Dear Reader:

It was so beautiful yesterday I could not stay inside…the cool weather, warm sun, and soft breezes were calling me like the sirens of old…

I ended up cutting the front yard….cutting back weeds, more bamboo, and wisteria…(like you Jo!) I am one of those “strange” people who actually enjoys cutting the grass…while it is still cool. Come summer with its extreme heat and humidity…I will gladly turn the reins back over to Tim again.

Even pulling weeds didn’t seem half so bad…on such a beautiful day. After turning off the loud lawn mower…everything seemed extraordinarily quiet and serene. All I could hear were the birds, my new chimes (Joan) and the distant sounds of cars and voices.

As I traveled from spot to spot pulling weeds I ended up in the front yard and noticed a small bud just beginning to open on the hydrangea I planted last year to no avail…but this year…it was growing and now budding….it is probably too early to know what color the hydrangea will eventually become…but for now it is this soft creme and light green….so beautiful.

I bought this hydrangea in a plastic bag with just one stem sticking out from the Tractor/Supply store last year….the heat did it in then…but now it is happy and green.

When I looked up the symbolism behind the hydrangea plant it said:

This beautiful plant represents the silence of  heartfelt moments and sincerity in its most graceful and beautiful blooms.

It was the silence that accompanied my discovery of this first bloom of the spring season from a plant I considered “dead” last winter. Upon closer scrutiny the white bloom emerging looked just like a little angel…peeking through.

I watered it well…since hydrangeas can never get enough, it seems…and headed towards the porch where another exquisite discovery was waiting.

Three purple morning glories were smiling at me as I climbed the steps and sat on the porch….I then glanced at the other container of morning glories and there it was…in all its glory. I had never seen such an unusual and beautiful morning glory.

“The soul always knows what to do to heal itself. The challenge is to silence the mind. (C Myss)

All it took was these two heartfelt moments to restore my soul. As the old hymn says: “It is well…it is well…with my soul”

Oh  my goodness…it is more than well with my soul….I had emailed Anne to ask her if she still had a picture of the wild Irish morning glories and she did…..Look at this photo! (I think we must have brought back one Irish morning glory!

Isn’t it beautiful? It brought back such memories…but then Anne emailed this message:

Do you have your May baskets ready?  In school (Catholic) on May 1st we honored Jesus’ mother, Mary, and made woven May baskets.  We filled them with flowers, attached them to a neighbor’s door, rang the bell and ran away!  Somewhere in there we wove in and out around a Maypole.  I’ll have to check with my sisters on that memory.

I emailed back….Come on over! When Anne arrived she did have a flower but not a basket…the flower was in a frame…I am still shaking thinking about it….Look!

Can you believe it? Look at that painting Anne did. For several months I have been telling her that I wanted one of her artworks on the B&B side since she donated all the living room furniture…I have Joan’s two beautiful paintings in the dining room…she needed something too.

And now for May 1…here it came! It looks so beautiful…as if  the walls had just been waiting for it. It just seemed to sparkle in contrast to the recently painted gray walls.

There is now new meaning in the word “heartfelt”….Anne…this painting is the most “heartfelt” gift to bring in the month of May I have ever received! April showers bring May flowers.

We decided to celebrate with a glass of wine on the deck….suddenly Anne looked down and there was a penny in the bottom of her wine glass. (Eva Cate had wanted to use a wine glass when Ady Grace came to visit….and had plopped her ‘say a wish’ fountain penny in the glass.)

She never ended up using it…instead she drank out of her plastic “Frozen” cup…but the penny was forgotten and  remained in the wine glass….it must be bringing Anne the best of luck for the talents she shares with friends.

Unbelievable! I still can’t get over that painting…every few minutes I find myself running back over to look at it again!

The sun was starting to go down when we went in and Anne got some beautiful photo shots of the last rays of sun on the pine trees. What a fabulous day!

I gave Anne some Inis (Irish body cream) and a “Shark” product that I saw on the show….Rosemary Pipcorn. Delicious!

So until tomorrow…Surprise someone with a gift for no reason except kindness and love and shared life experiences. It changes the day…and the world for them. I know.

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

 *May 1- May Day – Don’t forget to say “rabbit” for good luck this month. My garden rabbit looks like she is ready to deliver a basket of flowers on May Day….it will sure bring a smile to someone.

*Tomorrow we will talk about more May Day customs and  traditions…so if you know one…please share.