Celebrating Spring with the Maypole

Flowers and willow branches were gathered for making flower crowns. The flowers were sorted by colour and the sweet scent of lilacs hung in the air. The children worked carefully as they weaved flowers and ribbons into their willow circlets. My eldest needed a little prompting to make his flower circlet, he would have rather been climbing a tree, but after watching the other children working on their circlets he choose to make his own out of parsley, kale and dandelions. With great ceremony the children carried the maypole out into the field. The maypole was staked and a ribbon was handed out to each child. To the sound of music the children moved around the maypole and eventually it was wrapped in an array of colourful ribbons. The warm weather which felt more like summer than spring, forced us to seek shade soon after and then we sought out the beach and cool waters. It was a wonderful way to celebrate spring.