Subject: Happy May Day! From: Hollowfox Date: 30 Apr 01 - 03:57 PM Also Saint Walpurga's Day (tonight), Saint Joseph's Day (tomorrow), Beltaine, and whatever other name you'd like for a beautiful spring day (at least where I live). I'm putting up the window screens and putting away the flannel sheets. For you folks in the southern hemisphere, I hope your autumn's a good one. |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: Tig Date: 30 Apr 01 - 04:02 PM Thanks and the same to you. Let's hope the tide turns for the better and all things start to be healed at this time. |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: Dave (the ancient mariner) Date: 30 Apr 01 - 04:13 PM My Maydays are not happy occasions... but Happy May Day and forgive the play on words *smile* Yours, Aye. Dave |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: BobP Date: 30 Apr 01 - 04:29 PM How about a "May" songlist!
I'll start it off with "One Morning In May" Bob P
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Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: GUEST,Rana Date: 30 Apr 01 - 05:16 PM Anne Lister has a great May morning song - can't remeber the name (it's at home) - someone else may, though Rana (who'll be up at 5:30 am - who started this stupid tradition anyway?) |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: CarolC Date: 30 Apr 01 - 05:42 PM And to you, Hollowfox.
Nicely put Tig! Thanks for that. Carol |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: Mrs.Duck Date: 30 Apr 01 - 05:44 PM Happy May Day everyone. |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: Manitas Date: 30 Apr 01 - 05:45 PM Apparently it all started as late as they 1920's when an EFDS folk-dance team went along to the May Morning revels in Oxford.They included some morris dances. It was continued by the Oxford University Morris Men, Oxford City Morris Men and Headington Quarry MM until people thought it was traditional to dance morris at sunup on 1st May (which it is by now!). |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: Hollowfox Date: 30 Apr 01 - 06:01 PM I'm sorry to hear that your day won't be as easy for you as it might be for others, Dave. I'll keep a spot for you in my thoughts tomorrow, and until we meet so I can give you a coropreal hug, here's a cyberhug to tide you over. |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: Morticia Date: 30 Apr 01 - 06:20 PM Merry Beltane to all. |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: Hawker Date: 30 Apr 01 - 06:41 PM Happy Mayday to you all too, I'm of to Padstow to follow the 'Oss - and maybe get in a few songs in the evening! Cheers, and may the May bring the sun, an end to foot and mouth and smiles to all our faces. Lucy |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: mousethief Date: 30 Apr 01 - 06:50 PM Since when was April 30th May Day? I know Nixon screwed up Washington's Birthday, but this is ridiculous! :-) Alex |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: Snuffy Date: 30 Apr 01 - 06:54 PM Only 10 minutes to go here in England. Then it's a couple of hours kip and back up to dance at 5.30. Then a day at work and off to the Maypole dancing in a nearby village at 6pm. (In the local paper they called it maple dancing! Must be what they do in Canada) Wassail! V |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: Hollowfox Date: 30 Apr 01 - 06:55 PM 'Thief, I was just getting things started a bit early, figuring that my post would be just an hour or two before the day for our friends in Europe. Besides, I had a minute to do it, and I thought of it, for a change. *g* |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: mousethief Date: 30 Apr 01 - 07:03 PM I know, I was just teasin' y'all. And now I can tell my favorite MayDay story. As you all know, Mayday is the international workers' (read: marxist/leninist) holiday. Well, on May 1, 1984, I was a grad student at the University of Illinois at Chicago. It was one of those rare spring days in Chicago that was neither snowy nor excruciatingly hot, and a lot of people were lunching in the amphitheatre in the center of campus. Well, knowing it was the Marxist/Leninist holiday, the campus Young Republicans had booked the lectern (sp?) in the amphitheatre, and its attendant PA system. They had a whole slough of 'em, in suit-and-tie, to come up to the microphone and read short essays on the glories of capitalism. The Leninist-Marxists, of which our campus had several groups (all in competition with one another and denouncing one another's right to represent world Leninist/Marxism, of course), came late to the amphitheatre and REALLY had their (red) knickers in a knot that the Young Republicans had the PA system booked up. They stood off to one side, yelling jeers at the YR's, occasionally breaking into