Friday, May 1, 2009

A New Start, A New Season...!

You know, like all of the celebrations we have in modern times, the modern day celebrations of the 1ST of May come from long ago.

When I was a kid in grade school (a 100 years ago) we used to have to dance around the Maypole while holding long ribbons tied to the top. At the end of the dance, the Maypole would be all wrapped up. I believe this little festival was called "May fete" or something akin to that!

For all I know, we could have been engaging in some type of pagan ritual or something! Not that there would have been anything necessarily wrong with that, but the thing is...I don't ever remember anyone teaching us any history behind what we were doing.

Anyway, we had fun, got to dance for the parents, dress in costumes ( I don't remember what kind) and best of all...didn't have classes for the rest of the day!

Now you know that the Hermit's mind is a vast warehouse of totally useless trivia, and I thought I would astound you with a bit of trivia about May 1ST over the years! OK, OK...so I didn't get it from my memory, but stole it from the Old Farmers Almanac!

It's true that my memory is like a vast warehouse, unfortunately that warehouse is mostly empty! Anyway, here are some interesting happenings from prior Mays...hope you enjoy this!

May 1, 1707 Great Britain formed

May 1, 1830Birth of labor activist Mary “Mother” Jones

May 1, 1931 The Empire State Building was dedicated in New York City

May 1, 1950 Gwendolyn Brooks became the first African-American to win a Pulitzer Prize

May 1, 1961 Harper Lee won Pulitzer Prize for her novel, To Kill a Mockingbird

May 1, 1967 Elvis Presley married Priscilla Beaulieu in Las Vegas

That's all the dates I'm gonna give you for now. After all, this is NOT a cram session for a test or anything, but merely is for information purposes, OK?

Now , MAY (pun intended) I suggest that we get a fresh cup of coffee and adjourn to the patio, my friend?
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23 comments:

  1. CatmanMay 1, 2009 at 12:29 AM

    May 1, 2009...thank God it is a Friday!

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  2. HermitJimMay 1, 2009 at 12:35 AM

    Hey Catman...

    Ain't that the truth? Hope it's a good one...

    Thanks for the visit!

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  3. JoJOMay 1, 2009 at 8:07 AM

    Good morning my Friend,
    this is the truth so help me somebody. I am on my may out to distribute May baskets here in the village don't ask me how I got involved in this I haven't even finished one cup yet. I will let you know how it went later.Hope nobody shoots at us. lol
    JoJo

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  4. HermitJimMay 1, 2009 at 8:40 AM

    Hey JoJo...

    Sort of like the belated Easter Bunny, huh? I had read that one custom was to make May baskets, but I never knew folks actually did that!

    Good luck...and I hope you don't get shot at as well!

    Thanks for coming over, my special friend!

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  5. JoJoMay 1, 2009 at 8:57 AM

    Ok I am back and I have no wholes in me. Some one started this last year in the village and the activity club decided it was such a nice thing to do. I have no idea of the reason behind this I just did it. The lady that came up with this if very crafty and did a great job. So now I have had a few cups and I guess I will start my errands for the day or maybe not since it intails walmart. You have a great day
    JoJo

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  6. HermitJimMay 1, 2009 at 9:06 AM

    Hey JoJo...

    Glad you made it back without any holes...wouldn't want to lose my friend so soon!

    I think the custom of May baskets goes a long way back, just not many folks still do it. I think it's cool!

    Besides, you need something to keep you out of trouble, right?

    Careful out there...it's a JUNGLE!

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  7. RodMay 1, 2009 at 9:12 AM

    I believe that your warehouse is crammed full of useful information but if your like me finding it is the problem.
    First cup down things are looking better!

    Rod

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  8. HermitJimMay 1, 2009 at 9:24 AM

    Hey Rod...

    Maybe you're right! Finding them could be the problem, alright!

    Things always look better after the first cup!

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  9. FelinaeMay 1, 2009 at 11:07 AM

    Hi Hermit,

    Oh my gosh somebody else that used to dance around the maypole in school.:) Thank you for posting about it because Catman was looking at me kinda strangely this morning when I was telling him about the May Pole and May day baskets.

    Have a great day!

    Smiles~Felinae~

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  10. A World Quite MadMay 1, 2009 at 11:30 AM

    See, I'm the opposite. I too feel like my mind is a warehouse, but one that is full... however nothing is organized and I can never find anything :D

    Thanks for the coffee, I really need it :D

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  11. HermitJimMay 1, 2009 at 12:55 PM

    Hey Felinae...

    You just tell the Catman that he missed out on some really cool stuff when he was a kid, not getting to wear a funny costume and dance around the Maypole!

    My friend JoJo in Arizona (see her post above) was out this morning delivering May baskets where she lives! How cool is that?

    Hey, thanks for dropping by!

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  12. HermitJimMay 1, 2009 at 12:58 PM

    Hey Mad...

    I'm thinking that getting organized would require WAY more time than I would ever have time for!

    At least at my age, folks just attribute it to old age...that lets me get away with a LOT!

    Thanks for coming by for a cup, my friend!

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  13. MayberryMay 1, 2009 at 4:49 PM

    If'n ya mosey over to Dragon's blog, I reckon you might find the origins of this. 'Tis a Celtic thing....

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  14. HermitJimMay 1, 2009 at 4:54 PM

    Hey Mayberry...

    thanks for the heads up, brother! On my way to check it out now!

    Thanks for coming by today!

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  15. jsMay 1, 2009 at 5:06 PM

    Jim. you are missing the real meaning of May day!

    As in .. disaster! Help! Help! Help!

    An May 1st, Russian Army.

    js

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  16. LydiaMay 1, 2009 at 7:41 PM

    Ahhh you make me laugh and always smile Jim! I think you have a very full and very organized memory. ;)

    Like John,I only know of May 1st as a call for help. May day, May day! Yes the Russians..

    :)
    lydia

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  17. HermitJimMay 1, 2009 at 8:25 PM

    Hey Lydia...

    Good of you to come by today! I don't know about the Russians, but I do know that MayDay distress calls are used at sea by some boats.

    I'll have to resarch the distress call some more and I'll be sure and post about it when I can

    Thanks for coming by!

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  18. MayberryMay 1, 2009 at 8:36 PM

    May Day is indeed a universal distress call for mariners and aviators....

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  19. HermitJimMay 1, 2009 at 8:40 PM

    Hey Mayberry...wonder how that call got started...? Any ideas?

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  20. MayberryMay 1, 2009 at 8:43 PM

    Hermit, that's one bit of maritime lore that I'm clueless about. But not for long!

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  21. MayberryMay 1, 2009 at 8:46 PM

    And here we go.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayday_(distress_signal)

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  22. HermitJimMay 1, 2009 at 8:52 PM

    Hey Mayberry...

    thanks, guy, for looking that up for me and the reader. I always wondere about it and now I know!

    Don't ask me why I didn't look it up before now...I don't have a clue!

    Thanks Buddy!

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  23. Cygnus MacLlyrMay 1, 2009 at 9:50 PM

    White= purity; Red=blood. Pole=.. (Hmm, what would Freud say?!?)

    And I hear you can have as many 'dates', pun intended, as you care to on May Day.. part of the fest, man!

    Thanks for the history, uncle!

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