Lustleigh May Day

Today was a glorious day, it's one of my favorite days of the year. There was music,  

and dancing,

and a procession, as we followed the May Queen and her entourage around the village in this celebration of spring that has it's roots in our ancient pagan past.

The children stop and sing a May song at various places along the way,

before going to the orchard to crown the May Queen.

She sits on a granite throne in a bower of flowers on the May Day Rock which is inscribed with the names of all the May Queens from 1954 until now.

From there she has the best view of her court dancing and of the patters that are woven and unwoven by the maypole ribbons.

And then tea and cake sitting in the sunshine with friends.  We walked home with two of our friends, leaving two behind.  We left them markers along the way so they wouldn't get lost

none of which they noticed

but they made it back none-the-less.   What a perfect day.