WELCOME TO WIDOWED WORLD

18 May 2009

Greetings,

With the Spring Bank Holiday almost upon us, it’s once again time to ensure that we have something planned for the extra long weekend. With gardens bursting into life, a good garden centre with shop and tearoom takes a lot of beating and also the National Gardens Open Days are now in full swing.  Although the traditional Whitsun Holiday has been replaced by the Spring BH I continue to think of it as Whitsun and to seek out appropriate customs.  Apparently duckling with peas and gooseberry tarts or pudding were once traditional fare and the ceremony of well dressing with ribbons and garlands of flowers still occurs in some parts of the country.

When Yew is out
Then Beech comes in,
And many flowers beside,
Both of a fresh and fragrant kin
To honour Whitsuntide.
Robert Herrick

Have you noticed also how scarecrows are making a come back? Not the kind that actually scare off birds in the crop fields but a more artistic kind dressed in weird and wonderful costumes to represent characters. Last weekend I hosted a lady from Montreal via the Couch Surfing Organisation and she was enthralled with a display of creatively styled scarecrows named and displayed competitively throughout one of our local villages as part of its annual fête. My visitor was equally fascinated to hear about our tradition of building caricatures of Guy Fawkes to burn on bonfires in November. In this shrinking world it’s good to know we still have a few unique customs to share with overseas travellers.

Meanwhile, there is much activity surrounding the website with new articles already posted and more in the pipe line so log on regularly to keep up to date. Please don’t be shy about contributing to the Forums and do feel free to start up new topics of your own choice.

May the sun shine!

Jacquie