chants of marxist slogans, and so forth. They were really quite obviously hot under the collar, and the YR's were eating it up, being very calm -- almost mockingly calm and cool and collected, smoothly reading their pro-capitalism essays over the PA system. It was quite a show. Most of us lunch-munchers were enjoying it greatly. Then I noticed a young student running back and forth around the rim of the amphitheatre. He was whispering in people's ears, and getting nods or thumbs up from the people he talked to. This went on for a few minutes, and then suddenly, a good number the spectators on one side of the amphitheatre yelled, "LESS FILLING!" Immediately followed by a bunch on the other side who yelled out, "TASTES GREAT!" They went back and forth several times, finally breaking into laughter, with the rest of us (except of course the L/M's, who were furious, and the YR's, who were taking themselves far too seriously to laugh). It was the best Mayday I've ever had. Alex |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: hesperis Date: 30 Apr 01 - 07:11 PM April 30th is May Eve! And have a merry one of those, too! Today I tried to throw a crown of flowers into a river as we drove over a bridge, but the wind threw it back onto the bridge. Oh, well. |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: mousethief Date: 30 Apr 01 - 07:12 PM Hesp, what's the significance of throwing the flowers into the water? This is something I'm not familiar with. Alex the ignorant |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: Micca Date: 30 Apr 01 - 07:14 PM Ans BBs to one and all and a merry Beltane to all Northern hemisphere folks, and a merry Samhain to those in the Southern Hemisphere, and may "Orion stand on his head for you" Mousethief, the Celtic day ran from sunset to sunset so Beltane started at Sunset tonight..and a fire(symbolic) is lit to carry the power of the sun to sunrise and the belief was the sun won't rise in the morning if the fire is not lit and kept going..They drum and dance up the Sun at Hastings every year on Mayday..some of last years pics can be seen here Click here |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: kendall Date: 30 Apr 01 - 07:43 PM Mayday is the last thing a sailor wants to say or hear, Hollowfox. |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: Noreen Date: 30 Apr 01 - 09:45 PM Tonight I sang The Magherafelt May Fair. Any more May songs? |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: Peg Date: 30 Apr 01 - 10:25 PM I just might get up at dawn and go down to the Charles River to watch the Morris dancing...and sing along with the songs... The Banks of Claudy (As I walked out one morning all in the month of May) (Okay I guess a lot of songs start this way) Happy Beltane everyone! Check out my May Day/Beltane comparison at www.witchvox.com. Peg
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Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: JenEllen Date: 30 Apr 01 - 10:30 PM One Monday morning in the Month of may (x3) I thought I heard the old man say The Rosabella will sail today.. |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: mousethief Date: 30 Apr 01 - 11:12 PM While driving home I heard the radio announcer lady say that it was "Beltrane." I wonder how many phone calls/emails they're going to get on that one? Anyone, what's the significance, if any, of throwing flowers into the water? Inquiring minds honestly want to know. Alex |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: Blackcatter Date: 30 Apr 01 - 11:59 PM Joyous Beltane yall! My Beltane won't happen for a few more days - I follow the astronomical determination. Beltane - the holiday during which you can really show your friend (or friends) just how long . . I mean how much you love them. Pax Yall |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: Noreen Date: 01 May 01 - 01:06 AM The sun is up! The sun has risen over the Pennine moors and is shining strongly through my window. I walked out of my front door and surprised a large badger who ran off across the full width of the garden, leaving a track through the heavy dew and looking back at me repeatedly as he ran, as if to say, "What's she doing up at this hour??" A very happy Mayday to you all, and a happy 1st of May to Dave and sailors everywhere! Noreen |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: Amergin Date: 01 May 01 - 01:26 AM Well....click here
