This morning I watched a little house wren make her nest. Last summer I bought a new little bird house, but I think it was too late for nesting. I was cautiously optimistic as it is a pretty bright yellow birdhouse on a fence post. But, sure enough, this morning I watched her carry in tiny little bits of grass and twigs to make her nest for her little ones.
Some things do not change. I watch the beauty of the sandhill cranes as they return, and the lovely trees that grace our landscape. I am always in awe of the colors of spring. Every green is a different shade, and I really don’t think there are enough names of the colors to go around. Eventually the deepest greens will appear with the heat of summer, but for now, their colors are fresh and young.
I put out my hummingbird and oriole bird feeders this week. Every time I pass them by in the house or the yard, I hope to see one return, but so far, I have no visitors. I do hope so soon. I love watching the birds swirl and dance across my yard and back into the trees. They will be here soon, and I will be waiting for them.
May will also be here soon. We turn the calendar to May on Friday. I was just getting used to April. She has been such a flirt. Warm days. Cold days. Dry days. Wet days. She never knows how to make up her mind! Some days the windows are wide open and other days, I turn the furnace on! I always say … this is the last time, and then I turn it on again! After this week, it will be the last time!
May creeps in with the beauty of May Day, and all my elementary memories. We did make the May pole when I was in grade school. Maybe you did, too. I don’t remember much except it was beautiful walking around the May pole. Who made that for us and whatever happened to those poles? We also made paper cones and sometimes lacy doilies full of flowers and put them on doorknobs of houses. We hid in the bushes waiting for someone to open the door and find our treasures. I did this a few times with Jonah when he was young. It was so fun to wait and watch the expressions on their faces. Is anyone doing this on Friday?
As a kid, I didn’t realize that May Day was special is so many ways. May 1 is the cross-quarter day between spring and summer. We are halfway there to the Summer Solstice. May Day festivals are traditionally celebrated in the British Isles complements of the Celts. This is still called the Beltane festival celebrating the rites of spring and fertility! This year we have the added joy of a full moon on Friday night. This full moon is known as the Flower Moon because of all the budding flowers and trees. There are other names for this full moon such as Budding Moon, Leaf Budding Moon, Planting Moon, Egg Laying Moon and Frog Moon. I kind of like Frog Moon as I listen to the evening peepers.
With the coming of May, the sky changes, too. Orion will be leaving us until August. I think Orion has always been my favorite constellation and I am always thrilled to see it come back in late summer.
I am a little giddy about spring. Shows are over … school is done this week … so all my thoughts can be on my garden and my ukulele. OK, yes, there are other events, and I will get to them next week, but for now my garden calls, and the birds call.
May is coming. Beauty surrounds us. Go outside and get your hands dirty and finish planting your gardens. I finally planted the onions and potatoes and lettuce and spinach. I am holding off with the summer seeds just waiting for the ground to be a little warmer. They say dirt is good for us. But when coming in for the evening, make a cup of tea and read some lovely poetry. That, too, is always waiting for us. Happy May Day!
“The year’s at the spring,
This hillside’s dew-pearled
The snail’s on the thorn
All’s right with the world.”
Robert Browning (1812-1889)
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