass of twiggy like bare stems. I do love to see these green flowers though.

Dicentra Spectabilis, otherwise known as Bleeding Heart, is another early flowering plant that seems to come out in my garden year after year, no matter what the weather throws at it. A truly lovely flower.

The primulas below have been nibbled by something or other, maybe from the little elves that live under the blue toad stool. I love the colour of the blue primula.

I wonder what the weather will be like for the rest of May this year?

Do other readers love this month, as much as I do?

Rag Jackets

Photos copyright: Maggie May

I have just come back from oncology where I have had my pre assessment and unfortunately my immune system has dipped so low that it doesn't register. So I will have to delay having my chemo for a week.

The doctor told me that 52% of people cannot cope with this chemo and he might stop at four. I am a bit devastated but he did say I was already in remission.

Don't things change in a week? I have gone from elation to despair!

So it looks like I will have to get on with the rag jackets as I won't be going anywhere.

I have offered to make Sam's friend a jacket now as I find it is therapeutic sewing on these little strips. How pathetic is that?

At this rate I shall be providing half the Morris Dancing team with jackets........ NOT!

I shall have to take great care not to get an infection.

I feel tired this month and slightly sick but all my other bloods are fine. Perhaps I do need a rest. I have had a busy month.

Light After Shadows

Photo copyright: Maggie May

After walking in the shadows for a good while I now feel that there is some light at the end of the tunnel.

I went to see my consultant today to see what the results of the CT scan were. I was told that I was in a very good position as the chemo was doing what it was supposed to do without upsetting me too much. The cancer has responded to it very well and there is only the tiniest bit left. So it was a communal decision at the hospital to press on with the chemo and

session four will be next Tuesday 23rd Feb.

Although they cannot give me any guarantees, (in fact they can never give anyone any guarantee that their cancer won't come back), they did stress that I am in a very good position.

She said some people get worse with chemo as the time goes on, but some people have better times as they get further into chemo. I am hoping I am one of the latter as compared to the first two treatments, I was not as badly afflicted last time.

I am still very busy making rag jackets for son and granddaughter for May Day. There is a lot of work in making them and it isn't something that can be done overnight. So I will press on with that as it gives me something to do while I am incapacitated.

I am pleased to be able to tell you that my brother, Eddie Bluelights, has now come home from hospital and is resting. He seems to be made of strong stuff and is galloping about on two sticks. He will get back to the blog as soon as he is able. In fact his computer has automatically posted something new,so go over there if you can.

All for now..........