Now the voting is done - for the time being. Superheroes. Art work. Blossom related lore.

Well, Reform UK did disappointingly better than some of us us - many of us - hoped in the local elections. The Greens are suffering from the various media attacks on Zack Polanski. Here’s a link to an article about him. The Labour Party continues to suffer. All that remains is to mop up the tears and do some planning!

Last night, over the tea table three of the grandchildren had a discussion about superheroes, antiheroes, villains, Marvel characters and all sorts of stuff that left us, their grandparents, quite mystified. It’s all come a long way since Clark Kent was Superman! We were all rather amazed at how knowledgeable six year old Grandson Number Two was on this topic. He revealed that before a YouTube ban was instituted for the small people in the family he used to watch all sorts of stuff which was really not intended for such a young age. 

After tea he produced this work of art, which is apparently a character who goes by the name of Venom!

His nine year old sister produced a much more abstract piece of art work.

Out and about the cherry blossom has been blown away but it has been replaced by horse chestnut ‘candles’ 

and hawthorn blossom. A week ago the hawthorn here barely had leaves and now blossom is everywhere.

I came across a bit of hawthorn folklore. 

“Tree of Boundaries and Beings. The Tree You Do Not Cut.

The hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) is not just a tree, it is a guardian. Growing at the edges of fields, near wells, or alone on ancient tracks, it marks thresholds between this world and the next. It is said that to cut a lone hawthorn is to offend the ælfar, the fae, the hidden ones, who dwell in its boughs or beneath its roots.

"Cut a hawthorn, and you'll cut your luck."

Many rural people believed that to fell or even prune a hawthorn could bring sickness, sudden death, or misfortune upon a household. This taboo is strongest around lone hawthorns, especially those on old sites like barrows, crossroads, or ringforts, places where the veil is thought to be thin.

Fairy Trees: In Irish and British folklore, hawthorns are frequently seen as "fairy trees." In Ireland, roads have famously been rerouted to avoid damaging a lone hawthorn believed to be protected by the Aos Sí (fairy folk). The same idea exists in parts of Britain, especially in the West Country, the Borders, and the Downs.

"The tree chooses its place, not you."

It was believed hawthorns grew where the land needed guarding, at thresholds, leys, or where spirits moved. To interfere was to break an old pact.”

Apparently you should never bring hawthorn blossom indoors, because it is said to ‘bring the dead’. “Bringing hawthorn bloom into the home was said to invite the fae indoors, unbidden. Once inside, they could cause illness, madness, or mischief, steal children, tangle dreams, or sour milk.”

I must confess to having tempted fate on more than one occasion by bringing the blossom indoors, especially when I come across pink hawthorn blossom. So far nothing untoward has resulted from it - crossing fingers and touching wood! 

Oddly enough, it was lilac that my mother would never allow in her house - another highly scented blossom with possible graveyard connotations. 

Be careful with those flowers! 

Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!