It feels like only yesterday that I was writing January in Focus, and somehow now we’ve made it to June! The sixth month of the year is one of my favourites: it’s the start of summer, and it always feels so much more full of promise than July and August, even if the weather can still sometimes be a bit up and down.

Evidently I’m not the only one who thinks June is the opportune moment to do everything on the planet though, because I’ve been overwhelmed by the choice of activities and events on offer this month… and all of them seem to be happening at the same time!

Still, I’ve tried my best to pick a handful of things for today’s post that can be enjoyed all month long. Have fun and let me know what you get up to!

During June, one of the two species of seals that call UK shores home are getting ready to have their babies. Regularly seen basking on rocky spits just a little way out to sea, harbour (or common) seals are surprisingly elegant animals… when they’re in the water at least! Even so, watching them shuffle along on their bellies to get comfortable is nothing short of delightful.

I’ve been on seal spotting boat trips twice in the past, the first time at Blakeney Point in Norfolk, and more recently off the Farne Islands in Northumberland. Both were great experiences, and I couldn’t recommend them enough.

Do you remember the sunny afternoon I spent on the allotment back in March? I planted a shedload of broad beans, and according to the seasonal veg section of Countryfile magazine, it seems as though June is the time they like to pop their heads up and say hello. I will have to return to John and Helen’s veggie patch and get harvesting…

Broad beans always seem like quite an old-fashioned food, and these chunky fellas often get folks raising their eyebrows and wondering how to cook and eat them. Never fear though, because a quick Google search will put you right and provide all sorts of inspiration for incorporating these high in vitamin A, B1 and B2 super champs into your diet.

I’ve never spotted one of these bioluminescent bugs before, but perhaps I’ll get lucky soon, as June evenings are apparently the best time to catch a glimpse. The glow worm, or Lampyris Noctiluca if you’d like its posh name, is not a worm at all: it’s actually a beetle. It’s only the wingless female that glows, and as you might have guessed it’s to attract the flying males.

If you’d like to spot a glow worm or two of your own, the good news is that they’re not as hard to find as you might think: often they’ll already have set up camp in your garden without you even noticing! If your house doesn’t have a garden then good places to try are those with an abundance of chalk or limestone in the soil.

Last year my friend Judi and I spent a weekend camping, hiking and breathing fresh air in the Trossacks, Scotland. One of the things I’ll never forget about the experience was Judi convincing me to wild swim in the still blue waters of Loch Lomond. It sounded like a very spiritual, outdoorsy thing to do, so without much persuasion I jumped straight in.

Even now, the memories of how cold that water really was makes my teeth chatter.

Wild swimming isn’t for everyone, but even if you’re a big wimp like me you can still enjoy the spectacle. Starting this Friday and finishing on Sunday, hundreds of mad brave souls will be leaping into Lake Windermere in the Lake District to take part in the Great North Swim, an event suitable for swimmers of all strengths and experiences.

I grew up in Wiltshire, not far from the heritage monument of Stonehenge. Every year in the run up to the Summer Solstice I consider welcoming in the longest day of the year in the company of the Druids, but something always stops me. I guess it’s the additional crowd of drunk revellers, treating the whole thing like a free music festival that probably does it.

If you’d like to celebrate the beginning of the second half of the year without all that, don’t feel bad about staying clear of Stonehenge. The Druids will understand. If the idea of stone circles still appeals though, Avebury is a much better option, but it is totally acceptable just to take an early morning walk or even pop your head out of the window at sunrise instead.

Remember, it’s not what you do that counts, it’s how it makes you feel.

Here’s what I think: clothes cause a lot of problems. I’m sure we’d be much nicer to each other if we were all happier with the way we looked underneath.

Of course, if you’re taking part in the World Naked Bike Ride, (the London leg of which is happening this Saturday), you don’t need my sappy advice. This event will see cyclists of all abilities join in to peacefully protest against car culture and oil dependency, all the while making the most of the opportunity to get an all-over body tan…

But if you’re not feeling brave enough to get your kit off and join in, make it your June mission to appreciate your body instead of berating it. It’s the only one you’ll ever get after all, and it’s totally imperfect and beautiful in its own funny way.

