On Things Missing.

It occurred to me today that tomorrow will be Beltane Eve. Those who know me are familiar with the fact that I have a fire on Beltane Eve to offer respect to the forces of nature and to welcome the now-burgeoning new growth that is swelling inexorably into summer. Well, there won’t be any Beltane Eve fire this year. My body is still a long way short of being able to cut the wood, set up the fire on the ground, light it and keep it tended. Maybe I’ll pay token homage by lighting a candle in the front living room window which faces the garden, the fields, the river valley and the high hills beyond. Maybe the forces of nature will excuse my timidity for one year.

Something else I noticed this evening was the fact that the flower buds on the apple tree are not breaking yet. It’s turned cold here again after that brief burst of high summer which so delighted us a week or so ago, and I suppose the forces of nature – at least those which apply to the apple tree – are sensible enough to put everything on hold until a more propitious time. Here’s hoping it won’t be long.

But then I was reminded of previous Beltane Eves when I had the fire at the bottom of the garden and marvelled at the sight of the apple blossom illuminated by the light of the flames. I remember writing about it on this blog, and I remember also writing about the magical lights which appeared on the lane, in the trees, and over the field opposite the house one year. That was a very special Beltane Eve, and maybe those days will come again when I’m fully recovered.

And then there’s the lone bat which I saw hunting over the garden recently. It’s made no further appearance since, so maybe Mother Nature is keeping the bats on hold, too, and maybe they’ll return as my physical faculties progress. As I said, here’s hoping it won’t be long.