hi there @helenclayton@mas.to that's an interesting interpretation, widespread, now i searched for it, but new to me. we've always used this expression with respect to the vegetable garden, where "clout" is taken to refer to a clod of earth. On that basis, we interpret "cast not a clout till may is out" as don't dig the veg patches until the hawthorns are blossoming. i do like multi-interpretation folk sayings 🙂