Down by the Salley Gardens

Down by the salley gardens
   my love and I did meet;
She passed the salley gardens
   with little snow-white feet.
She bid me take love easy,
   as the leaves grow on the tree;
But I, being young and foolish,
   with her would not agree.

In a field by the river
   my love and I did stand,
And on my leaning shoulder
   she laid her snow-white hand.
She bid me take life easy,
   as the grass grows on the weirs;
But I was young and foolish,
   and now am full of tears.

Well there was a bit of activity going on in our salley garden today involving the kayak! The salleys, or willows, had got over prolific and the only way to thin them out was in the water. Himself stepped carefully aboard (we don't know how deep the pond is but it's pretty peaty and sludgy) - I passed him the tools and then I had to lurk in the rhododendron bush to catch the branches. Getting out was hilarious as Himself slipped nearly pulling me in too! All was well and our story has a happier ending than this sad little poem by WB Yeats usually combined as here with the tune Maids of the Mourne Shore sung by Maura O Connell. 
Another gorgeous day!

Down by the Salley Gardens