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 TODAY IS MAY 1st
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Marybeth
True Blue Farmgirl

6418 Posts

Mary Beth
Stanwood Wa 98292
USA
6418 Posts

Posted - May 01 2008 :  07:11:18 AM  Show Profile
When I was a kid on May 1st we would get up early--before school--and make paper vases and go pick the neighbors flowers (not really) and put them in the cones and put them on the neighbors front door and knock on the door and run like crazy. My kids did that too--although we didn't live in a "neighborhood". The elderly lady down the road never knew where they came from--or so she said. It was always a lot of fun. MB



www.strawberryhillsfarm.blogspot.com
www.day4plus.blogspot.com www.holyhouses-day4plus.blogspot.com
"Life may not be the party we hoped for...but while we are here we might as well dance!"

catscharm74
True Blue Farmgirl

4687 Posts

Heather
Texas
USA
4687 Posts

Posted - May 01 2008 :  07:14:03 AM  Show Profile  Send catscharm74 a Yahoo! Message
Oh how pretty!! I miss simple things like this. I think I will go buy myself some pretty flowers and put them out by the door.



Heather

Yee-Haw, I am a cowgirl!!!

FARMGIRL #90
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electricdunce
True Blue Farmgirl

2544 Posts

Karin
Belmont ME
USA
2544 Posts

Posted - May 01 2008 :  07:17:58 AM  Show Profile
That is such a nice tradition, I don't think i ever did that as a child , but I remember hearing about it. Nowadays if you hear May Day, it probably means a disaster to anyone under forty....Karin

Farmgirl Sister #153

"Give me shelter from the storm" - Bob Dylan
http://moodranch.blogspot.com
http://domesticnonsense.etsy.com
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Annika
True Blue Farmgirl

5602 Posts

Annika

USA
5602 Posts

Posted - May 01 2008 :  07:25:40 AM  Show Profile
May baskets! I remember doing those! Happy May 1st!

Annika
Farmgirl sister #13
Mud Hen Queen
http://innermountainmudhens.wordpress.com/
http://panzymoon.wordpress.com/
http://panzymoonsgarden.blogspot.com/
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Kathie
True Blue Farmgirl

2436 Posts

Kathie
Thonotosassa Florida
USA
2436 Posts

Posted - May 01 2008 :  07:32:22 AM  Show Profile
Happy May Day!!

YES! We made little May Day Baskets at School then took them to the Nursing Home later in the Afternoon..
We lived in such a Teensy little town.. & SO WAY back then.. we just DID stuff.. & your Parents were cool with it..
You know.. WALK with your teacher.. in the middle of the afternoon to the nursing home JUST CUZ!

But then..We ALSO used to spend the nite at our Teachers house too!!!!

4th Grade.. Mrs. Montinger.. She & her Husband owned this huge Chicken farm.. & EVERY Thursday nite.. 2 of us got to go home with her after school & spend the nite.. we'd get to hang out in the barn.. they'd show us how the whole chicken & egg collection & checking deal went down.. & we'd feed her horse.. eat dinner.. then off to bed.. She'd bring us to school with her the next morning.. So.. by the end of the year..
Everyone in her Class will have had the chance to spend the nite on the Chicken farm!

Can't See THAT happening today.. Can you?????



Kathie.. Farm Girl Sister #29

"In a World Where you Can Be Anything, Be Yourself"..
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Meg
Moderator/Farmgirl True

974 Posts

Meg
Idaho
USA
974 Posts

Posted - May 01 2008 :  08:09:40 AM  Show Profile
Oh, the girls in our neighborhood still do this with little candies also, and I am pretty sure they pick flowers from my garden, which is really too cute! As soon as Stella is old enough, she'll be helping them.

