Snowy May Days 1954 and 2011

I like May Day.  It should be a Holiday..it is USUALLY warmer May 1st..warmer than say Halloween or Valentines Day.  May Day should be promoted by someone besides me. Perhaps you can mention it to a non May Day person..or better yet take them a May Basket..it is not too late..you have the rest of the day.

Lets look at May Day 1954..I was a very tall 2 years and 8 months old. My baby brother was just a little over a month old, way to little to be outside in the snow.

I have seven May Baskets..I bet I can tell you who they are from. Danny and Karen, Corrine and Rhonda, Barry and Sharon, Becky, Dora, Grace, and Ella…all neighbors.

That is my dog in the background..My parents cannot remember his name..I think it was Frosty..because he was white. My maternal Grandparents always saw to it that I had a dog.

It snowed that May Day. It snowed last night.

The wind is blowing and the snow is stacking up on the ground..so far it is not melting. Winter has returned. I have had it with winter..I could take the rain..but the snow is fairly depressing.

I want spring..and I want it now!  This is what spring should look like…

This is the picture tree that is in the old black and white photo. It is a Honeysuckle.  Barb has Lupines and Iris planted nearby. After all these years the picture tree still retains its haphazard form.

The tree is older than me.  It is still in the yard at the farm. With the same hedge of lilacs in the background…they will all bloom in late May or early June if it ever stops snowing.

The fragrance of the Honeysuckle blooms will attract every bee in the area..I will look up at the blooms again..just like when I was a little girl.

Happy May Day and Happy Birthday to Hunter who lives next door..he is thirty something now:)

May Baskets!!

When I was little May first was one of my favorite days. Here in Minnesota, we celebrated the first day of May by making small baskets, and filling them with goodies. The baskets went into a cake pan and then we hopped into the car and delivered them. We delivered them to old ladies and children, you drove into their yard, ran from the car to the house as fast as your little legs would carry you, knocked on the door and then left the May Basket on the door knob. Then you ran back to the car, if they came out of the door before you made it safely back to the car... you ran willy nilly all over their yard..so that they couldn't catch you and kiss you. Once all your deliveries were made, you hurried home to watch for cars to come down your drive..and for kids to coming running up to your door. So you could chase them around your yard.

It seems that no one celebrates this little holiday anymore, except for ME! For me, it is more fun than most holidays..no cooking of food is involved..only candy..and baskets. I made seven little baskets(for my Great Nieces and Nephews) this year, when I went to the store to get the candy, the checkout gal looked at me a little funny..Skittles, Suckers, and Fruit Roll ups..I explained that it was May Day Basket filler..she said "No one does that anymore" WELL..obviously I do..and I think everyone else should too! In our neighborhood May Day is alive and well!

Recently the following story was related to me, by a friend in his eighties: You know years ago, when I was just a kid, my Ma would have us make baskets for May Day, then she would bake cookies and after chores in the evening we tried to sneak to the neighbors and leave the baskets on their door. Meady (Far Guys Maternal Grandmother) would come out, her apron would be flying, she could run like the wind..she always caught me ..I can still see her running and laughing.

Now for a photo. This would be ME..with my very first May Baskets in 1953..I was not yet 2 years old:)