Hallmark!
The month of May is ALS Awareness Month, American Cheese Month, America’s Wetlands Month, APS Month, Asthma Awareness Month, Better Hearing and Speech Month, Better Sleep Month, Building Safety Month, Clap 4 Health Month, Clean Air Month, Family Reunion Month, Gardening for Wildlife Month, Global Health and Fitness Month, Healthy Vision Month, International Mediterranean Diet Month, Mental Health Month, Military Appreciation Month, National Allergy Awareness Month, National Arthritis Month, National Barbecue Month, National Bike Month, National Electrical Safety Month, National Foster Care Month, National Hamburger Month, National High Blood Pressure Education Month, National Inventors Month, National Meditation Month, National Photo Month, National Salad Month, National Smile Month, National Strawberry Month, National Sweet Vadalia Onions Month, National Water Safety Month, National Vinegar Month, Older Americans Month, Save Your Tooth Month, Social Security Education Awareness Month, Skin Cancer Awareness Month, Tennis Month, Textile Month, and National Family Month.
Today is May Day which is celebrated for two very different reasons. Our modern observances have both green roots and red roots. For some, May Day is a celebration of spring, a tradition that comes from the Pagen festival of Beltane. These are the green traditions.
May Day is also a celebration of worker rights, marked by rallies, parades, and marches. In 1958, President Eisenhower declared the second type of May Day celebrations were communist, and hence the name red roots and created holiday called Law Day to take it’s place.
One of the most popular May Day traditions is the maypole dance which was created by the ancient druids of the British Isles. During the Betane festival, people performed a circle dance around a pole. The dance evolved over the years to include the standard of weaving patterns we still use today.
Celebrate the rich history of May day and make your own may pole, listen to the maypole music or drop off a bouquet of May Day flowers to a loved ones
If you cannot see the bright side, polish the dull side
THOUGHT FOR TODAY
Now the bright morning star, Day’s harbinger,
Comes dancing from the East and leads with her
The flowery May, who from her green lap throws
The yellow cowslip and the pale primrose.
Halil the bounteous May, that dost inspire
Mirth and youth and warm desire!
Woods and groves are of thy dressing;
Hill and dale doth both thy blessing.
Thus we salute thee with our early song,
And welcome thee, and wish the long.
John Milton
Spring is definitely my favorite season so I will be celebrating May Day! I love it when the flowers are blooming and the birds are singing ! Everything is full of color including the skies of blue ! The winter cold is gone now and days are warming up.
I remember dancing around the Maypole when we went outside at school. They would have colored ribbons dangling from the pole and we would take and end in hand and dance around the pole weaving the ribbons together. It was lots of fun. We also made little baskets of handmade flowers to give to our neighbors and friends. We’d hang them on their door knobs and then run away so they wouldn’t know who left them.
What a nice surprise to find at your door. In later years I even received baskets of flowers from my own children and friends.
Mondays are always my day to cook something new and on the menu is:
Black Bean Nacho Soup
Makes 6 servings
2 Tbsp. butter
1 cup chopped onion
3 cups vegetable broth
1, 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cup frozen whole kernel corn
2, 4oz. cans diced green chile peppers, undrained, optional
2 tsp. chili powder
1 cup half and half
3 Tbsp. flour
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese
2 Tbsp fresh chopped cilantro, optional
Toppers such as tortilla chips, guacamole, salsa, fresh chopped jalapeño and or sour cream.
In a 4 qt. Dutch oven melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, stirring occasionally. Stir in broth, beans corn, chile peppers if using, and chili powder. Bring to boiling then reduce heat. Simmer covered 5 minutes .
In a small bowl whisk together half and half and flour; add to broth mixture. Cook and stir until slightly thickened and bubbly.
Gradually add both cheeses, stirring until melted. Stir in cilantro if using. Serve with desired toppers.
I didn’t have any half and half so will use evaporated milk in a can. I won’t use the chile peppers or jalopenos and don’t care for cilantro. Otherwise I’ll be following the recipe as listed. It sounds delicious.
It’s to be on the cool side of 50 degrees with partly cloudy skies today so soup will still taste good to me.
I hope you all have a GREAT start to this new week. Happy Monday!
COUNTING MY BLESSINGS
Another May new buds and flowers shall bring: Ah! why has happiness no second Spring?
Thomas Bailey Aldrich
Counting at least 3 things every day that I'm thankful for. There is truly is always something to be thankful for.
11,263 for a day to celebrate spring!
11,264.for my favorite season
11,265.for warmer days coming our way
2 comments:
Join me in celebrating Spring today !
Gosh, what a lot of monthly observances! I'm going with National Hamburger Month!
I don't recall any pole dances (lol), but yes. I loved making little cones with colored construction paper, filling them with wildflowers and leaving them on the neighbors' doors. That's pretty nice that you own kids took up the tradition.
It was unseasonably cool and WINDY here today, but dry. It seems every day brings something new.
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