MAY day.....fun!

Well firstly how is May already? And secondly it's quite funny reading today about how people are having a long weekend Bank Holiday - here in France our Fête de Travail is on the 1st, which meant basically everywhere would be closed and on the day - and long may that continue! But it's not just about the day off, oh no France also has a wonderful tradition of giving bunches of Lily of the Valley to friends and family as a good luck charm.

Here is a little about May Day – Fête du Muguet

Labour-Day-Lily-of-the-Valley copy
Lily of the Valley
May 1st (May Day) is known worldwide as Labour Day.
In France May Day is also the Fête du Muguet when the French greet each others with a sprig or a small bouquet of lily of the valley, a flower that is considered a lucky charm. The tradition dates back to the beginning of the century. Unemployed people went into the woods that were still found in the big cities’ suburbs to pick lilies of the valley. Unemployment benefits did not exist so people had to find ways of making ends meet! 

The lily of the valley is in full bloom in late April early May. It is one of those wild plants that spread very quickly, invading clearings and edges of wood! It grows everywhere and is almost considered as a weed. People just needed the patience of picking it and composing small bouquets which they tied with a ribbon. They sold them in the markets as women once loved to decorate their blouses with a sprig of lily of the valley. This custom was a remainder of the old pagan tradition when people celebrated spring by adorning themselves with flowers. Many provinces have retained a version of this ancient tradition by decorating a pole (May Pole) with flowers. This is reminiscent of the tradition of planting a flowering tree outside the door of the girls to marry off. It was followed by a feast during which they widely celebrated spring, nature and love!

In the language of flowers, the lily of the valley symbolizes ‘marital happiness’.
It was natural to link the flower to dating, and the popular dances “Bals du Muguet” were organized every year so that singles could meet their soul mate.
The girls dressed in white and young men wore a sprig of lily on their lapel; parents and chaperons were banned from attending!
The lily of the valley has been cultivated in Europe since the Middle Ages but it is said to originate from Japan where it is considered a symbol of spring.
Some sources, however, attest that the Celts knew the flower and already considered it a lucky charm.
The French tradition of giving a sprig of lily of the valley as a good luck charm on the first day of May originates from May 1, 1561 when King Charles IX received a sprig.


Sadly although it has seemingly been a bumper crop of flowers this year, I haven't found any potted in the shops this year, over the last couple of years I have bought them in the pots and planted them up - and enjoying their lovely scent from April to May! 

We did something completely different this year however, we had the lovely Bartonettes join us for a Musical workshop or as we like to call it *Star for a Day* making dreams come true, for Scarlett she has always wanted to sing into a proper mic - so she did!

Singing "Arpeggios" from Aristocats for the first time, and being recorded at the same time!

My youngest giving a little singing guidance so that Scarlett could make the best of her newly found voice! Sam enjoying his first time beating out a rhythm on the Cajon, and he did very well!

A little shyer than his twin sister, but Sam soon found his voice and sang his version of "Arpeggios"

Sophia is only five so not quite into sight reading just yet, so she chose one of her fave nursery rhymes - Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.....

On hearing her recording her first words were "That's not my voice!" It took us all a while to convince her that indeed yes - that is you singing!

it's all about the photos now!

Mad!

We had a really fab time and I know the children didn't want to pack up and leave, I think we thought 3 hours was quite enough when it was planned but they had only just started rocking out to Abba - so we have sent them on their way home, to work on a few of their fave songs - so they can come back in Summer and do it all again!

For more photos of our *Star for a Day* please visit PamelaJaynePhotographyMakingMemories where you can see a few more captures of the Bartonettes having fun!

Postdated April - the catch up!

 The sun and warmth did indeed wait out until we started on the "Vacances de Pâques (thankfully!) Youngest daughter had the best week "ever" in Southern Ireland enjoying the culture of music and Guinness! Although this was shared between 4 of them but when in Ireland you just can't not can you? The host family she and her 2 friends stayed with were lovely and thoroughly looked after them. They met new friends in Ireland and made new bonds as a group - all that you can hope and ask for for your children! Our eldest also had a fantastic time in Sicily again embracing the culture, the music and yes the beer! Probably the cheapest item on the menu! But they were there to entertain and sing with a Sicilian Uni as well but had time to explore also! Again a wonderful experience that will last with her for many years!

We did get our "holioneday" as well which was lovely, we all voted on Royan as we haven't been there for a couple of years, we wanted the coast - the sea air and to spend a little more time exploring.

We ended up going to 3 different beaches along the coast line...and each one very different! I love this one purely for the houses, what an eclectic road this is!

