All about May Day

 I have been celebrating May Day for about 71 years.  

It is very simple, you make a small basket out of rolled up paper or a paper cup, decorate it how ever you wish, make a handle, tuck candy or flowers inside the basket.  Take them to a neighbor or friends home, hang them on the door or set them by the door, knock on the door and say Happy May Day!  Then run away so they cannot catch you and kiss you! 

My Mother used to help us make May Baskets and then we would get in the car and drive to all the neighbors delivering baskets.  The baskets were held in muffin tins or cake pans for easy transport...it was us kids job to hold the tins and pans steady while she drove.  We would deliver the May Baskets and run back to the car. 

A neighbor by the name of Jim Mack told me that when he was a little boy...in the 1930's after evening chores his Mom Mary had treats ready (usually cookies) to put in baskets that they made.  He would walk down to Far Guy's Grandparents farm, trying to be sneaky and leave the basket unnoticed.  He said  Far Guy's Grandmother Meade would come out of the house her apron flying running after him.  He told me he would never forget that image of her running after him! 

It is a great way to celebrate Spring!  Far Guy says" No matter how many times he tripped and fell down running away from a girls house...they never caught him with a kiss." 

Me and my May Baskets in 1954, that was my dog Frosty in the background.  Yes we can still have snow here in Minnesota in May.

Happy Kids that we delivered May Baskets to yesterday...one day late but the kids still smiled! 

These are my niece Stacey's children. 

This is Lola's second May Day...looks like it made her smile too! 

So that is May Day in a nutshell.  I know not many people celebrate May Day anymore...but I do!  Such a simple way to make a few people smile:)

Far Side

Snow and Mother's Day

Yesterday it was cold enough to snow so it did.  At least it was some kind of moisture.

The flakes were large and wet.

A short time later the ground was white.  Good thing I got my snow boots out the day before because I had cold feet outside.

We made a trip over to the County Transfer Station (Garbage Dump).

The small grain fields showed green along with the snow.  By evening the snow had melted.

It was a good day for a movie and a nap.  We watched The Last Laugh...funny even if it was about the elderly.  I give it a 7 out of 10.  Some parts of it seemed disconnected like a writer was fired mid script. Far Guy woodcarved and I crocheted and we both made supper together...ham and cheese omelettes and fruit.

Yesterday was opening Fishing here in Minnesota.
Today is Mother's Day ...happy day to my Mom and all the Mothers out there.

1954 My Mom and me and my baby brother

1953 Far Guy and his Mom.

Far Side

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 Snow

Yesterday it snowed most of the afternoon.  It melted almost as soon as it hit the ground.  I believe our last snow  event was back in February.

 It is just as well, most of the snowbirds are back, that is what we call people who go elsewhere for the winter.  They shouldn't have to be spared completely.  Pansy asses anyway.

It was a wild weather week, with bouts of sunshine, then the clouds would move in, it would rain buckets, then the sun would be out again.  Sometimes the wind would blow really hard, one day we wondered if we should seek shelter, Chance was hiding on the floor of the car.  If the weather had been warmer I am sure it would have been even rougher.   We thought we might see some cold weather tornadoes one evening, they usually don't touch down they just bounce around in the clouds.

I managed one rainbow photo..not a very good one, by the time I saw it and Far Guy found a safe place to pull over the clouds were moving in..use your imagination..can you see it?   A Rainbow is on my photo bucket list..I will keep trying.

Far Guy saw his Neurologist this week, we are tweaking the medications again..Far Guy took away one too many pills..so he is supposed to be adding it back in..now whether he is or not..that remains to be seen.  He drives me nuts, he would like to take as little medication as possible to control his pain.  There is a fine line between the excruciating pain and pain he can tolerate...there is a new drug being tested in Australia, which may be a total cure for Trigeminal Neuralgia, our Neurologist says that it will never be approved by the FDA, and if it is Insurance Companies won't cover it.  He also said that the insurance companies are way to big for their britches..they are into numbers and have forgotten the patients.  Perhaps this new medication when it is out in a year will be available in Canada. You know what..we don't live very far from the border either.

Thanks for all your kind comments concerning our oldest daughter Trica, she is still feeling very tired..

The Loons are now caring for two eggs, in 27 or 28 days they should hatch:)