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Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: Blackcatter Date: 01 May 01 - 01:33 AM Noreen - A 'coon just got in a fight with a neighborhood cat outside. A neighbor leaves out catfood and the 'coons like it. The possums do as well, though the cats can usually get them pretty good. The cool thing is that I live a mile from downtown Orlando, FL. pax yall |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: Sarah the flute Date: 01 May 01 - 03:28 AM As I roved out one morn in May... I thought what a pity I've got to go to work |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: Michael in Swansea Date: 01 May 01 - 03:39 AM Oss Oss wee Oss |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: Gervase Date: 01 May 01 - 04:14 AM Hal an Tow, Jolly Rumbelow - I was up, up before the day-o Not to bring the summer in but to write a bloody proposal for a meeting today with some New York clients. I did look out of the window as the dawn came up, wishing I was watching the dancer round the Pudding Stone at Standon and reparing to the pub for a few jars and a few songs, but in London it looked cold, grey and distinctly unsummerish. So I'll sing the sun down tonight instead... |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: English Jon Date: 01 May 01 - 05:03 AM May every hair upon your heads shine like a silver wire! Merry Maying to all. And the start of the festival season... :) Jon |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: Lyndi-loo Date: 01 May 01 - 05:38 AM It's a beautiful May morn here in South WEst Scotland too. Did you know that the anglo-saxons used to call May thrimilce because they could milk their cows three times daily. Also some folk consider it unlucky to wash blankets in May "wash a blanket in MAy wash a dear one away" Happy MAy day and let's hope for a sunny summer |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: Gervase Date: 01 May 01 - 06:12 AM ...and one from my schooldays (said more as wishful thinking than in any real expectation of the life to come...) Hooray, hooray, the First of May, Outoor sex begins today! |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: Mad Maudlin Date: 01 May 01 - 06:22 AM A very happy May to all of you from warm and sunny Germany!
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Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: manitas_at_work Date: 01 May 01 - 07:51 AM It's a bit dead in the City today. The City police advised the Deptford Jack not to come in so they are going to dance at Greenwich instead. There's even a dearth of Mayday rioters. I shall have to wait until this evening when East Saxon Sword are dancing in Clerkenwell and Smithfield. |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: Amergin Date: 01 May 01 - 08:17 AM Well....having just gone through one of my frequent sleepless nights.....I can see the first hints of morning shoving its way through the darkened cracks of the rain clouds.......... |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: AllisonA(Animaterra) Date: 01 May 01 - 08:17 AM Hawker, I danced in the May in Padstow in 1978! I've been wearing my Padstow bandanna all week- I was young and foolish enough to get a blue one (temperance- silly me!) and these days wish I had it in red! Oss oss! Wee oss! |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: GUEST,Greyeyes Date: 01 May 01 - 08:50 AM The significance escaped me at the time, but rather than sleep through to my alarm at 6am as I invariably do, I awoke at 4.45 this morning. Something primeval nudging my unconscious mind perhaps, to greet the dawn. However, I felt like shit, so went back to sleep. Happy day one and all. |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: kendall Date: 01 May 01 - 09:09 AM Ah, sleep, I hate those little snatches of death... |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: LR Mole Date: 01 May 01 - 09:48 AM Those dreary vows that everyone takes Everyone breaks Everyone makes divine mistakes, The Lusty Month of May!!! (sings Julie Andrews, piercingly, from the "Camelot" of my childhood) |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: hesperis Date: 01 May 01 - 09:51 AM Alex, I just felt like it. But it is a "blessing of the waters", that some people somewhere used to do every spring to every well, creek, and river, to celebrate the return of fertility, and give recognition to the waters of life. But I think that it was supposed to be for EOstara, not Beltaine... however, here the spring flowers are only coming up now, so it is appropriate. |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: A Wandering Minstrel Date: 01 May 01 - 09:59 AM We've been a rambling all of the night and the best part of the day Now we have come for to tarry in the town we have brought you a bunch of may here's to a hot summer! |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: Peg Date: 01 May 01 - 10:03 AM well I awoke in the wee hours to consider dragging myself out of bed to attend the Morris dancing on the Charles River; but I was way too tired (long journey yesterday). I did however get up slightky earlier than usual and wahs my face with May morning dew!