Mixing it up architecturally!

view to the "modern" church in Royan town

 And for the first time since I was 18 went on a Ferris Wheel,

umm it's quite high up!

all the feelings of "no I don't want to" surfaced and the only reason I was scared was because during our "yoof" we used to go to Peter Pan's in Southend-on- Sea with our crowd, and the last time I was up the top of the Big Wheel our dear and truly beloved dare devil friend decided to spin the wheel making the tub go round and not stopping there started to rock it - by this time I was terrified and really not enjoying this experience! So all that time on and still not been up again - until my lovely family gently cajoled me into it!
The first round of going up was actually quite hilarious in as much as it was silent - all you could hear was the squeak, squeak of the rubber wheel and the wind, which at that point did start making it's presence felt (Great!!) but once at the top - fabUlous the view was so amazing sea on the one side going on for miles and endless sea miles and then to the other sand and rolling countryside - such a juxtaposition of life!

my view

a very rare capture of me it has to be said but I thought I should really record this act of  bravery!

looking at the "Front de Mer"

A well deserved treat!

to the Church

After more beachy pics and paddling in the oh so chilly waters we went to the Marennes d'Oleron for a picnic alongside the river - all very lovely indeed...... 

Hubby is the most patient man I know and he really does put up with my sitting in the car saying "oh how I wish we could just pull up and stop so I can take a photo of "this, that and the other thing" this is normally said whilst driving along the N10 or another motorway where all wildlife tends to hang out! On this occasion however he found a little lay-by so that we could finally see the Storks nesting - although we noticed, quite sadly that most of the pylons have had added extras in the way of spikes to stop this nesting process, which is all well and good IF they (the powers that be) put in place new nesting posts - there are a handful out in the marshes and certainly not enough for the amount of Storks that come to nest here every year! I won't get on my soapbox just yet about this as I haven't done my research into why they are stopping this but for the life of me I won't understand it!

Each pylon used to have a nest on it!

Just one of the nesting posts!

Yes....and......?

love these cottages!

Taken from the car whilst moving excuse the quality!

 

We had a lovely day and slept like logs!

I had the absolute pleasure of photographing baby Valentin and his big sister in April also ... these are just a few of our favourites! 

*Thank you Angelique and family!*


To show that the weather in April was also turbulent whilst out and about this wonderful rainbow caught my eye - now this is a view I could get used to on a daily basis!

And then the sun came back out one Sunday so we made the very best of it and went on (at that point) one of our longest bike rides, taking in the local Fôret and the wonder of the Bluebells - what is it about these beautiful, delicate flowers? I don't think we have ever had such a good year for flowers in the wild, the Cowslips have been nothing short of magnificent in the ditches and fields and now the Bluebells and Wood Anemones are shining in the sun (when it's out) like a real life fairy grotto!

Excitement came to pass in Lezay as well this month, with the Tour Auto Optic 2000. "The 22nd edition of the Tour Auto Optic 2ooo once again offers a brand new itinerary between Paris and La Rochelle via Orléans, Vichy, Albi and Limoges dotted with timed stages on closed roads and circuits. There were 250 competing cars. And I captured about 30! We stood for about an hour and half in the not so lovely sunny French weather but in a very nice area :)

I have also come to realise that I am really luck to have patient and understanding friends also - a picnic for me turns into "ooooh....a shot here, a shot there, can you pretend I am not here with my camera please".  You know the sort of person who pretends they are NOT taking a photo of you - but umm yes they are, sorry that's me! But this for me is fun....watching people, children in particular (and I don't mean that in a creepy way) but the innocence that we tend to forget as an adult, the taking in what you have around you - the dandelions and the daisies are there to be picked and made into that wonderful garland....that's the fun in being a child not the parent who thinks "oh dear what's been there before my child!" The tree becomes a hiding place - you can't catch me! The toy dog - well that's made to be taken for a "walk" around the car park isn't it? Brothers, Sisters, Friends - that's what childhood is about and hopefully by taking a few random and candid captures they will remember the fun times they had out - Making Memories - that's what it really is all about! 

Thank you Julie, Karen and Sara!

Well my April fun is coming to an end now....it's only when I look back at the photos I realise what a good month it was. Lots of nice things have happened, lots of projects have been formed and will be taking place over the next couple of months.

I would like to leave you with the sun setting on this month.....

If you would like to see further images taken over April then please do visit my Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/PamelaJaynePhotography or my website.

Hopefully I will be able to keep a little more up to date with this blog over the next few months, but I thank you to those that have taken the time to read and look at the month in photos. Thank you also to my lovely family and friends that just add that extra!