MaryJane's daughter,

Meg
megan@maryjanesfarm.org
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Nancy Gartenman
True Blue Farmgirl

9093 Posts

Nancy
West Seneca New York
USA
9093 Posts

Posted - May 01 2008 :  08:20:54 AM  Show Profile
MAY DAY! MAY DAY! Yes I remember it well. I would find a little basket of posies on the front door, and at school we would dance around a pole hanging onto streamers. I must be old!
NANCY JO

www.Nancy-Jo.blogspot.com
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jpbluesky
True Blue Farmgirl

6066 Posts

Jeannie
Florida
USA
6066 Posts

Posted - May 01 2008 :  08:26:33 AM  Show Profile
Nancy Jo - I was thinking the same thing to post when I got down to yours! MAY DAY! MAY DAY!

We made may day baskets at school when I was little, and I would come home and hang it on the front door, ring the bell and run and hide. Mom always acted so surprised! :)

What a pretty may day posy in the photo above....

Farmgirl Sister # 31

www.blueskyjeannie.blogspot.com

Psalm 51: 10-13

Edited by - jpbluesky on May 01 2008 08:27:16 AM
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KYgurlsrbest
True Blue Farmgirl

4853 Posts

Jonni
Elsmere Kentucky
USA
4853 Posts

Posted - May 01 2008 :  08:26:39 AM  Show Profile
There was a very nice article about this in this month's Grit magazine. I don't recall doing it as a child, but then, I was born in the 1973 and we didn't live in a rural environment. Since it's a holiday based on the agrarian calendar, I'm not sure many folks know exactly what the significance is. Maybe it might be something to bring back!!!!

I'm glad to know, Meg, that little ones still do it your area!

Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/
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CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl

8529 Posts

Frannie
Green County Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts

Posted - May 01 2008 :  08:51:56 AM  Show Profile
I LOVE MAY DAY AND MAY BASKETS .. when living in annapolis, maryland .. it was a 'big event to celebrate' and everyone made a 'may basket' and put it on their front door and our local garden clubs went around and chose 'bests' .. ohhhh .. in in our community .. and i wish i had digital photos to show .. we celebrated big time and i did up our entire yard with a may pole with teddy bears dressed in ballarina tu-tus .. dancing around it .. i hand painted pretty garden poetry and tied it with silk ribbons on all the tree limbs and branches .. i sat at least a hundred or more dolls on pretty picnic cloths all having 'tea parties' with vintage children's tea sets .. AND .. i invited all the children in our neighborhood to come to a May Day Tea Party Picnic .. with lots of fun games and events.

I did win a very special prize .. what fun .. i don't see this event celebrated in green county. i'll have to start sumpthin'!! xo

True Friends * Frannie

adopt a 'rag-chile'
http://sistermercysfoundlinhome.blogspot.com

treasures .. new and olde .. http://mudpiemanormercantile.blogspot.com



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Marybeth
True Blue Farmgirl

6418 Posts

Mary Beth
Stanwood Wa 98292
USA
6418 Posts

Posted - May 01 2008 :  09:00:46 AM  Show Profile
Frannie, Wow, you did it up grand. I had forgotten that we made May baskets at school and take them home to our Mother. Cut strips of construction paper and weave a basket. Gotta try it. I'm glad everyone has such fun memories.

www.strawberryhillsfarm.blogspot.com
www.day4plus.blogspot.com www.holyhouses-day4plus.blogspot.com
"Life may not be the party we hoped for...but while we are here we might as well dance!"
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kydeere40744
True Blue Farmgirl

1132 Posts

Jessica
Kentucky
USA
1132 Posts

Posted - May 01 2008 :  09:23:22 AM  Show Profile
May Day back home was always a really big celebration. They had a May Day pageant that it was always tradition that each of my cousins would take part in. I remember one year that my mom made me enter one of their contests for the prettiest smile. You had to walk in front of the judges, smile, do the turn, and come back to your parent. It was just you and the judges and it was more of a "fun" thing to do. I had a little easter dress on (which was rare to find me in a dress!). Mom said that I walked up to the judges, smiled, stuck my tongue out, smiled, and walked back. Yeah I was a little ham. haha. In the end I ended up winning 1st place and a little trophy. The one and only "pageant" trophy that I ever won. Here is a photo of when I was a wee little Jess:


I don't remember doing the cones with the flowers, but we were on the farm with not a lot of neighbors. I do remember the girls would have a ribbon and do a particular dance that twisted the ribbons (one per girl) around a large white pole and then amazingly they would get them apart just like the beginning. It was always neat because they had so many patterns and movements that you thought for sure it would get caught up. My old college has a country dancer group that dances old traditional dances (Irish, Scotch, Appalachian, English, etc) and that was one of the dances they did as well.

