It's May Day!

Our farm on May Day 2007!

Did any of you guys ever do anything for May Day? I remember going around to our neighbor's homes when I was younger and bringing them little baskets of flowers with my mom. We don't do it anymore (and haven't for a long time), but I distinctly remember going up to our neighbor Adeline's house as a child.

There aren't usually a ton of flowers growing on the first of May in Minnesota, but we do have dandelions and the tulips are coming up as well. Oh yeah, the blood root (or that's what my mom always called it) is growing in damp, tree-filled areas, too. Anyway, I'm thinking we must have put those kinds of flowers in the little basket I made from paper and brought it up to her. We walked up to her house (about an 1/8 to a 1/4 of a mile away), knocked on the door, she would let us in, and then we would chat and have little treats. I have a lot of fond memories of going up to Adeline's house as a child.

(I just ran out to the farm and took some pictures along the road)
I don't know what the little white flower on the top is, but the bottom one, I believe, is Blood Root. Although I'm confused why it is called blood root being as it is white, but these flowers only last a very short time in the spring. Likely it has more to do with what they do the rest of the year. (A week ago the entire road ditch was covered with these, now I could only find these couple flowers)
(Updated: My mother just happened by and I asked her some questions-turns out the top picture is Blood Root and the bottom one is a May Flower (goodness, a picture of a May Flower on May Day, I'm pretty good!). Also, the reason Blood Root is called Blood Root is because its roots are blood red. Go figure ;o) Ever since I was little my mom has told me these things, but I can be an in one ear out the other kind of person sometimes)

We also went to a few other people homes-a woman named Ruth from my church (I remember bringing her flowers and sitting in her kitchen talking, but I'm not sure if it was May Day) and another woman-hmmm, can't remember her name, but her husband's name was John Carlson-(I know this because their house is at the bottom of a big hill that is called, by the old timers-and me ;o), John Carlson Hill) -Soooo, we went to visit John Carlson's wife on May Day as well, but that memory is really cloudy because I am sure she passed away before I was five.

Butternut Lake-Just down the road from our house.

Well, this May Day I am thinking I will stop by Adeline's house and drop off a little gift on my way home from work for old time's sake. (She's in her 80's now) Maybe I will print off a pretty flower picture for her. (I took more pictures on my little jaunt out in the country this afternoon). Sooooo, on this May Day (or May 2nd, 3rd, or 4th) think of someone that might like a little cheer of some kind, pop over to their house with a flower or kid print, and see their smile grow!