The Mayflower, a photo from North Lanarkshire, Scotland

Photographer's Note

I dedicate this one to our friend Claude (CLODO) who today presented a fine photograph and in his note referred to the flower "Lily of the Valley" as being a traditional token of good luck in France on the First Day of May. I had to confess that I was unaware of this custom but discovered that it had originated in 1561 by King Charles IX of France.

In Britain, however, the Mayflower - the flower of the hawthorn or Crataegus, also commonly known as quickthorn, thornapple, May-tree, whitethorn or hawberry, - has for very long been associated with "May Day" or the beginning of the month of May.

There is a well-known Scottish saying, "Ne'er cast a cloot til Mey's oot" which, roughly translated from Scots means "Never take off any warm clothing until the May flower is in bloom" - in other words until such time as there is little likelihood of cold or severe frost.

But although the blooming of hawthorn is traditionally associated with the beginning of May, there are very few places in Britain where the flowers actually appear before mid-May. And that, of course, became apparent after 1752 when Britain finally adopted the Gregorian calendar which effectively "lost" ten days.

This photo was taken on 8th May last year during one of my regular weekly country walks I have been doing with a group of friends for the last five years - until we were suddenly stopped by Covid-19. I wonder if those wonderful carefree wanderings in the countryside with friends will ever come back?

ISO 400, 1/400 sec at f/8, focal length 55mm.

Here is a link to a larger version of this photograph:
https://i1.trekearth.com/photos/48186/img_m5.1209.frm.jpg

COSTANTINO, pajaran, jemaflor, holmertz, Royaldevon, Porteplume, jhm, jean113, Fis2, alvaraalto has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

lousat (139982) 2020-05-01 14:36

Hi John,i hope that those wonderful days come back soon,maybe just in time to take pics of these flowers in this month. A lovely composition and interesting note,in Italy the rose is te flower married with the workers day. Have a nice weekend and thanks,Luciano

Tue (93412) 2020-05-01 15:10

Hello John,
An excellent close-up photo of these charming little mayflowers. Very good sharpness against a more blurry background. The white flowers make a great contrast with the darker green tones of the leaves.
Lars

emka (158784) 2020-05-01 15:25

Hello dear John,

Wonderful photo and very interesting note. We have no such custom as Convallaria majalis for the 1 of May but we have also similar meteorological observation. There are so-called Ice Saints (or cold gardeners). The period from May 12 to May 15 is often believed to bring a brief spell of colder weather, including the last nightly frosts of the spring. In Poland and the Czech Republic, the Ice Saints are St. Pancras, St. Servatus and St. Boniface of Tarsus. They are followed by zimna Zośka (cold Sophia) on the feast day of St. Sophia, which falls on May 15. I never plant flowers that are fragile before Sophia.
Delightful composition.
Your carefree wanderings with friends will come back for sure.
Stay safe

MAlgo

Nicou (193814) 2020-05-01 21:16

Hello

Fantastique branche fleurie avec aussi des petit boutons blancs quelle explosion florale et couleur ce blanc ce vert superbe
Bravo et belle journ嶪
Nicou

COSTANTINO (117756) 2020-05-01 22:21

Hello dear John and have a nice time
and a happy weekend
your photo changed my mood now...
many wishes for the new month
May and do not lose your hope....
lets hope that these scenes
will come back
regards
Costantino

jemaflor (148214) 2020-05-01 23:16

Hi John,
Nice photo well made, pleasant flowers well photographed, perfect sharpness. Interesting note about the "Mayflower".
Thanks also for your interesting critic about my last photo concerning the tradition of lily of the valley and the first day of May, tfs.

holmertz (103596) 2020-05-02 1:16

Hello John,
It's a beautiful photo, perfectly exposed and so very sharp, but I suspect it's the interesting and well written note that saves it from the moderators. Are you sure you didn't mix up Claude with Jean in your reference to the traditions surrounding the lily of the valley in France? ;-)

As for your Wednesday walks I am sure you could soon continue them. Unless there is a law in the UK stopping you, you should be able to do them right away if you make sure to keep a reasonable distance between you. But I'm worried that this pandemic may have changed our minds for a very long time. Unless the WHO or someone claims scientific facts that the virus is gone, totally and forever (which they won't), will we be able to trust each other again? Can I hug my nieces, can I play with small children, can I go to the locker room at my gym without a fear deep inside me that I could be infected, or infect someone else?
Have a nice weekend,
Gert

Silvio1953 (222889) 2020-05-02 2:35

Ciao caro John, lovely composition with beautiful flowers, wonderful natural colors, excellent clarity and splendid light, very well done, my friend, have a good week end, ciao Silvio

Royaldevon (86438) 2020-05-02 3:43

Hello John,

I didn't realise the significance of lily of the valley (in France) until I read your note.
Christine, CMJC, sent me a photograph of them and I hadn't realised their significance until now!

