It’s a holiday, or about to be. More precisely, May Day at the Estate, which is tomorrow of course. So what’s planned for this very special day?
We lead off the day with music and a May Pole just after dawn in the courtyard. Roots and Branches, which consists of a violinist (Catherine, Iain’s wife), a smallpiper (Finch, the associate Pub manager) and a hardanger fiddler (Anna, who’s a visiting muso who plays in some Swedish trad band) will provide the music.
Iain will give a (hopefully) brief speech on the importance of May Day, both spiritually and politically. We’ll then have a dance around the May Pole, with both lads and the lasses, human and elvin alike, dressed in their best finery. Well their finest Red Faire style finery. It’s quite a sight (and sound as well) though between you and me I think that it does get just a bit silly.
We’ll all head into the Estate Building for a breakfast. Mrs. Ware and her staff prepare blueberry waffles, smoked bacon and Jamaican Blue Mountain (don’t ask how much that costs). Oh, and real maple syrup, of course, for the waffles.
After breakfast, I lead all interested in the Annual Blessing of the Gardens, which is held in the high meadow that overlooks much of our gardening area. It calls for enough rain, but not too much, warm days but no killing heat (even we can get that) and protection from all the things that can go wrong. It’s actually a very moving experience.
That’s pretty much it ’til I do the calling for a contradance that starts well after the Eventide meal with Random Acts of Dancing, which is violinist Bela, concertina player Reynard and crwth player Blodwyn rounding out the group. If it’s warm enough, and it usually is, it takes place in the stone tiled paved courtyard.
All in all a most excellent way to celebrate May Day!
Leave a Reply