h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Well, it's the first of May and we get the day off. In fact, in May, we get a day off nearly every week: Labour Day (today), Whit Monday, Ascension Day and Corpus Christi.

I have made some plans and resolutions for today and for the whole of May. Telling them would probably put some sort of curse on it all and I won't get stuff done*. And sitting here typing about them won't get anything done either. So if you see me posting too much this month, you are welcome to rap my knuckles.

*It's all the usual stuff like eat sensibly and practise the piano more often.





Yesterday was "Hexennacht" as it is locally known. Walpurgis is the official term. Although, officially in whose book, I'm not sure. It poured with rain, but that didn't stop some kids going round draping loopaper along people's garden fences. We went out for a traditional barbecue at a friend's house, but it all took place indoors because of the weather - cold as well as wet.

Rhubarb is ripe, though, and the lilacs are out, as they should be at this time of year. Maybe I'll make a rhubarb cheesecake (German style) later on. There should be some sun next week, which means strawberries, too . The cuckoo has been singing, although he doesn't seem to like wet weather, so I haven't heard him this week - and generally the late spring/early summer is soldiering on.

- Forsythia - already dropping its blooms
- Daffodils - starting to give way to tulips
- birds laying their eggs
- Magnolia has dropped its flowers
- cherry trees ablaze with pink blossoms

Grape hyacinths seem to be very proliferous. I like blue flowers - they're quite a rarity. Bluebells are entirely unknown in Germany, at least in these parts. A look at wiki shows that they are indigenous only along the very Western part of mainland Europe - the Atlantic coast - and otherwise the British Isles, where, as we know, they play a huge part in romantic literary heritage and nostalgic childhood memories.

Mention is made, however, of a bluebell wood very close to where Sho lives. I wonder if they were imported, by humans or by birds, or if the bluebells have moved West over the centuries, and this is the remainder of the population further East. The pictures indicate that they are thriving - lucky NRW.

oh where is the Bluebell wood? I'd like to see that.

Between Doveren and Hückelhoven. Go to the wiki "bluebell" entry and then transfer to the German version. There's a photo.

Hyacinthoides non-scripta

Sorry - between Doveren and Baal near Hückelhoven

We have next Monday off as our May Workers' Day. We tend to have most of our holidays on Mondays, as it makes a nice weekend. The next holiday after that is the "June Holiday" which is the first Monday in June.

Baal is the next but one village to me. It's a sunny day and has already said we should go out on our bikes today.

Thanks for the tip!

I think I've found it - you would be able to see it from my house if there weren't so many buildings and a very slight incline of the land between us

Crikey - I didn't realise it was THAT close! You'll be off on your bikes now - let me know if it was as magical and thick on the ground as that photo, Sho.


Anyway, we are having dull and cold weather here - you won't get me out on my bike.

Gnomon - they have trouble with that concept here in Germany. If Christmas falls on a Saturday and Boxing Day on a Sunday, you have to go back to work on the Monday.

However, some holidays are fixed days of the week:

Easter Monday and Whit Monday are always Mondays
Corpus Christi and Ascension Day are always Thursdays.

Christmas (25-26 Dec), Mayday (1 May), All Saints' Day (1 Nov), the national holiday (Oct 3) are all on those fixed dates. Then there is Reformation Day (31 October) which is in those States which are predominantly Protestant and the Catholic All Saints' Day is not celebrated.

Never thought of All Saints as particularly Catholic. What would make it that?

Saints are venerated in the protestant churches, though not worshipped or prayed to. There are Anglican churches called St Mary's, after all.

it was too cold so we didn't go. Maybe Ascension day which is a traditional day for the guys to get on their bikes anyway.

But yes, it really is that close. I've been in those woods before, but not at bluebell time. there's a beautiful bluebell wood near where my mum lives (Woolley Woods for any Sheffielders here) and I was saying last time I was there that I wished there was one near us

Lovely discovery!

I suppose all Saints isn't Catholic really, but it is celebrated in the Catholic regions. The Protestants have Totensonntag, which is later in November. Then there's the secular Volkstrauertag which is around that time, too.

I got married in an All Saints (Anglican) church. I've just looked at their website to see how they're doing these days. In the history section it states that that was the Church that King Charles used when he stayed in Newmarket (which he did occasionally, mainly for the racing, but also for his secret meetings with Nell Gwynn, if I remember my school projects correctly). Mind you, the building that's there now only dates from 1877.

Anyway Sho, now you can go and look at the bluebells and think of your Mum looking at the bluebells back home, like separated couples look at the moon.

oh yes, I'll be sure to tell her about that.

And thanks for the tip - I'm useless about doing local things, I never seem to have the time.

When I asked my son how Berlin would be celebrating the May Day, he, quite rightly, predicted that there would be cars burnt and windows smashed. This morning's papers have confirmed it. The main headlines, however, are:


Bayern Munich getting into the final of the Champions' League (correct me if I get that wrong - no idea about
the people arrested for the Boston bombs were apparently only responsible for destroying evidence
North Korea sentences a US citizen to 15 years' hard labour
Strikes

They burn cars and smash windows every other day, then?

Probably, but they do it all the more on May Day. Strasbourg and Hamburg are also fond of it.

Day off today. Ascension Day. Traditionally it's called Father's Day and men are supposed to go out for a fun day of drinking and being silly in loud groups. I don't know anyone who does that.

It's nice and sunny and I shall probably just do some washing. I think you are still not supposed to hang out washing on high days and holidays, but our washing line is hidden from view except from passing hot air balloons.

Haven't done anything at all so far, except read. It's 12 noon and I'm still not dressed. Perhaps I'll put the ironing board out in the garden and get some ironing done this afternoon. The walnut tree is handy for hanging out the ironed shirts.

where we live there are always massive groups of men (and yesterday, strangely, older teenage boys) out on their bikes with trailers full of beer.

On Mothers' day we get to have breakfast in bed. Sometimes. I know what I'd rather do and it has nothing to do with breakfast

My mum used to iron in the garden to get a bit of sunshine - I tried it but it was far too hot for me. But I used the excuse of the holiday not to wash the windows (yet again).

In Ireland it is called Ascension Thursday, but we don't get a day off, so the day passes unnoticed by all but the most devout Christians.