Today, a day in May...

In my neck of the woods...

"Today
Unbroken strong sunshine will bring another very warm May day, particularly around Worcestershire and Herefordshire. A strong and gusty easterly wind will bring very dry air to the region and will temper the heat somewhat.

Tonight
Remaining dry and warm with clear skies throughout. Easterly winds will start gusty, but will ease gradually through the night."

Today - I woke at 4.10am to birdsong coming through all the open windows. By 6.00am it had risen to a cacophany and I gave up any idea of further sleep and got up to make tea. Out on our south-facing patio the air was full of the sound of birds, all shouting their heads off. Sky as blue as blue can be...

We have a redwood tree at the bottom of the garden; tall and graceful, beautifully shaped... and at the top a little bird was trilling away so loudly - I couldn't identify it - but as a child I used to play with a little bird whistler toy, a little blue plastic bird on a log, with a mouthpiece - you fill it up with water and blow. And this bird sounded just like that. I doubt that it was a nightingale - but I thought - maybe.

And just now, (it's noon) The neighbours are out in the gardens, making the most of the warmth and sun before it gets just too hot. Heaven must be like this.

What we're missing today - Chipping Campden Morris Ring meeting. We would have been there for sure today, if we didn't have another import date this evening. I love men's Morris. LSH was/is a morris dancer - though he doesn't get much chance these days. A meeting of the Morris Ring is an incredible experience - massed morris in an open space, bells, fiddles, handkerchiefs waving, sticks clashing - England at its visual and aural best.

I love the music of the morris - music for the fiddle and melodeon, pipe and tabor, but not, I think, for the ukulele.

So this afternoon, for one sublime half-hour, I shall disappear into my summerhouse, (glorified garden shed), open the doors wide, sit down comfortably, and play my ukulele.