It’s the end of the day, but what a beautiful day it has been!

May Day is no longer a day of celebration in the United States (though it was when my grandmothers were children), but I know for many of you around the world it is a still a holiday.

I did get to give some flowers to a friend, which was delightful. I also gave lettuce and green onions to her, and lettuce to another friend. Both stopped by my house on the way to the store and both were planning to just buy lettuce! That was pretty neat! I don’t usually have much lettuce in May; it has all bolted by then. This year we are having a longer spring than usual, which has been wonderful in every way except one.

That one thing is tiny, but kind of odd–all of my iceberg roses have turned into a spotted pink! I wondered if this was a soil deficiency, but looking it up I found that cooler temperatures can do that to these, and that they should turn white again once it is hotter. I am left to wonder if those in cooler climates should choose a different white rose. . . .

On a positive note, I picked 4 small tomatoes from the garden yesterday! We have never had tomatoes this early. I don’t know if there will be enough to justify my purchase of larger plants this year, but if so, I will most likely switch to buying larger nursery plants every year.

May is going to be a busy month for me. Among all of the things our family is involved in (Cub Scout Day Camp, a Girl’s Camp pre-requisite hike, a family surprise party, a fathers and sons campout) I will be speaking this month.

I will be speaking on May 29th at 7:00 pm. I’ll be speaking about Eating for 40 Cents a Day. This evening is free to attend (and for those of you who would like me to speak to your group in the Las Vegas area, I do not charge to speak).

I’ll be speaking to the Legacy Ward at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints building at 2091 Wigwam Parkway in Henderson, Nevada.

I hope you had a wonderful day, wherever you are in the world.

P.S. I know that Lily of the Valley are traditional May Day flowers. May makes me think of poppies, however, for my time in France in May was filled with memories of many days of poppies, and it is for this reason that I grow them.

P.P.S. A note to my American readers: The best sales of this month should be the Memorial Day sales at the end of the month. Expect ground beef to be on sale, and pace your budget accordingly so that you can stock up then.

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25 Comments

  1. Brandy, have you tried Jericho lettuce? I tried it last year and it seemed to last longer in the hotter whether. It’s a Romaine lettuce rather than a leafy type. I grew it last year and had it well into the warmer months. I purchased sustainable seeds rather than the hybrid.

  2. Happy May Day to you, also. I have always in the past started with larger tomato plants as we can’t plant outside before May 15 and usually not until a week or so after that. We need to get a quick start so can get as much growing as possible. It is 50 here today, cool and rainy. It’s predicted to be 30’sagain with snow flurries. But since my daughter took over all gardening chores things are a-buzz. She has new beds ready, hoop houses on some , the peas are in the ground, the rhubarb and asparagus are coming up. She has made hundreds of pounds of compost over the last 8 months and has plowed it all in. The greenhouse is lovely and warm and full of seedlings, vegetable and flower. Our trees are just starting to bud here. We now have a few daffodils blooming and crocus and pussywillow. Spring is always my favorite time of year. The fields are (unfortunately) still too wet for doing much but the grass is nice and green already. Our baby goats are growing nicely. And I used the term “a-buzz” as daughter and her cousins ( that own the egg farm) are getting into the bee/honey business now. A farm, with no one to take it over was going to go for sale soon and there was the danger it would go to a housing development if did. (Very sad when that happens) So over the winter the family were able to buy it and annex it to our lands and the children are going to learn the honey trade from the older couple.

  3. I was telling my kids what May Day was like for me when I was a child. I always brought flowers to my teachers. And in the afternoon of May Day, my mom would help my sister and I pick garden flowers and make little paper baskets. We’d fill these paper baskets with the flowers and hang on our neighbors’ door knobs. I just felt so sad that no one ever does this any more.Now, here in Seattle, May Day is a day of protest.

  4. Hi Brandy,Have you ever thought of doing an online speaking engagement? Maybe setting it up with a small suggested donation? That way readers all over could hear you give a talk? Just a thought.Happy May Day!

  5. No water hits the petals. They are watered with drip irrigation at the ground. We haven’t had rain and we don’t have dew here. It was in the 90ºs and then dropped down to the 60ºs, which is very unusual for here. It is now in the 80ºs. It’s much cooler than normal, which is great for the rest of the garden!.

