In Transylvania there is an old custom: on May 1st, a Maypole is chosen. This is a green tree that is said to protect the house and bear rich fruit to the one who puts it at the gate.
This year, we are going on the Grand River, one of the two tributaries of
the Cugir river. We shall look for fresh beech leaves there, that we shall nail
on the gate.
We shall leave after the dew has risen. It's colder in the mountains than
in the city. Andrei takes an ax, I take the camera. While Andrei cuts branches,
I will immortalize landscapes, flowers, leaves...
first day of May -
across the street
the lilac flavor
We park the car at the exit of Cugir. We are looking for a beech that grows
on the side of the road. To our right, rocks carved by workers who have made
their way decades ago. On the left side, the river with clear water flows
hurriedly.
photo
next to a carved rock -
a bird in flight
The forest stirs. Andrei gets some fresh branches.
a bush by the road -
white and scented
hawthorn flowers
Once we've taken a few more photos,
we're heading home. We are expected. When we arrive, we nail the fresh branches
on the gate.
Grandma is hugging us. She does care a lot about tradition.
