May Day! May Day!

 No, we don't have an emergency on our little ship or in our little airplane...in fact, no emergency at all...it's just that today is the first day of May! And I don't know where you came from, if you ever celebrated "May Day", but I do remember it in elementary school.  We would go out on the playground and there was a big pole with long ribbons attached, and we each held a ribbon and we walked around the "Maypole" and sang songs.  I don't remember what songs we sang, but I do remember the activity and it is stuck in my memory banks.

Here's a video I found online of a group of 4th graders doing this.  

"O, bring all the little children

With May flowers in their hair

For, they shall dance

Around the maypole

For, they shall dance

The May day away"

Poem written by Athey Thompson

May Day celebrations

Here's a description according to AI:

"Children dancing around a Maypole is a traditional May Day (May 1st) folk custom, particularly in Britain and Europe, celebrating spring and fertility. Participants, often school children, hold ribbons attached to a tall, decorated pole and weave them into a braid through intricate dance patterns, symbolizing growth and unity. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Key aspects of the Maypole tradition include:
Symbolism: The pole represents a tree, symbolizing the arrival of spring, nature's bounty, and the fertility of the land.

The Dance: Children typically skip clockwise or in alternating directions, weaving ribbons over and under one another to form a complex braided pattern on the pole.

Origins: The custom has roots in ancient European pre-Christian, Greek, and Roman fertility rituals, later becoming a popular fixture in village fetes and schools.

Modern Celebrations: Often held at schools or community fairs, the celebration may include crowning a May Queen, gathering wildflowers, and dancing, such as those described by or in. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]"

I never connected this little activity with anything "pagan" or having anything to do with "fertility", but only a happy and fun elementary school activity that lingers still in my memory.  I truly doubt our music teacher had anything ritualistic in mind either. It was just a fun way to celebrate the beginning May!

My mother remembered making little "May Day" flower baskets and taking them around and leaving them on their neighbor's doors. I don't think we ever did that, mainly because where we lived when I was growing up there were no close neighbors. Still, it sounds like a sweet little tradition that would be a blessing to others who receive the baskets of flowers, so it seems like it would be a nice thing to do.

Do you have any particular memories of "May Day" from your childhood?  I would love to hear about them.

Today I did a little special "May Day" activity. One of our dear church members, Opal,  (our former pianist), has been in a Rehab Center for quite a while, recuperating from a very serious case of pneumonia (and other issues).  Today is her birthday, and so hubby and I went to visit her and took a little bag of some fun things to help her celebrate.

I found the cute little flowered headband and lei at The Dollar Tree, as well as one of those balloons.

The beautiful roses are from her husband.

I also included a Reese's Peanut Butter cup and some chapstick and hand lotion, and some other hair bands as she has long hair and often the caregivers there will braid it for her.  

Her hubby was there to visit as well.  

We had a happy visit, and she is looking forward to coming home fairly soon, as they say that finally all the pneumonia is gone and she is doing physical therapy and getting stronger  every day.  I sure hope she will be home soon. We really miss her at church.  I don't think she will ever be able to play the piano again because she also had a stroke last year, and that has affected her hand dexterity, but she can still sing beautifully and hopefully she will be able to come back to the choir again, maybe in the fall when we start back up after our summer break. We will continue to pray for Opal to get better day by day.

So now, what else do we do on the first day of May?  Well, we have the May Calendar Roll Call, of course! I know you've been waiting all day for this! So without further adieu, here we go:

Well, except for the part about the "rain is over and gone", I like this quote from King Solomon. It seems as if he is right about the rain being over and gone...quite some time ago...but we are SUPPOSED to get some good rain tomorrow. We were supposed to get rain today and Sunday too, but now it just says Saturday...so time will tell. I don't believe it until I see it and feel the raindrops falling on my head.

I do try to remember the birds and bees and butterflies too!! Hopefully my wildflower garden patch will attract them all!

Speaking of Butterflies...

(quote above from Billy Graham refers to Romans 1:18-20)

18 "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 

19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse"

Hebrews 1:10

And this  Thomas Kinkade calendar seems to follow along the same theme...

"Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands."  Hebrews 1:10

And this verse tells us further that God has created all things, and for HIS pleasure they are and were created! (Revelation 4:11)

I do love all the beautiful things that God has created...don't you? This would be one example of a lovely place that God has created that I know I could certainly enjoy...

After rowing around in that boat and enjoying that fresh mountain air, I would love to be welcomed inside for a cup of hot tea...yes, just like how this describes it...

Sounds pretty good to me!

And  last but not least, the John Sloane Country Seasons Calendar is always a favorite...this dear lady is hanging out all of her quilts to air out after a long winter's use.  Please note the kitty cat in this picture...

That looks a lot like our Sunshine did...such a sweet kitty who is now enjoying the pure air of kitty heaven.  

Well,while I was sitting here typing a little bit of rain rolled in, and I actually went outside and felt the raindrops on my head!

