Happy May Day to you! I saw on a friend’s blog, Eli from CoachDaddy, where he has been challenged to post a photo for five days and tell a story about the photo. It doesn’t have to be true, just something the writer wants to talk about. So I thought I would play along myself.

Today is May Day!

The first day of May. Does that bring to mind memories as a child for you? It does me. I remember May Day as an exciting time… School was nearing the end and the days were warming up. Summer was on it’s way and May Day meant a day of fun and festivities for all! I remember colorful crepe paper ribbon dangling from a pole and the lucky children that got to weave the ribbon in and out as they walked to music playing in the breeze. The ribbon would braid the pole and I remember how magical that seemed to me.

Here’s my own May Day May Pole… I took ribbons and tied them around an embroidery circle. I love to watch the ribbons dance in the wind.

I don’t think they have the same festivities these days as I did during school, at least not at my sons school. He is nearing the end of fifth grade now. My how time flies.

So a fun fact about May Day is that it goes back to Pagan celebrations, like so much does, and which much of those festivities are based on astronomical origins. This one being a cross-quarter day. Which all that means is that it falls between a solstice and an equinox (this being March equinox and the Summer solstice). Another popular cross-quarter day is Halloween! No wonder I love May Day so much – it kinda goes along with Halloween.

More recently, May Day has also been associated with International Worker’s Day – bleh. I like the pagan idea better. Why did they have to pick that day to be the worker’s day?

I wanted to get married on May Day but alas, I would’ve had to wait like 6 more years for May 1st to land on a Saturday. It was not to be I guess.

Another fun bit about me and my paintings regarding today. I have a triptych titled Mellifluous Wind that has always reminded me of the flying ribbons of the Maypole. Find it here.

I hope you have a lovely May Day and that visions of colorful ribbons dancing in the wind mingle in sweet dreams tonight.

Learn more about me on the ‘About’ page in the menu at the top. I’m an artist – a painter mostly and an avid gardener. I paint a variety of subjects including birds, koi fish, my gardens, ponds and flowers as well as anything having to do with nature especially trees and tropical scenes. I also enjoy painting abstracts and have started created more and more of them. My most favorite thing to try to achieve in my painting is is mystery.

If you would like to keep up with what I’m doing, I email information about once a month that gives you special status for invitations, birthday greeting and more. I’d love for you to add your email to my Friends and Collectors list!