May Day, May 1, 2017

California Mock Orange (Philadelphus lewissi)
with this morning's rising sun shining on the
fragrant white blossoms.

May 1 is known as Beltane in "the old country" "across the pond", the cross quarter day halfway between Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice. The Beltane festival has been celebrated for thousands of years by those connected to the natural cycles of Mother Earth. Here in this country May Day has been a traditional celebration marking the zenith of Spring with all her vibrancy. 

As children growing up in Iowa, my friends and I used to make "May Day" baskets and fill them with whatever early flowers were available. Then we would hang one on each door handle of neighbors, ring the doorbell and run away so the person would not know who delivered the May basket.

Since I cannot deliver in person a May Day basket to you, I will share with you pictures of flowers in bloom here at MuRefuge on this gloriously sunny morning.

Dwight's sculpture inscribed with Mu (the Japanese character
we have loosely translated to mean "everything or nothing,"
for which MuRefuge is named), is in the background with
Point Reyes Meadowfoam (Limnanthes douglasii ssp. sulphurea) in front.

May you each have a delightful Beltane and 

A Belated May Day "Basket"

Beltane, a cross quarter day in the Celtic calendar, is a celebration of the shift from Spring into Summer. Passion and creativity are the focus where paper baskets of flowers are delivered to friends and neighbors, and pastel ribbons are tied to the May pole for children of all ages to dance joining forces to light their passion for transformation.

The flowering native Buckeye tree at MuRefuge.
This tree was planted in Fall, 1994, a "housewarming"
gift from my parents when they visited that year in October.

My belated May Day basket to you is filled with the Buckeye tree's flowers.

As we take this opportunity to become more attuned with our land and support her bounty, may we each