In olden times, the first day of May was celebrated at a great colorful spring festival with dancing around the Maypoles. Children sang and danced in the fields and dramas were performed at the fairs. Where I live, one of the local schools puts on this ancient festival. The school is decorated with bountiful fresh flowers and music, food, may pole dancing, games and crafts create a fun and festive environment. My family loves to pack a backpack with fresh fruits, almond butter and crackers along with some sort of fizzy citrus water and head down to the schoolyard to watch the merriment. My son, Walker who turns eight next month loves to grab the colorful fabric of the May pole and run around in circles following his imagination. Ah, the uniqueness of a child’s ability to dream. Children seem to always create the most heartfelt moments around the more important day of May – speaking as a mother that is. Mommy, Mama, Mum, Mother’s Day.  The day you want to sleep late and be served breakfast in bed. Take heed husbands and children – fresh squeezed orange juice and a favorite morning pastry will start the day just fine.

When I was a little girl, Mother’s Day was spent with my mother and grandmother. Dressed in our Sunday’s best, my father gave us corsages made from orchids because we were proper Southern ladies, and this is what you did.  As the granddaughter I was expected to wear my lavender orchid on my wrist. Pinned to her linen jacket, my mother’s corsage was pale green in color and my grandmother was given a deep rich orange orchid to match her lovely hat. Times and rituals have changed. This year, my mother and daughter will join me for a brunch at a fancy ocean front hotel. There we will see the first sight of seasonal fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, cherries, red and white currants. I can only imagine what sweet delights these will be made into. This is the time of year when rhubarb comes to the market as well. When making the reservation, I inquired if I could expect something made with rhubarb. I was pleasantly pleased when I was told that the bright, tart taste of rhubarb would be combined with berries, apples, oranges, ginger and cinnamon, and baked into traditional pies and tarts. This special occasion honors generations of mums and most likely orchids will be abundant in the room as well.