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Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: Dave the Gnome Date: 01 May 01 - 10:14 AM Reading through the thread took me back some years to when the sprogs were little and I got to pondering about the May procession they used to attend in our local Catholic church. Looks like one of those Pagan/Christian cross-culture thing. Ostensibly the procession and mass were in honour of 'Our Lady'. The boys in their best school uniforms and girls in their pretiest frilly frocks would process around the church holding flowers and singing the hymn 'Mary we crown thee with blossoms today, Queen of the Angels and Queen of the May.' It was a lovely sight and I'm getting tears in my eyes now thinking of all those pink scrubbed little faces grinning while singing in those multiple keys only possible to crowds of children. One of the girls - picked amidst weeks of political wrangling by the most scheming of mothers - would then have the honour of climbing the steps at the side of the statue of Mary to place a crown of flowers on the head of the statue. I had always figured that the coming of spring would be celebrated in pre-christian tradition with masses of spring blooms and the crowning of a 'May Queen' seems to be distincly pagan-ish. I guess that these traditions, like those of midwinter and midsummer would have been 'hijacked' by the early missionaries. Anyone know if this is right or am I barking up the wrong tree (or barking mad even!). As an aside, having grown up in both the Catholic and Russian Orthodox traditions we always used to celebrate both May and October as the months of 'Our Lady' - May and Mayday with the Catholics and October and Pakrov (sp???) in the Orthodox. Anyhow, whatever your religious or secular preference, have a happy Mayday and an even better month. Cheers Dave the Gnome |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: mousethief Date: 01 May 01 - 11:31 AM I like the blessing of the waters thing. We do that on January 6th in the Orthodox Church. One thing we seem often to have more in common with you lusty Pagans than with our Western Christian brethren is a feeling for the sacredness of matter, the potential holiness of place. Blessing the water, the sky, singing the sun up -- these make a lot of sense to me.
Burning all night long Happy Beltaine (sp?) to all of you who celebrate the same! May the summer sun find you happy and healthy and full of life! Alex |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: Noreen Date: 01 May 01 - 12:01 PM I'm with you there, DtG... long distant memories of singing whilst processing round the church and circuiting the field next the church in our white dresses, veils and sandals: Bring flowers of the fairest Goodness, it's amazing what still lurks in the memory banks from 30-odd years ago. I couldn't sleep either, and as the dawn was so perfect I got togged up and walked out across the fields, hearing the skylarks singing and watching the mist evaporating from the valleys in the surprisingly warm sun. I, too, washed my face in the May morning dew though I'm not sure exactly why... and sang all the May songs I could remember. I love living up here. |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: Hollowfox Date: 01 May 01 - 02:03 PM Oooo, Kendall and Dave, my lint covered, midwestern, inland brain should have picked up on it! Thanks, Kendall. Dave, you can keep the hug (and raincheck) until you need it. |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 01 May 01 - 02:33 PM October's a Mary month in the Catholic liturgy as well, Dave.
The shame is that the May Day holiday they brought in a few years back in England isn't on May 1st, it's on the first Monday in May. Bloody silly.
So for example in Standon a few miles from here the Morris Dancers will have been up before dawn to dance for the Puddingstone, but the Village May Day when they close the street and have a good time (with a May Queen)will be on next Monday. (Assuming it's still on, what with the foot and mouth - which has switched our May Day concert on Sunday indoors instead of the Town Park.) (Here's a link about these things.) |
Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: BobP Date: 01 May 01 - 02:41 PM Twas in the merry month of May When green buds they were swellin' Sweet William on his death-bed lay For love of "Barbara Allen".
May the bird of paradise fly up your nose
Anyone familiar with a tune called perhaps "The Maypole"? One line goes . . .
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Subject: RE: Happy May Day! From: Dave (the ancient mariner) Date: 01 May 01 - 03:08 PM Dear Hollowfox. The Cyber hug and sentiment are greatly appreciated (and needed) So far I have dealt with three distress/Mayday calls today, but all have ended well. Thank you I may take you up on the real hug sometime LOL Kindest Regards. Dave |
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