in Vallkärra north of Lund. The maypole is raised, refreshments served, dancing around the maypole.
22 June 2012: On with the rainsuit. I bike in the rain to Vallkärra. The maypole is dressed and rests against a trebuchet. Tables are scraped from water. Will come back fast again. The pump is decorated with flowers. The cafe is open. Buy coffee and three kinds of cakes. Sit down at a table. Bump as usual the table and the coffee cover the table. It is diluted quickly by the rain and floats away. Many umbrellas arrive. Musicians stand in protection of a tent. They start playing and the maypole is carried out. It rises, ohej ohej, it stands up. The rings close around it, and the dance begins. The rings move. The umbrellas are put aside. Many wreath of flowers on the heads are shown. It's like a Sun Dance, the rain stops, it clears up. A folk dance team takes over and shows what they can. It all ends with games like sack jumping. When I cycle home the sun is shining.
19 June 2009: The thunder rumbles, the rain is pouring down. When I bicycle to Vallkärra north of Lund is it dry and a blue sky. I am among the first. The Midsummer pole is well dressed, it rest against a fence waiting for being erected in half an hour at five o'clock. Outside the cottage north of the paddock are benches and tables, on the tables are vases with summer flowers. A pot of summer flowers adorn the hand pump. Women in traditional costume serve coffee with three varieties of cakes. I take a cup of coffee while waiting for five o'clock. People drops in, many with wreath of flowers on her head. At five o'clock is the pole weared in to music and raised. 'The tip towards the gable of the house!', Instructions are given. The dance can begin. The folk musicians standing at the pole start to play, and the dance leader arrange the ring. There are many who participate. "She slipped to, she slipped fro, than she slipped into the ditch". The kids have fun. An hour keeps it on. Thunder clouds look menacing. The folk dance team dance anyway. Games begins. The thunder rumbles, the people leave, the tables are emptied, I bicycle home. The rain is catching up with me. When I close the door at home opens the clouds up, and down well hail.
It is not every year you're lucky with the weather. I remember another year when the umbrella was a must.