Hawthorn flowers are really beautiful. WE use the saying about casting a clout, too!
This year, though, has been a little different with such warm, April weather!

WE have a hawthorn tree in our garden and I once took my mum a bunch to cheer up her living room but, she kindly asked me to take hem back! May blossom should be left on the trees and was unlucky inside a house.
I researched it on the Internet and this is the result - Hawthorn is accessible and common, and its froth of white flowers are attractive - yet no flower is considered more unlucky. To take hawthorn blossom into a house was thought to invite illness and death. Children were forbidden to bring it home. The reasons for such terrifying tales are not clear.

However, you left the blossoms on the tree and took the most exquisite photograph of them!
The dof is perfect, the f/g flowers, extremely sharp and those in the b/g creating a fine sense of depth.

Keep safe,
Bev :-)

Porteplume (4036) 2020-05-02 4:35

Hi dear John,

You are absolutely right, you never will have to fear from the 𢘫oderators� because as long as I know and follow you I have never seen a note which could be insufficient or not suitable.
And of course this wonderful image is perfectly translating TrekEarth spirit... Absolutely crisp, perfect framing, lovely bokeh... A diamond in our TE Gallery!

Warm and friendly regards from Holland,
Viviane

jhm (211738) 2020-05-02 5:14

Hello John,

We see the flower of the hawthorn or Crataegus, with very sharp thorns.
Pleasant picture, I saw yesterday different trees with the same flowers in blossom.
An excellent composition, pleasant nature image.
Very well done, TFS.

Have a nice weekend,
John

kasianowak (17676) 2020-05-02 8:58

Hi John
Beautiful image of what, I assume, is a small section of a hawthorn tree or bush. Nicely composed and cropped close up. I feel as if I could stretch my hand towards the screen and touch those flowers.
I love hawthorn trees and their mysterious shapes. They are, of course, at their most lovely when covered with flowers. Happy to confirm that ours, in Bushy Park, have been in bloom for a few days, since the end of April. I can't clearly recall if it's the case every year though. This spring, warm and sunny and following an exceptionally mild winter, all flowers seem to appear earlier than usual. The fuchsias in my garden have started flowering - a month early.
I do hope you are able to resume your walks not later than this summer.
Best wishes
Kasia

jean113 (28253) 2020-05-02 9:25

Hello John, a super sharp shot of the very pretty may flowers.
You have achieved excellent depth so that the blossom has a 3D effect.
I can almost smell their distinctive scent.

Yes, the saying is one we know only too well.

Excellent notes. Beverley's comment about the superstition is one I have heard, but do not know the reason.
I hope that you will be able to resume your walks very soon.

Kind regards, Jean.

ifege (49393) 2020-05-03 0:16

Hi John
Excellent photo of these good looking flowers with perfect sharpness for the foreground flowers.
The flowers (but not the leaves) resemble the flowers of our leptosperman (tea tree) range.
Cheers
Ian

Fis2 (171907) 2020-05-03 1:34

Witaj John!
Beautiful spring view.
The flowers are impressive, they make impression.
I hope that everything will come back as before.
We have to be patient.
Nice sunday.
Keep safe.
Krzysztof

alvaraalto (42804) 2020-05-03 4:02

Hello John,
The Dutch name of the hawthorn also refers to the month of May. (Meidoorn).
I have one in my garden and it just so happens that some lilies of the valley grow close by. Both have no associations with events in the Netherlands.
Beautiful sharp photo with natural colours.
Have a nice Sunday.
Be careful and stay safe, Rob

CLODO (45118) 2020-05-06 23:29

Hi John

Thank you for the dedication,I missed it.
April-May it's the time when the leaves grow, the flowers blossom, the birds come back and sing, the sun is warmer, so it's the nature rebirth that we should register.
Starting from next monday, I shall be allowed to go up to 100 km from my flat and discover some new spots camera in hand of course.
Stay safe
CLODO

Ilonka1974 (10307) 2020-05-30 13:25

Hi John,
Very clear and beautiful image!
Lovely presentation this beautiful white flowers.
Excellent shot!
Best regards
Janusz

Photo Information

Copyright: John Cannon (tyro) (30513)
Genre: 地方
Medium: 彩色
Date Taken: 2019-05-08
Camera: Canon EOS M 5, Canon EF-M 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6 IS STM, Hoya 52mm Pro1D Protector
Exposure：f/0.6, 30 seconds
Map: view
Photo Version：Original Version
Date Submitted: 2020-05-01 14:08