Ne'er cast a clout or until the blossom is out....

So many country sayings.......which one to go for?

Written in the Early English Miscellanies in Prose and Verse, circa 1485:
"He had not left an holle clowt, Wherwith to hyde hys body abowte."
So, 'ne'er cast a clout...' simply means 'never discard your clothing...'.

Or maybe the saying is referring to the hawthorn which takes its name from 'hage', the Old English for 'hedge' 'till May is out' which could mean, 'until the hawthorn is out ' which usually happens late April / early May.

An elderly country lady lived by these type of sayings, her son used to tease her by quoting his own 'When it be a-raining beware of wet sheep!!!! I love it!!

All so obvious but I'll go for the beautiful flowers on the hawthorn (may) tree, mainly because I could use the macro lens of the new camera. Sadly no Pilgrim Fathers sailing from Plymouth today in the Mayflower otherwise I could have used the zoom lens!