COLUMN: Ramblings: Merry, merry month of May

Did you ever wonder where that phrase came from? I did. So, I did a little research. In 1599, Englishman Thomas Dekker created a play called "The Shoemaker's Holiday." That poem was part of the play.

"The merry, merry month of May when skies were bright and our heads were light and we were young a gay. We roamed the fields and riversides and enjoyed every day."

Several other songs and poems have been created since with the same theme. The merry month of May is upon us. Personally, the current political situation in the world makes it rather difficult for me to be very gay. I cannot call myself young either. That ship sailed a long time ago.

However, I can still roam the fields and riversides. I am determined to enjoy every day or at least part of every day. That is easy for me, if I do indeed roam the fields, riversides and forests. Spring is the perfect time of the year to roam in the forest. The tall old trees are just beginning to leaf out. They have not created a green curtain that blocks the sun from reaching the ground. The forest floor is a kaleidoscope of color as spring ephemerals burst through the leaf litter. Spring beauty, trout lily and bloodroot carpet the ground. The many types of moss add various shades of green.

The golden ragwort and native phlox will add their blue and gold soon. Mayapples hide their blooms under the umbrella of leaves that cover parts of the forest floor. Many of the spring flowers bloomed early this year due to the 70- and 80-degree days that came early. On a recent hike, near the middle of April, I noticed several things I don't usually see until May. Many people have been gathering morel mushrooms already.

If you venture out into the woods, look for the mourning cloak butterflies. They are one of the first butterflies to grace our skies in the Spring. The mourning cloak has large, dark reddish-brown wings with a yellow border and a row of blue spots along the border. Their common wingspan varies from two and a half to four inches. They are a long-lived butterfly; adults live 10-11 months. The adults overwinter in tree cavities or under bark. They emerge early in spring to mate. They feed on tree sap mostly. They also like old fruit. Some folks put out old fruit just to attract them. That helps them as they, like most creatures, are losing natural habitat.

The black and white caterpillars eat leaves from willow, poplar and elm trees. These inhabitants of the forest have a special antifreeze that allows them to survive the winter temperatures. Sometimes you can spot them near swamps or creeks. The caterpillars like to feed on willow leaves.

The merry month of May beckons us to join the creatures of the natural world in the celebration of the Earth's rebirth. Spring is the time for joy and wonder. We have survived the winter storms. Take a stroll along the river or down a country road, breathe the fresh air. Let your hearts be light and gay.

'til next time,

Annie