Happy May Day

Happy May Day!!

"See our Maypole filled with flowers,
From above, the blossoms tower,
Fragrance rich, and perfume rare,
Pretty scents that fill the air.
Violets blue and daisies white,
You are here for our delight;
Daffodils and roses, too,
Pretty flow'rs for me and you!
Tell us what the flowers say,
As we sing and dance and play.
Tell us what the flowers say,
On this special day!
This is what the flowers say,
As we sing and dance and play.
This is what the flowers say:
It is bright May day!"

(Copyright Clara Beeson Hubbard)

As a child, this was the day I would pick flowers from my Mom’s garden and give them to my neighbors. I always saved strawberry containers and weaved colorful ribbons through the holes in each container to make pretty baskets for the flowers. I would then put a baby food jar in each basket and pack it in with newspaper to keep the jar from moving around.

Then I would raid Mom’s early flowers: Iris’, peonies, daisies, tulips, roses – whatever happened to be blooming. Cutting the stems to fit the basket, I would fill the jars with water and arrange my flowers.

I would take these little baskets to several neighbors’ homes, hang them on the doorknob and then ring the doorbell and run away. I always got the biggest kick out of watching my neighbors open their door to a small basket of flowers.

When my middle daughter was 6 years old, she participated in the May Queen pageant at Old Fort Harrod. This used to be an annual event in the 1980s and early 90s, but sadly it is no longer held. Anyway, all the contestants were first graders and they usually wore their Easter Sunday dresses. What made this contest so unusual was, the girls were judged on their flower arrangements – not on their looks.

Each girl was given instructions on making an unusual flower basket and they could have help from parents to make them. Then the baskets were filled with flowers. The basket Marie made was similar to a paper Japanese lantern. We used a paper cup inside to hold the water and flowers. My best friend owned a florist in Danville, so she supplied up with daisies to supplement the flowers from my garden. She also made Marie a flower wreath for her head.

Marie was adorable – but then so were the other 8 girls that year. Marie ended up being first runner-up and was proclaimed the May Day Princess. It still makes me smile looking back on all the photos we took.

Today, my May Day is a little more subdued. I always pick fresh flowers for the house, but I no longer make baskets for my neighbors. Recent May Days have found the girls and me home alone because my hubby has to work the Derby every year.

So, make someone’s day today – give him or her the joy of May Day flowers.