Wednesday Medley: Mayday! Mayday!

Happy May! I can't believe how fast this year is flying by. It's just not fair that life does that when we get older. Now that I've learned to appreciate just how precious and temporary it is, life should move more slowly. I want to savor these days and there is just never enough time.  Linking today with Terri @ Your Friend From Florida.

MAY DAY

May Day is observed annually on May 1.  In many ancient calendars, May 1 was the first day of summer.  This was a cause for celebration.  One of the more popular rituals was harvesting flowers and giving them to neighbors and strangers in cone-shaped baskets. These “May Baskets” become more commonly known as “May Day Baskets”.  The current tradition is observed by hanging a cone-shaped basket full of flowers or other gifts on the outside doorknob, then knocking or ringing the doorbell and run away.

May Day has been a traditional day of celebration for centuries, with some of the earliest appearings in pre-Christian times.  In English tradition, May Day is celebrated by crowning a May Queen and dancing around a maypole.  The Finnish tradition is a carnival-type celebration in the streets that includes a special type of lemonade that is made with lemons, brown sugar and yeast.  In France, it is correct to give people either dogwood or lily of the valley to celebrate May Day.  In Italy, a seasonal feast is held to celebrate the arrival of spring.

While different countries have different ways to celebrate May Day, it is truly a celebration of spring.

HOW TO OBSERVE

Use #MayDay when posting on Social Media.  Participate in the May Day tradition of hanging baskets of flowers on doors.

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Everything above this line is from NationalDayCalendar.com.

1.  Ahhh... May Day!!  Happy May!  Did you celebrate this when you were a child by dancing around a Maypole or leaving flowers on someone's porch? Will you be celebrating a special occasion in May?  No, I don't remember ever doing anything to celebrate May Day. I seem to remember that some playgrounds used to have what people called Maypoles on them, but I never saw those used to celebrate the first day of May. And yes, I'll be celebrating today....by going to work. HA! It is going to be sunny and 80 degrees today so that's a nice way to welcome May.

(There are so many other things being celebrated today that I

think we need to give them some attention, too!)

2.  National Mother Goose Day was founded in 1987.  Can you name a nursery rhyme that would fit your life as it was in 1987?  Um....no, I can't think of a nursery rhyme that describes my 1987 life. If you are a youngster and not yet born in 1987, you may pass, of course, but do you have a favorite nursery rhyme?  HERE is a list of nursery rhymes.  I remember lots of nursery rhymes but I can't say that I have a favorite.

3.  National Chocolate Parfait Day is also honored on this day. Parfait means perfect in French. Tell us about a perfect day, in your mind, and would/could it end with a chocolate parfait?  A perfect day....no work, sunny and warm, surrounded by family, and all of us doing something fun like going to the zoo or the July 4th parade and picnicking. Sure, we could end with chocolate parfaits!

4.  National School Principal's Day was founded to celebrate these school administrators who support and guide quality teachers and staff to provide productive learning environments for our children.  Did you have a good Principal when you were in school? I guess my principal was okay. I never really had any personal interaction with him and as a kid I can't say I was worried about or aware of whether or not he was supportive of his staff. Do you remember his/her name?  I do, because as an adult I attended the same church he did and Tim and I were even in the same Sunday School class as he and his wife at one time.

5. And perhaps the most important one is Silver Star Service Banner Day which honors the sacrifices of the combat wounded, ill, and dying service members from all branches of the military.  Do you have family members who have served this country in uniform? Tell us about them, if you will.  There are many. My dad served in the Army in post-war Germany. My father-in-law was in the Air Force and was involved in many covert operations including the Bay of Pigs. My uncle was a Marine in WWII, serving in the Pacific, he landed just one beach down from Iwo Jima on the same day. He also worked with the Navajo Code Talkers. My brother-in-law was in the Sea Bees. Another brother-in-law is in the National Guard and has been to Iraq twice and Afghanistan three times! A nephew is in the Guard. And my hubby was in the Marines.

6.  It's Hump Day! How is your week going so far?  It's not too bad. Work is kind of a waiting game for several reasons, among them, the fact that as of today we are working without a contract and the union is not letting us in on what they are negotiating. Last night my Bible study group got together and we had a great night. We didn't stick to topic, but that often happens and the rabbit trails we end up on are always blessings that speak to my heart. I'm just deciding today will be a good day, so there! LOL

Have a great day everyone and may it and the rest of your week be blessed!