In France, the lily of the valley is given to friends and family on the first day of May 1st as a "porte-bonheur" or a good luck charm.
Every May First, I've thought how charming it would be to give a porte-bonheur to everyone I knew, but this is Wisconsin, which means the lilies of the valley never open up until mid-May.
When I was in grade school, we made up little paper baskets and filled them with any wildflowers we could find, hang them on neighbors' door knobs, knock and run away. I don't think children do that any more either though one of the high school teachers (as it happens he's my cousin) has his students start petunia plants and on a warm spring day, the neighboring gardeners find them on their steps.
This has been an unusually warm spring. When I was checking a bed of vinca that Gary and I plan on transplanting to other locations, I found some lilies of the valley in bud.
With almost two weeks to go to May First, I know that this year my friends will all receive a good luck charm. Good things will happen to all of us in 2012!
Every May First, I've thought how charming it would be to give a porte-bonheur to everyone I knew, but this is Wisconsin, which means the lilies of the valley never open up until mid-May.
When I was in grade school, we made up little paper baskets and filled them with any wildflowers we could find, hang them on neighbors' door knobs, knock and run away. I don't think children do that any more either though one of the high school teachers (as it happens he's my cousin) has his students start petunia plants and on a warm spring day, the neighboring gardeners find them on their steps.
This has been an unusually warm spring. When I was checking a bed of vinca that Gary and I plan on transplanting to other locations, I found some lilies of the valley in bud.
With almost two weeks to go to May First, I know that this year my friends will all receive a good luck charm. Good things will happen to all of us in 2012!
No comments:
Post a Comment