  6. I haven’t, but I grow looseleaf lettuces and I grow a looseleaf romaine as well that is open-pollinated (It’s called “Valmaine”). Head lettuces are not recommended here because it is too hot. Normally we are running the a/c in April and it is 100º. Heat-resistant lettuces resist bolting above 90º. We have 5 months of above 90º temperatures–often 6 months of them.

  7. I did that too when I was little! Nowadays May Day in Seattle is all about the riots in the streets!There are some great peaceful protests on May Day, but then some troublemakers that just like chaos.

  8. Ha, Lili, I just wrote the same thing (I’m in Seattle)! I am a big fan of peaceful protest, but the troublemakers (vandals) and rioters drive me crazy.

  9. I second this idea! I find I need things drilled into my mind in order to changemy habits.I am sure I would listen to the talk over and, over for some time. 🙂

  10. We made little paper baskets with flowers for May Day and hung them on doors and ran away. But that tradition is centuries old. The May Day with riots(?); no riots (or drinking) here, is actually International Workers Day and that is labor related and from the late 1800’s. I think it started in the US, Chicago.

  11. May Day when I was a girl (I’m 65) was celebrated by your parents leaving a small basket of flowers on your bedroom door knob. Nothing large, mind you, just a tiny little thing.I never received one of these lovelies, but friends did.We danced the Maypole at school one year. It was hilarious! The ribbons ended up in knots. I agree…we should bring this celebration back to us.I love your poppies. They are some of my favorite flowers.Thanks for all you do. I wish I was in the Vegas area when you were speaking.

  12. Happy belated May Day! I got to be the May Queen when I was in 5th grade for the ceremony during Catholic Mass that year! had the UGLIEST dress too! A cast off 1970’s bridesmaid dress borrowed from my Aunt as my Mom couldn’t afford to buy me one 🙁 Thank goodness there’s no photographic evidence!! lolIt’s baseball season round here. Although it’s likely too wet to play the opening game later on today 🙁 60% chance of rain. Another cold wet spring! This weather has been absolutely lousy thus far. I live in NE Ohio along the shores of Lake Erie. We had an absolutely frigid winter. Just wish it would warm up so I could go OUTSIDE!!!!

  13. Brandy, you are the REAL DEAL! I am so impressed by your integrity in not charging to speak and charging such a low/nominal fee for your garden tours. Greed is so rampant, it is refreshing and encouraging to see someone who walks the talk and wants to help others live a frugal lifestyle without trying to enrich themselves. I third the idea of a video of you speaking. I am super frugal, but would totally donate! Thank you! And please continue blogging.

  14. It isn’t as wide spread anymore but here in Maine, May Baskets are still done to a certain extend. I can remember doing a bunch with my parents’ small group Bible study when I was 14. We would hang them on the door knobs of some of the older church members, knock on the door, then run to hide. It was a lot of fun. 🙂

  15. Thanks Carrie. I did garden tours for free for many years until several readers insisted that I charge, so I finally started charging $10. I don’t have a video camera, but what I have written what I talk about in the Eat for 40 Cents a Day series so that those who live far away can get the same information as what I give in person.

  16. Today I was yard sale shopping in a friend’s neighborhood, as it was mentioned to me that the sale extends for several blocks. I didn’t find any great treasure there, but I did see an “estate sale” sign and stopped at it on my way back. I found a copy of my high school yearbook. (I’m 71, and mine was lost in a flood in the early 60’s.) I bought it for $1.50 and had the most wonderful afternoon of reminiscing by myself!! I had really missed it and was so glad to have a copy. And, although I know the name now of the woman to whom it belonged, I did not remember her from school, which is a good thing as I assume she must have died for her things to be in an estate sale. Such a little thing, but to me, very important. Estate sales are my favorite, and I did pick up a small gravy ladle and a manual can opener for 50 cents each as well.

  17. Here in Hawaii May Day is Lei Day and although you don’t see it as much any more, it’s common to wear aloha attire and attend a Hawaiian music concert wearing a lovely lei.Lori

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