“Tra la, it’s May, the lusty month of May.
That lovely month when everyone goes blissfully astray.”
– words by Alan Jay Lerner
Today is MAY DAY. If there was ever a good day for the color FUCHSIA, it’s today.
May Day reminds me of the musical Camelot – and the May Day celebration at my elementary school in Palm Desert (with maypoles and flower garlands). It also reminds me when I was little I used to leave a bouquet of flowers on someone’s doorstep. Too bad both those traditions have fallen by the wayside…
In Roman times, May Day was a celebration for Flora, the Goddess of Flowers. I love flowers. (Maybe you can tell by my website?) One of the main characters in my Percy books is named Auntie Flora, the flower farmer. Her gorgeous flowers are a result of sprinkling H.O.P. powder on them: hope, optimism, and persistence.
I use my Flora character (“a walking floral display and air freshener all in one…”) to impart my thoughts about flowers. Flora uses flowers to brighten her neighbors’ days (the plot revolves around diminishing sunlight in their farming community). She says flowers show that something can start as a speck but can blossom into something beautiful.
In ancient times, May Day was also a celebration of fertility. In that spirit, hope all your dreams (goals, aspirations, heart’s desires) come to fruition. If they need fertilizing, try H.O.P. Powder. I’m sure Auntie Flora will be happy to loan you some.
Happy May Day (or Beltane if you’re Celtic). A fire celebration. I had planned to do a fire in our new outdoor fire pit but I’m busy making jewelry for a show this coming weekend and that didn’t happen. But there was fire in my soul’s energy as I created 20 pairs of pretty nifty (if I say so myself) earrings.
I loved Camelot and the music. Did you see any of the new series on cable? I watched about 10 minutes of the first episode and went ACK! and turned the channel. They had Arthur as a rake. I mean, anyone knows that’s just not right. He was supposed to be an “innocent” in many ways and certainly awkward and shy. Just read the Morte d’Arthur or the Mabinogion or even The Crystal Cave!
Ah, well…sigh…you’re right. Some lovely things have gone by the wayside. But folks like us can keep them alive and maybe even bring them back!
By the way, I’m LOVING the magazine Jewelry Affaire you sent me! There are so many wonderful ideas in there. I just can’t wait to try some…as soon as this show is over.
Whatever is left from the show is going up on my first ever Etsy shop listings and then I can concentrate on some of these more eclectic pieces that will be inspired by your so thoughtful gift. Thank you again!
You’re welcome. Can’t wait to visit your Etsy shop.
Richard Harris played Arthur perfectly in this film — shy and awkward as you said. He was dopey around Guinevere. I found it very endearing.
When I was little my Mom used to play the Broadway soundtrack album with Richard Burton, Julie Andrews, and Robert Goulet. I LOVED that record.
For years I didn’t like Vanessa Redgrave in the Guin role. But the last couple of times I watched the movie I came to appreciate her.
What I noticed the last time was the instant that Guin and Lancelot fell in love — the scene of the near death of the knight that Lancelot had injured in a jousting match. The look they gave each other was like kismet made visible — destined to love each other yet destined to be miserable because of it — like fate had stabbed all three in the heart (Guin, Lance, and Arthur) and killed their previously happy lives.
The song, “I Loved You Once in Silence” sums it up beautifully:
“I loved you once in silence, and misery was all I knew.
Trying so to keep my love from showing,
All the while not knowing you loved me, too…
Then one day we cast away our secret longing;
The raging tide we held inside would hold no more.
The silence at last was broken.
We flung wide our prison door…
And now there’s twice as much grief, twice the pain for us.
Twice the despair, twice the strain for us,
As we had known before.”
YIKES! Powerful emotions. Arthur ends up a broken man. Lance is banished. And Guin ends up in a convent. Great story. Great tragedy. And powerful morality tale!