Speaking of kitty cats, please say a little prayer for our Blackie. Lately he has been extremely itchy to the point of pulling out plugs of fur from his legs and belly. (You can see his little bare belly below) The flea collar hasn't helped one bit, and it may have gotten worse since I changed it a couple of weeks ago, so I called the Vet to see if we can bring him in for an examination. He is also due for his annual rabies shot. So he has an appointment on Monday. He's never been to a Vet before, except for when he was neutered...so this will be an experience for all of us...getting him there and back, etc.  So you might say a little prayer for me too! 

Thank you!

Hope you have had a blessed and beautiful "May Day". 

Monday Monday ~ Blessings

 Psalm 96:1-6

Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!

Sing to the Lord, all the earth.

2 Sing to the Lord, bless His name;

Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.

3 Declare His glory among the nations,

His wonders among all peoples.

4 For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised;

He is to be feared above all gods.

5 For all the gods of the peoples are idols,

But the Lord made the heavens.

6 Honor and majesty are before Him;

Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.

Happy Monday! I thought I'd start out with that beautiful Swallowtail Butterfly enjoying sipping the nectar from the Bottlebrush Tree in our yard.  When I first planted that bush, it was small, and I really didn't think about how large/tall it would get. I mainly wanted it for my butterfly garden area so it would attract butterflies and hummingbirds. 

 It is definitely doing exactly what I wanted it to do! My only complaint is that it is getting quite tall and is starting to obstruct a part of our view of Still Waters Pond!

I thought about transplanting it to a different location not quite so central to our view of the pond, but then we wouldn't be able to see the hummingbirds and butterflies when they are on there...so I guess we can sacrifice the one to be able to enjoy the other, and yes, we can still see the pond.  And actually, once the blooming season is over and the hummingbirds and butterflies have moved further south for the winter we can trim the bush back down to a more reasonable level and let it grow stronger before the next blooming season begins.

Oftentimes in life we do have to learn to make some sacrifices of something that seems really good to achieve something even better.  It's not always easy to do, but when we think about the overall bigger picture, it makes sense. 

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 seems to sum up this thought about making sacrifices in our lives now for that which is greater for us in the long run...that is, for eternity!

"16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, 

yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 

17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, 

is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 

18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, 

but the things which are not seen are eternal."

That is a good reminder for me today.  It seems like lately I've been making little sacrifices here and there in being able to do some of the things I enjoy because of my hubby's health issues, and then even this past weekend because of my own health issues. Nothing serious, just a virus of some sort, but I had to forego attending a baby shower at our church on Saturday and then also church services yesterday.  But I definitely didn't want to "share" any germs with the expectant mother or anyone else, and it was truly better for me to stay home and rest and get over whatever this is. Today I am just kind of washed out and still tired, so it is definitely best to just stay put and rest and recuperate.  

Friday evening we invited the kids over for "Taco Friday" (instead of "Taco Tuesday"). I was feeling fine then, and we wanted to give them a break from their kitchen redo that they were tackling all last week.  And no, they didn't get it finished yet, but at least they made some good progress. I will definitely post pictures when the job is done. 

And lest you think we don't pay enough attention to our Grandpuppies now that we have our own porch kitties...here's Rose holding Spice up to look out the window above the curtain we put up to keep the pups from seeing the cats out there.  Apparently the cats were not in sight at this moment or she wouldn't have been able to hold a squirming pup for long...LOL. 

And there's Sugar waiting her turn to look out the window, with her doggie toy squeaking away... LOL.

They sure are sweet pups and we enjoy them coming to visit...but the curtain idea really helps keep them from going crazy over seeing the cats.  At one time Sunshine peeked up over the curtain while sitting in the chair that it was fastened to, so we had to distract the pups really quickly and Sunshine was satisfied that there wasn't much going on so he moved on.  Blackie also peeked once as well, and again, quick thinking inside averted a noisy uprising. LOL.  

I guess there isn't much else to share today. I just wanted to check in with you and let you know I'm still here. I didn't get around to read very many posts over the weekend so I am a bit behind in knowing how all of you are doing.  Hopefully I will get caught up this week.  

Oh, one more special story...This is a picture of my dear friend Sharon and her son Robb. Sharon passed away from cancer in 2019.  Sharon adopted Robb when he was about two years old. Although Sharon was single, she raised Robb with so much love and care. He had some special needs and life was pretty challenging for them for a while, but with God's love and guidance, Robb grew to be a very fine young man.  They lived here in Florida for a good while, which is where we became acquainted, and we became their "Florida Family".  However, Sharon was originally from a very large family in Minnesota, and in her final days she went to live with one of her sisters there until she passed away.  Robb also went to live in Minnesota and eventually got a good job and met a very sweet young lady.  

