Project #366 Week 18

This was a week which proves that weather forecasting is a difficult skill. I think they got it wrong nearly every day! We have had everything except snow this week, including sandstorms that saw owners of beach cafes unable to open their doors.


Sunday 29th April

Cat Yoga?

Warm in the house, if not outside.

Grey, wet, and miserable weather. My husband wandered around with cabin fever after his regatta was cancelled due to the high winds. I lit the fire, although I had thought that we'd finished with it until the end of the year:-( and curled up with the cats and a good book on my kindle.

Monday 30th

Today was bizarre. Overnight we had a torrential storm, which blew large quantities of sand a long way from the beach. All the plants around were buried, and the road to work was dicey as the sand blew everywhere. Later in the day the weather calmed down and I was able to enjoy the view from my classroom. The vegetation is really growing quickly now, and the lush greens are very soothing. I also enjoy the little flashes of pink granite from the houses down the valley.

Tuesday 1st May

Hal an tow, Jolly rumbelow

We were up, 

long before the day-o

To welcome in the summer, to welcome in the May-o

For summer is a-comin' in and winter's gone away-o

France on the horizon

Sun rising over the coast

This is the traditional welcome to summer that we wake up to in our house on May Day. At 4.30 am we got up to see in the May and, around 5.15,we drove down to Mont Orgueil Castle, on the East of the island, to start the Morris day of dance. Both the Helier Morris Men and the Jersey Lilies dance their way around the Parishes, starting in the East as the sun rises, and finishing around 6.30-ish in the evening. The forecast was grim, but the weather surprised everyone by being fantastic all day. As my husband is a dancer,I usually go out to watch the first couple of spots and then leave for work, only to meet up with them again in the evening.

Gorey from the castle

End of the day - surprisingly fresh!

Wednesday 2nd May

I took this picture of a rather fine end to the day. We had a another beautiful day, with perfect weather. The early start on May day caught up with me and I felt quite sleepy as the day went on. 

Thursday 3rd 

Prep

Con carne

One for the vegetarians!

The Helier Morris Men usually invite another side to join them in May, but the Queen's jubilee celebrations made it necessary to bring forward their usual time of the end of the month bank holiday weekend. The men of Mendip Morris, from Somerset, are due tomorrow- and my husband volunteered my services as the Friday night cook! As they will be hungry early evening, I had to make the meal in advance. They asked for chilli con carne and a vegetarian one too - each for 15 hungry men.

Friday 4th

With all the visiting dancers and musicians, the usual Friday pub session promised to be fun- and so it proved! The visitors had a score of musicians, who played many instruments between them. We were  there with ours too, and the session really had to be heard to be believed.

I tried to make a short video which I will upload when I have time.

Saturday 5th

Three Mendip musicians

Helier and Mendip Mass Bonny Green Garters

Today we have the weather which we have been expecting daily, according to the weather forecasters.It is  grey and depressing, but not actually too wet. This is fortunate, as, not only are the dancers out and about today, but the rest of my musician friends, who like me are not dancers, have been booked to play at the Maritime museum for the Jersey Spring Boat Show. On my way down to meet the others, I stopped off to watch the dance spot in the town centre.

Wooden boat

The boat show

The wooden boat was built in the UK and the man who made her rowed  her across to the island for the show. She is a pretty thing. and advertises his business well. The weather doesn't seem to have put people off coming down to the boat show, which is on until Monday, as there were lots of families milling around.