May Day

"You are as welcome as the flowers in May."

-  Charles MacKlin

I love it when May finally comes. It makes me so happy. Wouldn't it be so lovely if people still kept up the tradition of secretly putting baskets of flowers on the doors of friends and neighbours to surprise them with a bit of springtime cheer?

One of my favourite books is Jack and Jill by Louisa May Alcott. It gives such a fun picture of what life was life for young folks long ago. One of my favourite parts is when the children in it are getting May baskets ready to give to others~

“I think it would be a good plan to hang some baskets on the doors of other people who don't expect or often have any. I'll do it if you can spare some of these, we have so many. Give me only one, and let the others go to old Mrs. Tucker, and the little Irish girl who has been sick so long, and lame Neddy, and Daddy Munson. It would please and surprise them so. Will we?” asked Ed, in that persuasive voice of his.

All agreed at once, and several people were made very happy by a bit of spring left at their doors by the May elves who haunted the town that night playing all sorts of pranks. Such a twanging of bells and rapping of knockers; such a scampering of feet in the dark; such droll collisions as boys came racing round corners, or girls ran into one another's arms as they crept up and down steps on the sly; such laughing, whistling, flying about of flowers and friendly feeling—it was almost a pity that May-day did not come oftener.

Happy May day, friends! Let's spend this month bringing sunshine and cheer to those around us...even if it's as simple as a flower.