The lovely BBC 1 Programme ‘Countryfile’ last Sunday featured a lovely piece on our favourite spring/summer sounds. A top 10 list was compiled including the bleating of baby lambs, the buzzing sounds of honeybees, the dawn chorus of birds and the sounds of tractors working on the fields. The programme also included a lovely clip of fox cubs coming up from their den to have a look at the outside world. If you like nature, wildlife and farming then this excellent programme on BBC1 every Sunday night at 6.30pm is well worth watching!

We have just begun our journey through May. Last Friday the 1st day of May was ‘L√° Bealtaine’ which translates as May Day and it was also the feast of St Joseph the worker. It’s a day that goes way back many generations in Irish culture and history. The day was celebrated to mark the beginning of summer. It was a day when the herds of livestock were driven out to summer pastures. The lighting of bonfires on hills and mountains was a part of the tradition. At the heart of Bealtaine is a reminder of growth, abundance and life flourishing at this time of year. Summer is a season of energy, achievement and fulfilment. The darkness of winter is far behind, the promise of spring has delivered and the coming months are about making the most of everything connected with life. ‘L√° Bealtaine’ is a day of hope and a reminder that summer is upon us. Today and the coming weeks are a time of great blessing. We ask God to help us make the most of everything connected with life this summer.