May you guys have a wonderful month of May.

~Jessica in Kentucky & Farmgirl Sisterhood #137~
Be sure to visit my blog & Crafty Clipart for some of my photographs:
http://bluegrassprincess.blogspot.com/
http://www.craftyclipart.com
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KYgurlsrbest
True Blue Farmgirl

4853 Posts

Jonni
Elsmere Kentucky
USA
4853 Posts

Posted - May 01 2008 :  09:55:34 AM  Show Profile
Jess, you haven't changed a bit!!! Your smile and those eyes are still the same!

Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl

22941 Posts

Alee
Worland Wy
USA
22941 Posts

Posted - May 01 2008 :  10:17:54 AM  Show Profile  Send Alee a Yahoo! Message
We did May Day Baskets when I was little- although sometimes in Wyoming it was too cold and the flowers hadn't bloomed yet, so we would bake cookies and put them on a paper plate on our neighbor's door step. I love this tradition and I am going to have Nora do this when she is a bit older and can follow directions :D

Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
Please come visit Nora and me on our new blog:
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
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levisgrammy
True Blue Farmgirl

9402 Posts

Denise
Beavercreek Ohio
USA
9402 Posts

Posted - May 01 2008 :  11:44:28 AM  Show Profile
We always did the baskets in school to take home to our Mom.
We did have some type of shindig at school too. To celebrate the day.

farmgirl sister #43

Kind hearts are gardens
Kind thoughts are roots
Kind words are blossoms
Kind deeds are Fruits

www.torismimi.blogspot.com
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CountryBorn
True Blue Farmgirl

1545 Posts

Mary Jane
New York
USA
1545 Posts

Posted - May 01 2008 :  2:42:41 PM  Show Profile
You know till this day when it is May 1st, the first thing I think of is May baskets. Over at the Genesse Country Village and Museum they have a beautiful program on Mother's day(their opening day)with a May pole with beautiful streamers and the girls all dressed up in their 1800's Sunday best clothes, dancing around. It is just lovely. The whole villages celebrates.

MJ

There can be no happiness if the things we believe in are different from the things we do. Freya Stark
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miss wilma
True Blue Farmgirl

3410 Posts

Wilma
Knob Lick Ky
USA
3410 Posts

Posted - May 01 2008 :  8:12:12 PM  Show Profile
Jessie that sweet little picture sure brings back memories

Farm Girl #96

http://www.picturetrail.com/misswilmasplace

http://misswilma.blogspot.com/
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kydeere40744
True Blue Farmgirl

1132 Posts

Jessica
Kentucky
USA
1132 Posts

Posted - May 02 2008 :  08:10:37 AM  Show Profile
Jonni & Wilma, you are too sweet.

MJ - it sounds like the village does a celebration similar to the one back home. I just love the feeling of May. We were married in May and just the overall feeling with the beautiful weather, flowers & veggies planted, and everything else makes me love May so much.

~Jessica in Kentucky & Farmgirl Sisterhood #137~
Be sure to visit my blog & Crafty Clipart for some of my photographs:
http://bluegrassprincess.blogspot.com/
http://www.craftyclipart.com
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Maryjane Lee
True Blue Farmgirl

2195 Posts

Maryjane
CA
USA
2195 Posts

Posted - May 02 2008 :  10:02:26 AM  Show Profile
Happy May to all of you to! Mary Beth, what a kind, enduring gesture! I will have to do that today!

Hugs, Maryjane Lee
Farmgirl Sister #44

http://thebeehivecottage.blogspot.com



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