Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Happy May Day!!!!

Today I will be crowning The May Queen with a floral crown, made lovingly by me with REAL faux flowers, and the occasional green twist tie. I will also be virtually crowning one of YOU, as well. Leave a comment here before midnight on May 1st, and Friday morning my May Queen will draw a number, and I will announce who has virtually been crowned May Queen. Then, make sure I have your address, and I will send you a floral crown, just like the ones worn at our May Day celebration. If there's more than one queen in your house, you'll have to figure out how to share. ;)
Isn't it stunning? (this picture made me realize how badly I need to wipe down the mirror in my bathroom. ewww...)

Look: even MQ's magazine has heard about my party, and apparently adopted one of my mottoes (spell check insists that's the right way to spell "mottoes" - looks weird to me. I love how if you look to the right, right now, you'll see my "Join the Dance!" in the sidebar): And finally, a poem for all you virtual May Queen hopefuls:

THE MAY QUEEN
by Alfred Lord Tennyson

You must wake and call me early, call me early, mother dear;
To-morrow ’ill be the happiest time of all the glad New-year;
Of all the glad New-year, mother, the maddest merriest day,
For I’m to be Queen o’ the May, mother, I’m to be Queen o’ the May.


There’s many a black, black eye, they say, but none so bright as mine;
There’s Margaret and Mary, there’s Kate and Caroline;
But none so fair as little Alice in all the land they say,
So I’m to be Queen o’ the May, mother, I’m to be Queen o’ the May.

I sleep so sound all night, mother, that I shall never wake,
If you do not call me loud when the day begins to break;
But I must gather knots of flowers, and buds and garlands gay,
For I’m to be Queen o’ the May, mother, I’m to be Queen o’ the May.

As I came up the valley whom think ye should I see
But Robin leaning on the bridge beneath the hazel-tree?
He thought of that sharp look, mother, I gave him yesterday,
But I’m to be Queen o’ the May, mother, I’m to be Queen o’ the May.

He thought I was a ghost, mother, for I was all in white,
And I ran by him without speaking, like a flash of light.
They call me cruel-hearted, but I care not what they say,
For I’m to be Queen o’ the May, mother, I’m to be Queen o’ the May.

They say he’s dying all for love, but that can never be;
They say his heart is breaking, mother–what is that to me?
There’s many a bolder lad ’ill woo me any summer day,
And I’m to be Queen o’ the May, mother, I’m to be Queen o’ the May.

Little Effie shall go with me to-morrow to the green,
And you’ll be there, too, mother, to see me made the Queen;
For the shepherd lads on every side ’ill come from far away,
And I’m to be Queen o’ the May, mother, I’m to be Queen o’ the May.

The honeysuckle round the porch has woven its wavy bowers,
And by the meadow-trenches blow the faint sweet cuckoo-flowers;
And the wild marsh-marigold shines like fire in swamps and hollows gray,
And I’m to be Queen o’ the May, mother, I’m to be Queen o’ the May.

The night-winds come and go, mother, upon the meadow-grass,
And the happy stars above them seem to brighten as they pass;
There will not be a drop of rain the whole of the livelong day,
And I’m to be Queen o’ the May, mother, I’m to be Queen o’ the May.

All the valley, mother, ’ill be fresh and green and still,
And the cowslip and the crowfoot are over all the hill,
And the rivulet in the flowery dale ’ill merrily glance and play,
For I’m to be Queen o’ the May, mother, I’m to be Queen o’ the May.

So you must wake and call me early, call me early, mother dear,
To-morrow ’ill be the happiest time of all the glad New-year;
To-morrow ’ill be of all the year the maddest merriest day,
For I’m to be Queen o’ the May, mother, I’m to be Queen o’ the May.




HAPPY MAY DAY!!!!

26 comments:

Nora said...

Happy May Day to you! I didn't notice your mirror because it's a heck of a lot cleaner than mine.

Barrie said...

What a great post for welcoming in the month of May!

Recovering Sociopath said...

What a great giveaway. I made a garland for Easter with fresh flowers. My three year old son adored it, but it has long since gone where all fresh flowers go. He still wistfully asks for Mommy to put her garland on. So here's hoping I win the permanent version!

Unknown said...

it is lovely - happy May Day to you and the MQ. Thank you for the poetry. I needed it.

Anonymous said...

Wow, You CLEAN mirrors?!
Happy May Day to you and
your little May Queen.

Kay-T

PS
Did you find a stick for
a May pole, or are the kids
going to dance around you?
Oh, I guess that would leave
you a little "tied up."

Anonymous said...

In honor of May Day, I'm going to repair the lovely antique Maypole music box I have, today.

It's about 5 inches tall, with three wooden ladies holding silken ropes and three blue birds on a green platform, twirling and circling a maypole to the Lichtenstein Polka.

It's so dusty, it makes your mirror look sparkly.

Helen/Spike and Drusilla OK Citizens said...

Happy May Day! It's a beautiful crown and I love the color of your bathroom walls, so I didn't notice the mirror either.

Woman in a Window said...

Maypole, do you know why Robert Munsch wrote Love You Forever? From what I understand he was doing workshops with students and the story of his wife and he losing a baby came up and he wove it into a song. From this came the story. I'm not sure if there was ever written a better story that could capture so many different ages. Now I'll go and read your post...

Woman in a Window said...

The only thing better than spring is autumn, dare I say? But bare feet is such a treat I should bow before you and admit defeat! Happy May Day!

Mary Beth said...

Happy May Day! There's something about May that just makes me think happy thoughts. I'm not sure why - I just know I wake up with an extra spring in my step on the 1st of May.

Have a wonderful celebration:)

E said...

I woke up and immeidately thought of you. So did Google, did you see? Happy May Day and thanks for lots of intersting reading this year....

Aliki2006 said...

Well, you know I'm happy May is here!

Happy May Day to you!

Anonymous said...

Have a fun mayday!!! I want to see a picture of MQ in her crown, I bet she thinks its the greatest ever!!!!

Chaotic Joy said...

"It's May!
The lusty month of May!
That lovely month when everyone goes Blissfully astray.
Tra la! It's here!
That shocking time of year
When tons of wicked little thoughts
Merrily appear!"


I obnoxiously serenade my family with this song every single May. So I simply must win your drawing because what could be more wonderful than torturing them while wearing a crown of flowers. Heh. Heh.

Family Adventure said...

Happy May Day to you, too!!! :)

Heidi

Christine said...

happy may day!!! i WANT that crown!

Amy Y said...

Happy May Day to my favorite Maypole! :)

MamaGeek @ Works For Us said...

Happy May Day PM. That crown is SA-WEET!

Melissa said...

Happy May Day!

And that crown looks good enough for my cats to eat! :)

Not that they would do something like that....

Run ANC said...

Mirror spots aside, I think that is a beautiful photo of you.

Happy May Day, Queen o' the May!

amanda said...

You really are mom extrodinaire... First a cinderella and fairy godmother costume and now a may queen crown. I love it. As for the mirror, doesn't everyone's look like that??

carrie said...

I couldn't let the day go by without visiting YOU!

Happy May Day!

Girlplustwo said...

ah, pretty. its your day, love!

flutter said...

you are adorable

Anonymous said...

Happy May Day to you! (Though now I'm technically late. It's after midnight.)

Will we get to see photos of your Maypole?

Anonymous said...

The author of paintedmaypole.blogspot.com has written an excellent article. You have made your point and there is not much to argue about. It is like the following universal truth that you can not argue with: No matter how much you dumb down something, someone out there is dumber. Thanks for the info.