We have stayed in touch with Robb through Facebook and also other family members. I was very thrilled and blessed to receive these pictures from Robb over the weekend:

Meet baby Ellie!  I knew she was expected, but she came a little bit early, so this was a pleasant surprise:

And here's Baby Ellie and her happy Mama:

Of course my first thought was how happy my friend Sharon would be to know that her Robb is now a Daddy, and that he has grown to be a very responsible and thoughtful man.  I know Sharon would've been thrilled to be a grandma, and I hope she can see Baby Ellie from heaven.  Who knows about these things? Only God knows for sure, but I have a feeling Sharon already knows all about little Ellie, and if people in heaven can pray for us here on earth, you can well imagine that little Ellie has been bathed in heavenly prayers and love ever since her conception.  

Psalm 139:13-16

"13 For You formed my inward parts;

You covered me in my mother’s womb.

14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Marvelous are Your works,

And that my soul knows very well.

15 My frame was not hidden from You,

When I was made in secret,

And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.

And in Your book they all were written,

The days fashioned for me,

When as yet there were none of them."

I wish they weren't so far away, as I would love to play surrogate Grandma for little Ellie, but thankfully Robb has many doting Aunts and cousins and family members nearby who will definitely make sure that Little Ellie gets LOTS of "grandma"  kind of love.  She will be much loved and blessed for certain. I know that she will be added to my prayers and who knows? Maybe I'll get to meet her and hold her someday. 

Okay, that's all for now. Thank you for listening. Have a blessed and wonderful week my friends.

Wednesday Treasures with Special Thanks

Here it is Wednesday...the week before Thanksgiving already! As my mind is still grappling with that fact and making mental preparations for the big day, I wanted to share some special "treasures" with you and express my thanksgiving to God for wonderful friends and unexpected surprises.

This past Sunday at church a dear sweet friend said she had a box of some things in her car she wanted to give me. I was totally taken by surprise as I had no idea what she would be wanting to give me, and also  I was reeling from the shock that we had just learned that this friend and her husband have listed their house for sale and are planning to move away from our area whenever it sells. They have family living further north of here and other family concerns regarding their elderly mother, so they said it was time to "move on".  

So, as you can imagine, I was a bit taken off guard by receiving this box filled with very special items that she wanted me to have.  (see above picture and below).  It appears to me that this sweet lady knows me very well, even though we have not really spent all that much time together one on one...mostly just at our church ladies' functions...but each and every item definitely seems to have been selected especially for me....    The delightful miniature tea set above is absolutely perfect in every detail...and a devotional book entitled "Tea Time with God"...

Hand Painted bluebirds!! Isn't this exquisite?

A book of Paper Dolls (never cut!)

Did any of you ever play with paper dolls?  Don't these just make you want to do it again?  But I really don't want to spoil the book by cutting them up...maybe someday with just the right little girl, whoever she may be...

Some lovely tea table linens!

"The Martin Sisters" were delighted to have a new tea set for their afternoon tea time:

Let's take a look inside this "Quiet Moments with God Devotional" book and see what we can share...

I don't know if you can read this or not...I will try to enlarge it for you in the next couple of pictures:

I love that the verse quoted for this devotional is from Psalm 23:2-3~  

"He leadeth me beside the still waters; He restoreth my soul..."

How perfect is THAT for me????

I especially like what it says on this page:

"...There may be times when the pressures of the day come to bear in late afternoon. Our spirits long for a little peace and refreshment in the presence of our loving Savior.  Just as enjoying a muffin with a few sips of tea can give something of a lift to our lagging physical energy level, a quick prayer or the voicing of praise can give our spirit a lift.

Set aside some time in the middle of the afternoon to turn your attention to the beauty of life that the Lord has set before you.  Find beauty and comfort in the people around your, the flowers on a table, or simply the delicious aroma of tea brewing.  Create a few moments away from the hustle and bustle of your life before returning to the tasks that await you.  Give thanks to the Lord for sharing His presence with you."

Yes, in this time of Thanksgiving and the hustle and bustle of the upcoming holiday season, it might be a good idea to set aside some time each day to quiet ourselves with a cup of tea or coffee, sit down in a comfy chair and read from God's Word or spend time in prayer, giving thanks to the Lord for all of His wonderful kindness and goodness shown unto us...

Thank the Lord for His harvest of many blessings...

Don't allow the busyness of preparation for our Thanksgiving dinner and guests rob us of the joy of spending time with loved ones and friends in a spirit of gratitude...

(The little family at Pamela's Victorian Cottage is getting ready for Thanksgiving too)

Lily Grace and all of her friends are also getting in the spirit of Thanksgiving...

This young fellow has the right idea...

Let us "come before His presence with Thanksgiving"

Psalm 100

1 Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!

2 Serve the Lord with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

3 Know that the Lord, He is God;

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

5 For the Lord is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.

Amen!

Happy Thanksgiving!

 And a special thank you to my friend who was so very thoughtful in sharing these gifts with me. I hope you enjoyed them as well.