01 May French Traditions

It is the 1st of May, Stuart and I wish you all Health and Happiness !                                                                                                                                                                                                                  A beautiful French Tradition all over France on the 1st of May is to give a small bunch of Lily of the Valley to those close that you care for. So if you are lucky enough for a French person to give you a bunch of these gorgeous flowers, that fill the air with their delicate and intoxicating perfume, it is a sure sign that they like you. Feel very honoured.  The tradition is, that these dainty, beautiful little flowers will  bring to you,  good health, good luck and happiness,  bonne santé, bonne chance et bonheur ! If you know where to look, they are growing wildly in abundance not far from here, but as today’s weather has spoilt us with  strong winds, swirling angrily in all  directions like a mad man with a paintbrush in his hand, a cool chill in the air and  torrents of rain ferociously falling to the ground, I decided that I would not go walking to find any today.  Although the sky is a blend of varying colours of charcoal greys, covering the landscape below in shades of silver and grey, everywhere still looks so very beautiful, in a wet, soggy  and wind blown way. Do not think the garden birds have gone much on it, they have been very quiet and a little conspicuous in their obvious absence.  But, each time the rain eases a little,  all the garden  worms need to duck and dive as low into the ground as they can, because those little garden birds are out and after them in those short lived moments.  They peck savagely into the ground, their beaks diving into the soft soil,  till they joyously lift up their little heads triumphantly, long skinny wiggly worms hanging heavily  from their beaks can be clearly seen wriggling for their lives in mid-air, just before that awful moment becomes their reality when they just they disappear, sucked up into the throats of their enemy. Gulp and they were gone forever !  We also have a family of massive black crows nesting somewhere near, there is always one massive one in the back garden, he is huge ! His body is big and strong, looks like he works out and his black feathers shine beautifully in the sunshine, his legs long and sturdy,  he too ending the lives of many worms. A quicker end for them within the beak of the big black bird, his movement across the lawn must freeze them to stillness, just hoping he will not find them, as the ground beneath this big black bird,  vibrates under his body weight. The attractive little Swallows have arrived too and are busy building their nests, I watch them diving at speed towards the swimming pool then skimming across the surface, collecting water to add to the mud they are collecting for their nests,  ensuring that their newly built nests are nice, cosy, solid and safe for their babies when they arrive.   So folks, as I mentioned before, it is May already !  We were supposed to be opening today, but of course that it is not possible, but Stuart and I are continuing to work as normal;  our garden is just a little large !!!!  Spring time is so enchanting and so stunningly picturesque, but goodness me, does the grass grow.  Especially when your little tractor that works so hard, just stops in situ, having made a terrible “I am ill” noise and tells you that it just cannot go on.  Stuart and I know that feeling too, but somehow we just keep on going.  It is what keeps our bodies active and our outlook young; M’mmm, hope you are  not laughing too loudly.  So,  new parts have been ordered for the tractor, (lucky tractor, if only it was that easy for us) but twice now we have received items the wrong size.  Very frustrating, the grass grows longer by the second and it just makes you wonder what the person is like, that just cannot pick up the right piece or the right size ?!!     Face-timing probably, or on whatsapp at the same time ! Or simply just a fool ?    But …………….. Although everything is a little overgrown, it all looks wildly charming,  pretty wild flowers every colour of spring you can imagine growing up amongst the grass; orchids blooming from areas they never usually get chance to bloom, poppies, daisies, and simply all sorts enticing the wild insects and butterflies.  The huge hare living somewhere within the grounds can be seen most days bounding around the park, he is massive and looks more like a baby deer with a quick glance.  As yet I have not managed to get a clear photograph of him.  The deer can be seen often grazing in the field in front of the mobile homes, it is nice to know they are safe from guns at the moment as it is not hunting season.  As yet non of the wild animals or butterflies that I so love to see in the park have found our newly planted vegetable patch, I will not love them so much if they eat my home-grown vegetables before we get chance to even try them !  You should see the home-creation of the greenhouse Stuart has created and erected for me, out of throw-away bits we had not gotten around to taking to the tip, luckily !!   it’s not bad.  As our little Grandsons say, “papy will fix it” and like always he did.  Like all you grand-parents, we are missing them all immensely.  Fingers crossed they will soon be in our arms again for a nice longed for grand-parent hug. Cannot wait ! Enjoy your evening everyone.