May Musings: Highlights and Reflections

Mayday Mayday

Do people still celebrate May Day? I remember as kids, we would gather flowers into homemade baskets and place them on the front porch of our neighbors. We’d ring the bell, shout “May Basket” and run away. When they opened the door, they would be greeted with a beautiful, aromatic announcement that spring had arrived. The other day, on the first of May, I noticed some kids walking with bouquets, and those memories came back for the first time in a very long while and made me smile. May Day, which is always on May 1st and celebrates the return of spring, originated in England. Children would dance around the maypole, holding onto colorful ribbons. People would “bring in the May” by gathering wildflowers and green branches, weaving floral hoops and hair garlands, and crowning a May king and queen. Parts of the tradition later found their way to America, including the May Basket. It is a lovely tradition. I wonder if we could persuade the grandkids to bring it back.

Mother’s Day

I hope all of you moms had an amazing Mother’s Day! Motherhood is such an important part of our lives, filled with love, happiness, challenges, and heartaches. It’s great to have a day to recognize and celebrate it. And even though my family made me feel loved and appreciated as they always do, it was still a bit bittersweet this year.

This year was the first Mother’s Day without my own mom, who passed away last year. Walking past the greeting card aisle in the stores was incredibly difficult, realizing I wouldn’t be picking one out for her. For 62 Mother’s Days, I had the joy of celebrating her, but this year was different. I couldn’t see her, couldn’t talk to her, and couldn’t tell her I love her. It’s funny the things we take for granted, thinking we will always have these opportunities. I kept myself occupied playing golf with brunch afterward, but she was on my mind throughout the day. Remembering the good times we shared, like trips and family gatherings, helped ease the sadness.

Oops, We Did it Again!

We’ve made Arizona our home for 3 years now, and even though it hasn’t been long, we started to realize that our current neighborhood might not be the perfect fit for us. So, when we stumbled upon a place in an active adult community just a short distance away, we made some quick decisions and found ourselves in the midst of yet another move. I know, I’ve said it before, but this time it will truly be our forever home. It’s a bit smaller, but situated right on the golf course, where we belong. Despite some initial reservations about a 55 and older community, this one feels like it will suit us. Even though we’ll remain members at our current golf course – which is still just a golf cart drive away – we’re excited to diversify our experiences and friendships. Living in what feels like the pickleball capital of the world, I think I may just give it a try!

Girl Time in the Mountains

One of the best things about retirement is the freedom to spontaneously visit the grandkids. So, when I was asked to take care of my 11-year-old twin granddaughters in beautiful Steamboat Springs, Colorado while their parents were away, I didn’t hesitate. Steamboat is known for its year-round beauty. Last year, I wrote about my winter visit when the town was covered in snow. You can read about it here. Spring is just as lovely, with nature blooming all around. However, my plans for solo walks and explorations while the girls were at school were changed after a close encounter with a moose on the first night. Seeing wildlife like black bears can be amazing, but it’s important to know how to react if you come face to face with these large creatures, and I prefer not to take any chances on my own. Nonetheless, we spent a lot of time walking in the downtown area, visiting the shops and restaurants that I never get tired of. The town is starting to get busy with tourists, although the majority of the summer crowd usually arrives around the Fourth of July holiday.

With the girls’ school and social activities, we didn’t get a chance to visit the hot springs as planned, but I will be back in mid-summer to do that along with other warm weather activities the area has to offer.

May Reads

I enjoyed this book although there was nothing in it that was new to me. It reads as more of a timeline of events rather than scandalous our gossipy which I found refreshing. A beautiful, yet heartbreaking story of a mother and the sons she adored.

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