May 2023 - A Seasonal Diary
Hello May
Yay it’s May! My birthday month, a month of glorious excitement for summer whilst still basking in the novelty of an emerging spring. There’s nothing really quite like May. You still have a month or more of light nights increasing and the garden is coming alive. Thankfully the soggy April has patched the way for a lovely dry May and everything is looking extra green from all that rain. I started the month with a morning walk to the small wood near our house to see the bluebells and stitchwort bursting into life. Noticed the difference between the delicate old English ones in the wood compared to the garish upright Spanish ones on the road verge. Was treated to a glorious electric song of two lapwings and noticed what I think is crab apple blossom cheering up the hedgerow. My shop also closed this month for my maternity leave so lots of time was spent packing up lots of lovely orders. I also managed a few little paintings inspired by the garden. It was nice to paint without purpose or agenda, just a little picture of things that have been making me happy. We expect the arrival of our second little boy in June so my blog and website have definitely been put to one side whilst household jobs get finished and baby preparation goes ahead. The garden has definitely been a huge joy and priority this month so I’m really sorry this journal is lacking in detail and is generally just a vague round up.
Me and Ted picked some lilac from the airfield to bring into the house and we also made some viola shortbread biscuits. The cornflowers are bursting in the allotment and my courgette, squash and pumpkin plants have all finally sprouted after nearly chucking them in the compost pile in defeat.
By mid May the farmer has all the cows turned out and the cow parsley and red campion have been looking absolutely spectacular in the road side verges. And to top of a beautiful month I finally spotted a brimstone, they don’t seem to be overly common around here.
“At last came the golden month of the wild folk honey-sweet May. When the birds come back, and the flowers come out, and the air is full of the sunrise scents and songs of the dawning year."
- Samuel Scoville
May In Watercolour
Things I’ve been enjoying and buying this month…
Coco runners Chocolate Subscription I love chocolate, it’s up there as one of my favourite foods but rather than eating dairy milk until I’m purple in the face I wanted to take a slower more mindful approach to my chocolate munching habits. That’s why i’ve subscribed to this, each month I recieve a selection of artisan dark chocolates that are designed to be consumed slowly and savoured.
What has May been like for you? Have you seen anything out in Nature that’s made you smile or just peeked your interest? I would love to know, tell me in the comments below...