It all started with... a nap?
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It all started with… a nap. Not a kiss. Not a spell. Not a curse, but a nap. Every spring, I think of Thomas the Rhymer, who fell asleep under a Hawthorn tree and woke to meet none other than the very Queen of Elves. It was a fateful moment that changed his life forever, as the kiss, the spell, and the curse would soon follow. Ever since I heard the tale and subsequently fell into a research hole on Hawthorn trees, I wondered why Thomas chose that particular tree to sleep under. The web generally says their blossoms stink and their branches are thorny. However, they are believed to ward off the elves when in bloom. The irony then is that Thomas was safe while he napped. It was only when he left the safety of its shade that he fell to the mercy of the Elven Queen. Another wisdom associated with the Hawthorn tree goes like this: Ne’er cast a clout till May is out! Which means don’t pack away your winter coat until the Mayflower blooms—aka the Hawthorn. From what I’ve read online, those blossoms tend to arrive late in May. Just two days ago, I thought about washing and packing away my family’s winter layers because the days were 18C and sunny. My youngest and I spent our afternoon catching ladybugs as they woke from their winter sleep. Then, this morning, we were greeted by 5cm of snow! The snow drifts are even deeper as the howling wind keeps rearranging the snow into piles, the same way I move around the clutter in my house when I’m itching to start my spring cleaning. Turns out, I would have been a fool if I had packed away our warm clothes. Fingers crossed this is the last blast from the Caillach before true Spring emerges. Bring on the rain! Reader, do you have any seasonal words of wisdom where you live? Until next time, Natalie Guttormsson PS - Curious about the courtship between the Queen of Elves and Thomas the Rhymer? Follow their love story in my novella: The Fall of the Queen of Elphame
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