Chance and I made the May Basket deliveries late in the afternoon. Earlier in the day, we took our prototype design filled with appropriate doggie treats to Hooch..he was off on some adventure..so he wasn't home. We did hear that he enjoyed the treats..funny how he knew it was from Chance!
The first two girls, were very shy..but at least the one small child no longer screams the minute she sees me. From the time she was a baby, she took one look at me and pitched a fit..one time her Mama even hugged me whilst holding the screaming urchin..she still eyes me very warily...but she actually said hello, and told me she cut her own hair! It was very cute..but shorter. The smallest with the fat cheeks just smiled!
The second group were all smiles, and I got hugs. They were out playing in the yard with their puppy, so Chance got to play.. they have a Beagle..Chance thinks that Beagles bark funny. Earlier in the day they had walked by and paused by our drive and said Hi to Chance..where the small children told their Dad "Let's stop back here on the way back and get suckers! " Most small children leave my house with a Tootsie Pop sucker for the trip home...I have a special jar and everything!
The third group was off on a adventure on a four wheeler with their Grandpa ( my brother) so I got a phone call.. "I got a basket..thank you! " " I was on a four wheeler ride.. Thank you!" Their little sister is too little to talk on the phone yet.
These children are way too little to get the May Basket concept yet, but it is all about making the memory. Someday fifty years from now, they may remember the crazy great aunt with the baskets on the first day of May.. they remember the suckers in my jar...a few more May Days and I will have made an lasting impression just like my Tootsie Pop suckers in the jar. In some areas, where spring flowers are blooming, these often take the place of my candy in a basket, since May Baskets are such a forgotten tradition..you can make up your own rules...and put in whatever you care to share.
A few readers have mentioned May Poles..I have a very vivid memory of a wedding one year on the First of May at a Catholic Church..there were little girls dressed in beautiful different colored dresses, they each held a matching colored streamer that was attached to the top of a pole, the music played and they danced around the pole..it was a beautiful sight. I was maybe seven or eight at the time..I have only ever seen it that one time.
Next year if I still have most of my marbles..I can tell you all how to make cute little May Baskets..so you can make some memories of your own..or inspire some new ones:)
