May flies by...

Last weekend saw the sleepy village of Dunham spring into life, adorned with bunting for the crowning of their Rose Queen. Antiquated and sexist perhaps but I suppose that’s how many traditions are, and we wouldn’t want to lose them all.

Another May event that I've noticed for the first time is that of the mayflies’ short lives- they burst into life in early May, especially around rivers. One evening I saw hundreds on my balcony, flitting around with abandon. The more hardy, or maybe the late comers, are still there, but now merely in single figures. The rest have danced their merry May jig and shuffled off this mortal coil...