Wassail!
Every year on or around 17th January (Old Twelth Night) the nearby village of Kilmersdon hold a Wassail in their Community Orchard.
Wassailing is an ancient southern English tradition that is performed with the intention of ensuring a good crop of ciderapples for the next year's harvest. It also refers to both the salute 'Waes Hail', the term itself is a contraction of the Middle English phrase wæs hæl, meaning literally 'good health' or 'be you healthy' and to the drink of wassail which is a hot mulled cider traditionally drunk as an integral part of the wassail ceremony.
The Wassail starts with a community Ploughman's lunch in the village hall, with music by the local Village Band
Both young and old come to join in the fun....though these two seem to wonder just what they've been dragged along to ;-)
Then everyone sings the locally written Kilmersdon Wassail Song
Then it's time to crown the Wassail Queen. I think somebody wants to join in this bit :-)
As Martin crowns the queen he explains that the Wassail Queen is not chosen...she is born to the role, like the Dalai Lama...of course everyone believes that!!
A quick explanation of the duties of the Queen....
and while the local press take some piccies of the Queen the Morris side prepare...
with dancing in the car park before processing up to the orchard.
more signs that the Morris are upon us....
then off up the hill to the orchard.
The band play again
And Queen Ellie puts toast in the branches of the tree to appease Robin Goodfellow...it's a very young Community Orchard :-)
Then she pours cider around the roots of the tree. just to remind the tree what it's all about
And Martin fires the gun through its branches to scare away evil spirits.
Then it's time to pass the Wassail Cup...spiced mulled cider...starting with the Wassail Queen...
Not too much Ellie!
Then the cups are passed around the circle, widdershins, or anti-clockwise, everyone taking a sip as they pass it round.
Old and young alike :-)
Who let the Morris out???
There they go again!
dancing...
prancing....
and attempting levitation by way of waving hankies...
The tatter coats are jolly though
than Ellie leads the way down the hill to the Old School House
Where we do it all again, but with a proper grown up tree this time.
Bang!
Rags and Tatters
So THAT'S why the Morris turned up...free cider...I might have known!
Once again the Wassail Cup is passed
No Eileen...you can't keep it...you have to pass it on!
Good Girl! Now you can watch the Morris again...
OK...time for a quick story about Morris Men...some of you will know that I work in a nursery. Well, one May Day I was celebrating with the children, we'd made garlands etc, and I was showing them pictures of maypoles and dancers...Tom, who had a minor speech impediment, and couldn't pronounce "st", ("stop" came out "dop") was very interested in the pictures...
After a while he asked "What are those funny men?"..."They're Morris Dancers, Tom"..."What are they doing?"..."They're dancing very old dances to welcome in the summer, Tom"..."Oh...why have they got big d1cks?"....silence as all the staff waited to hear my answer...."Ummm, because they're Morris Dancers, Tom!"
I've never looked at Morris Dancers in the same way again!
At the end of the ceremony the dancers picked Queen Ellie up on their shoulders and paraded her around the tree...she didn't seem to mind!
A final look at our Lovely Wassail Queen for 2012.
Hope you enjoyed this little trip into the Traditions of Southern England. Thanks for stopping by.
Jacqui x
(PS sorry about the Morris Men 
)
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oh wow! smashing blog you got here - nice traditional blog, very nice to see.. Like from me! take a look at my newest blog? http://www.myfinepix.es/blog/716795/405937
Accept no ones definition of your life; define yourself
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O.M.G. Jacqui I just can't stop laughing now!! Not at your brilliant blog but the story of the me with the bi *icks!! That was so funny.
Love the blog, love the pictures; you captured the dancing brilliantly, in mid skip too, brilliant! And have to mention the firing of the gun, you can see the fire coming out of the barrel.
Looks like you all had a good time, thank you so much for sharing, loved every minute of it.
Viv
photogirl
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Brilliant blog ......loved the pictures and write up
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A proper blog. A gold medal standard proper blog. Full of great photos and a great narrative that tells a story and bring to life an ancient cultural tradition. Brilliant.
I hope the two picture bloggers read it and learn, but I suspect they only ever read their own!
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Wonderful colourful blog Jacqui. Really, really good photos and a lovely story.
Thanks.