Photography credit: Fergus Ray Murray

Do you know what? May sure is a busy month. And not just for me, it seems! There are plenty of things to keep you entertained as the weather gets warmer and the British weather (fingers crossed!) finally comes into its own. Longer evenings and brighter mornings make it easier to ditch the usual indoor distractions and start enjoying the world around us again.

So whether you’re dancing round a maypole, planning for the first of the summer festivals or simply enjoying the prevalence of Bank Holiday weekends May has to offer, be sure to have a wonderful time and experience it all without distraction. Happy May time, folks!

Photography credit: Simon

The Green Man has to be one of my favourite symbols of nature and the changing of the seasons. Sometimes depicted as a leaf-covered face or a figure adorned with leaves from head to toe, the Green Man is ancient enough to have influenced numerous religions throughout history. He is also often the central focus of many a festival during May.

Jack in the Green is the name given to a participant in traditional celebrations who emulates this pagan spirit, dressed completely in green and often adorned with leaves, fruits and flowers. He is the central focus of the age-old May Day parade, of which there are many held throughout the United Kingdom during the fifth month of the year.

Photography credit: Claire Sutton

Originally this was going to read “sip a glass of elderflower cordial”, but last night I was invited to a dinner at the Skip Garden Kitchen in Kings Cross and lovely chef Catherine served elderflower lemonade and it was love at first taste!

You’ll start seeing the characteristic white spray of flowers popping up throughout the countryside from the start of May, and there’s no surprise that a slew of refreshing elderflower-themed drinks and to my surprise, cakes, have flooded onto our favourite foodie blogs.

Additionally, whilst searching for information on elderflowers, I found a link to a small, family-friendly festival called Elderflower Fields in Sussex. It’s over the Bank Holiday weekend and is only £105 for a four-day ticket! If you’re looking for a last minute getaway, this could be it!

Photography credit: HJ Hipster

One of my earliest illustrated Bird of the Week posts was about the osprey, a pescetarian bird of prey that is thriving up in Scotland. With a stronghold maintained by the RSPB at Loch Garten, these beautiful hunters have fishing skills that are second to none and stunning white and brown feathers that set them apart from their carnivorous cousins.

These birds incubate their eggs during the month of April, and the chicks hatch in mid-late May. Everyone I’ve ever spoken to about Loch Garten tells me that a visit is the most incredible thing, but if you can’t make it all the way up to the Highlands of Scotland, then be sure to check out the Loch Garten webcam… as I type this Mrs Osprey is on her nest right now!

Photography credit: Kaiton

“If you buy a broom in May, you’ll sweep the head of the family away.” It’s a pretty dark sentiment, but apparently this strange bit of advice is rooted in an age-old belief across many cultures that the broom is a magic item with the ability to affect daily life.

For example, in China is is believed that the broom is inhabited by a spirit, meaning it should not be used for playing games with. In Africa, should a man be struck by a broom he must take it and strike it seven times, otherwise he will become impotent. And an old American tale says that leaning a broom against the end of the bed brings terrible bad luck.

So what do I take from all this? Only that it’s totally acceptable to keep a bit of dust in the house during May, you know, just in case.

Photography credit: Photophilde

Yes, it’s another old wives’ tale, but isn’t it a lovely one? Washing your face with dew gathered during the month of May was said to totally rid your complexion of spots, blemishes and even freckles (though that part is a bit sad, because freckles are lovely).

Girls would get up before dawn, go to the fields and harvest the dew, either with their hands or by spreading a sheet out over the moist grass, and then wringing it out and collecting it in a jar. This would be topped up every day and placed in the sunlight on a windowsill.

In his 1652 book The Natural History of Ireland, Dr Gerard Boate wrote “The dew, thus thoroughly purified, looketh whitish, and keepeth good for a year or two after”, which makes me think we should all be indulging in a little May Day facial.

Photography credit: Let Ideas Compete

I was stupidly busy at the start of the month and I’m sad to admit that I somehow managed to miss out on all being part of the various May Day celebrations across the UK. Luckily though, there is a second, lesser-known celebration at the end of the month called Oak Apple Day.

29th May is the anniversary of the Restoration of King Charles II to the throne in 1660. The story goes that Charles hid behind an oak tree to avoid Parliamentary forces at the Battle of Worcester, hence the name. Throughout the UK this festivity is sporadically still observed, even though it is no longer marked by a public holiday. Expect sights similar to those spotted on May Day, and don’t forget to wear an oak leaf through your buttonhole!