May 2010 Picture Challenge

karen · Subject: May 2010 Picture Challenge Sat May 01, 2010 6:15 pm

The first day of the month of May is known as May Day.
It is the time of year when warmer weather begins and
flowers and trees start to blossom. It is said to be a time
of love and romance. It is when people celebrate the
coming of summer with lots of different customs that
are expressions of joy and hope after a long winter.

Traditional English May Day celebrations include Morris dancing,
crowning a May Queen and dancing around a Maypole.

Also the 1st of May is Beltane
Beltane is a Celtic word which means 'fires of Bel'
(Bel was a Celtic deity). It is a fire festival that celebrates
of the coming of summer and the fertility of the coming year.

Beltane rituals would often include courting: for example,
young men and women collecting blossoms in the woods
and lighting fires in the evening. These rituals would
often lead to matches and marriages, either immediately
in the coming summer or autumn.

Today Pagans believe that at Beltane the God
(to whom the Goddess gave birth at the Winter Solstice)
achieves the strength and maturity to court and become
lover to the Goddess.

Two very different takes on May Day

So two very different pictures to test your muse

Pic one May Pole Madness

Pic Two Crowning the May Queen

I hope you have fun
Enter as many times as you want to

bruce_hh · Subject: Re: May 2010 Picture Challenge Sun May 02, 2010 8:18 am

I'M HAPPILY DREAMING OF **KAREN** --
A DARLING WHO COULD NOT BE BARREN.
She helps me find May
a month full of hay
whose greenness makes worlds extra daring.

alien

karen · Subject: Maypole Madness Tue May 04, 2010 9:27 am

Maypole Madness

May Day was approaching
no maypole was in sight
the caretaker had chopped it up
lighting a fire on bonfire night

The ribbons colours of rainbows
lay waiting on the ground
the children stood and stared
not even making a sound

What can we do they cried
no maypole dance this year
we need a pole and quickly now
or tradition ends we fear

Mr Gregor walked on by
and saw the saddened plight
he didn’t say a word at all
but knew he could put it right

His prize giraffe would do the trick
so tall and handsome looking
the children would dance a merry jig
no fee for this fine booking

So Geoffry Giraffe he saved the day
with garlands of reds and green
the children laughed and danced and sang
a rare sight never again to be seen

flower

Doreen Hampshire · Subject: the Maypole Dance Mon May 10, 2010 10:23 pm

The Maypole Dance

I was just aged six or seven
And I thought that I was in heaven
For I was chosen to be Queen of the May
And lead the girls around the Maypole today.

My best friends are dancing too
In bare feet, in the morning dew
A wooden pole decked in flowers
We would dance and dance for hours

As the rainbow ribbons freely flow
Weaving in and out we sing as we go
Wearing muslin gowns, my sash was red
Wearing a garland of flowers on our head

Dancing “the dance of Love” for romance
This is special, a celebration dance
For one day only I was a Queen
As I danced round the Maypole on the green

Doreen E Hampshire

May 2010

_________________
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karen · Subject: reply Wed May 12, 2010 7:01 pm

you made it doreen, thanks for entering

and you brucie

cheers

karen · Subject: Winner is: Mon May 31, 2010 9:56 am

Not many entries this month

The winner is

Doreen Hampshire