Monty.
http://www.myfinepix.co.uk/competition/entry/469385
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Now thats what I call a blog !!! loads of pictures and a great story line too
Well Done
I have just done a new Blog called ‘10 Days in Morocco’ it’s taken me a couple of days to download and is a bit of an epic – sorry. I bet you can’t make it too the end
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Thank you for all the lovely comments and ‘likes’ on my Blog – 2011 A Good Year
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Hi Jacqui brilliant blog on a different and very interesting theme lovely photos everything a good blog should be looks like they all had a good time thanks for putting this together and sharing Martin
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Allways be prepaired you never know what shots around the corner
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Brilliant blog and it all looked such good fun. Never seen this ceremony before.
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Hello Jacqui
Amusing, well researched and with some cracking photos. Just what a photoblog should be. There are a few posting here that could learn a lesson or two. They are new though, so give em time and with examples like this, they will soon get the idea when they see the number of comments you get compared to their own.
Smashing photoblog. XXX
Steve
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Now this blog is Quality got to give you two thumbs up
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Great blog and insight into wassailing. I think I could get into the drinking bit. I'm still laughing at the story about Tom. Thanks for sharing.
Alan
Black & White competition entry - http://www.myfinepix.co.uk/competition/entry/465357
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Excellent Stuff Jacqui ! Great Pics, Great Story...and LOL..funny stuff too ! Brilliant ! Thank You .
All The Best....Ian
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Great blog with a good story line and smashing pictures,a big like from me.
Ron.
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My blog www.myfinepix.co.uk/blog/599723
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Lovely blog showing tradition still continues
Archie
http://www.myfinepix.es/blog/archie2012
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A right cracking blog Jacquie and funny too....wel done.
Jim
May Competition Entry: http://www.myfinepix.co.uk/competition/entry/467714
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super blog Jacquie - great shots and lovely narrative, I'm still laughing too
thank you for sharing your lovely day xxx
gallery http://www.myfinepix.es/gallery/62093 Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/whitedove7/
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A very entertaining blog Jacquie, not only with teh pics but the super narrative as well. It's great to see these old traditions alive and well, looks a very fun day.
It's something I want to try and capture this year around the lakes, some of the traditional shows and this has inspired me to do so even more.
Well done, big like from me.
Ian
http://www.myfinepix.es/gallery/311
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brilliant love the little lad Tom !!!! and Morris Men or Maurice Men as one of our friends across the pond called them - long may they reign !!!!!
Every day is a new beginning enjoy yours............
and if you can or even want to - be polite, respectful and helpful in your comments...........be clear - nuances of speech and facial expressions cannot come over in writing
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Great blog - well documented!
Ray
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HI Jacquie what a stunning photoblog and showing us the traditional way of life in your part of the country I thoughly enjoyed your blog and many thanks for posting best wishes BoB.xx
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best blog for ages........
cris...
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Brilliant entertaining photoblog Jacqui ~ great photos, great narrative and most enjoyable. Thanks for sharing
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A really delightful blog, Jacqui. Terrific images with an interesting and humorous narrative. It ticks all the boxes as to what a great blog is. Well done and thanks for posting.
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Smashing - would have liked to hear them!!
Dave!!
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Well done Jacqui it's a grate blog and funny !! Now I know how to do a proper blog, I appologise for just the pictures I was unaware of what I should have been doing... oops !
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It took me a while but after a 'talking to' by Mr L I forced myself to look.
We have attended this ceremony and it went on long into the night.
My favourite picture is actually of the bearded Morris Man, taken with the Dutch angle, super.
The narrative is superb, with a light humour to lift. Well done.
Jen xx
Unattended children will be given a shot of espresso and a free puppy!
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Super blog, super pictures, super commentary. A most enjoyable read, many thanks for compiling and posting, an example to all newbies how to do it, and long may our country traditions last, however odd they may seem. On the subject of young children's mispronounciations, my little grandson went through a period when he couldn't say 'tr' but substituted a 'f'. The day he asked his Mum to 'Get the truck out' (of his bath) we nearly died!
Best regards, Steve
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"Apple tree, apple tree, we all come to wassail thee" - what a super blog Jacqui. Sorry I missed this when first posted. As a westcountry boy & fiercely proud of my home lands & traditions I just loved this. Your super candid shots & entertaining text has captured the essence & told the story of this tradition perfectly. Top blog
Lona "You did not come into this world, you came out of it, like a wave from the ocean. You are not a stranger here." Alan Watts