The Germans in this region have just celebrated May Day with very tall stripped pine poles onto which is mounted a small pine tree mounted in the centre of each village. The trees are decorated with streamers and sometimes with a wreath.
In addition, one finds similar leaved branches mounted outside the houses of the girls who are entering the May Day parade competing for the May Queen title (ie of marriageable age). The young men from each village attempt to steal the main tree and take it back to their own home, but will also note where the girls live. Assume this is a courtship ritual - linked to fertility and spring. The girl who is designated the May Queen has numerous streamers from HER tree.
This was seen all over the villages in this small valley just south of Bonn - it is the only place in Germany where red wine is produced.
This made me think about the older women - what would they have? Perhaps a widow tree. I envisage a bare or dying sapling and gray/white/black ribbons.
