May Celebrations
The month of May has always been a month of celebration in our family. There are a lot of birthdays and anniversaries, Mother’s Day, of course, and so on. My mother is a May baby, as were so many of her friends, so every year she would have her “May Party” and we would all celebrate. As you know, May Day is an ancient Celtic celebration (otherwise known as Beltane) honoring spring, fertility and the return of the sun (in the N. hemisphere). Beltane festivities included May Pole dancing and some lucky lass would be crowned Queen of the May. One of my favorite memories is when my mother invited our friends (that’s my sister and I in matching pink and blue pantsuits–I’m in the pink) and a few of her dancers from her company at UCLA to do our own Maypole in the backyard of our old house in Venice Beach. I can remember how those three women, Rachel, Page and Nancy were the height of beauty to me and when they and my mom got together and allowed my sister and I to “participate” it was so much fun. When my sister and I were older I recall a couple of May Days where we gathered bouquets of flowers and left them on neighbor’s front porches. I wonder, does anyone do that anymore? For today’s celebration of May, I was on my own, but that didn’t stop me from collecting spring flowers and enjoying some time in the garden that didn’t involve digging holes or wheelbarrowing mulch. Happy May Day to you! {Photo above taken May, 1978}
EDIT: I’m a silly pants. I forgot to mention that these forget-me-not rings are now back in the shop for a short while. Yippee!
Well Happy May Celebrations!
And to you!
Such beautiful photos and memories! Happy May Day!
Right back atcha, Jo!
What fun memories! Everyone looks very happy in the photo – you all must have been enjoying yourselves very much. I do remember both the overalls and long sport socks as part of the late ’70’s style! Oddly, your post reminded me that we did the maypole thing in elementary school. Glad you had a happy day in your garden.
Thank you Louise! Those styles back then were pretty crazy–but I think I’ve seen the gym socks with shorts make a comeback. Hope you are also enjoying your spring garden!
This was such a beautiful surprise for me on May Day – still my favorite day of the year. I remember this day with such clarity, and I thank you for sharing the picture and the memory. I still have those ribbons tucked away, just in case someone wants to do a maypole dance again someday.
We have to do that at least one more time….
Oh, how I love In Search of Lost Roses… That is a very dear book to me as the author is a family friend.
Oh how wonderful. I truly enjoy that book and have learned so much from it.