Wake up trees

Apparently, apple trees need to be woken up around about now in order to ensure a good cider making crop. This requires a lot of noise and the vigorous shaking of branches. They must also be decorated with toast, ribbons, young maidens, lanterns and last years cider.

It's called Wassailing and today we joined in.

Boys are good at rude awakenings so they were the men for the job.

Two sons and two nephews went forth with sticks, lanterns, noisy instruments, high pitched voices and energetic little spirits. They wildly woke up a substantial section of a sleepy orchard with ease.

They ran and they laughed and their cheeks glowed rosy as the light faded and the trees woke up.

They didn't question any of it - hanging toast in trees and shouting "wake up" at wintery branches is clearly all in a day's work.

I better leave our apple tree asleep otherwise the neighbours will talk.