Community Chat

[cherry]

The Month of May

May is the fifth month of the year, has 31 days, and is named after the Greek goddess Maia.

May's birth flower is Lily of the Valley.

©bigstockphoto.com/elenathewise

May is the fifth month of the year in our modern day Gregorian calendar.

Naming May - Maia’s Month

May is the fifth month of the year in the Gregorian calendar and its predecessor, the Julian calendar.  It is named after the Greek goddess, Maia who is also identified with the Roman goddess of fertility, Bona Dea.

• Old English - Maius
• Latin name - Maius mensis - Month of Maia
• Old French - Mai

History of May

May was originally the third month of the year in older versions of the Roman calendar and consisted of 31 days. It became the fifth month when the months January  and February were added to the calendar.

Fifth Month in the Year

May is the fifth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendar and consists of 31 days. It is commonly associated as a month of spring in the Northern Hemisphere and autumn (fall) in the Southern hemisphere. It is said that this is the month when plants really start to grow.

May does not start or end on the same day of the week as any other month.

Birth Flower and Stone

Its birth flower is the Lily of the Valley and the Crataegus monogyna.

The birthstone for May is the emerald which represents love or success.

[cherry]

from Camelot

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cg4YrOlAkds&list=RDcg4YrOlAkds&start_radio=1&t=35

[cherry]

May folklore

https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/The-Folklore-Year-May/

[cherry]

Weather Lore for May

Dry May, wet June.

Cold, wet May,
Barn full of hay.

A cold May and a windy
Makes a barn full and findy.
(“Findy” means plentiful and substantial.)

A May flood never did anyone good.

Cold weather always falls on May 11, 12, and 13.

St. Pancras Day (May 12) never passes without frost.

More Weather Lore:

When a cat washes her face over her ear,
’Tis a sign the weather will be fine and clear.

Clouds moving in opposite directions mean rain in about 12 hours.

When apple blossoms bloom at night,
For 15 days no rain in sight.
 

Three Chilly Saints

Ever heard of the Three Chilly Saints? Mamertus, Pancras, and Gervais were three early Christian saints. Because their feast days, on May 11, 12, and 13, respectively, are traditionally cold, they have come to be known as the Three Chilly Saints. An old French saying goes: “St. Mamertus, St. Pancras, and St. Gervais do not pass without a frost.”

[qualitygal]

@cherry  Is this your birthday month?  I love to read that information, thanks. You going to do that monthly?  That would be nice to look forward to.

[cherry]

It's not my birthday month @qualitygal . I just love this month. It is filled with beauty. It is significant to me because it is the month of Mary. May and Mary, are 2 of my given names

I didn't really think about doing it every month, but ,if people like it, I guess I could for a while ,at least

Newsie Susie sort of did monthly birthdays, and now the dear lady is gone, God rest her soul

[SahmIam]

I saw Camelot on Broadway with my mother when Richard Harris was starring in it. I remember the bath tub act where he sang with whomever it was playing Guinevere on stage, "What do the simple folk do?"  to this day, lol. I was a child when we went but it WOWED me.

I use to be able to sing every song from the musical. EVERY word to every song. LOL.

[4kitties]

@cherry 

Thank you for this Cherry!  I just love to read this sort of history!  I too love the month of May.  My Mother, my grandmother, and my youngest daughter were born in this month.  And lily-of-the-valley are one of my most favorite flowers.  I have a huge patch of them in my backyard.  My very sweet and wonderful husband planted them just for me!

They will be in full bloom very soon!

[cherry]

Today is a feast of St Joseph the worker. Here is a recipe to share  in memory of this feast( I hope this doesn’t violate standards, but I don’t think it does)

This recipe is from Preserving Our Italian Heritage. This makes a large quantity of bread; the 16 cups of bread flour is not a typographical error!

When Mary went to Egypt, God made the date palms blossom with fruit. She uttered a little "oh"! when she saw the miracle and that is why there is a little O or "Madonna's mark" inside each pit.

DIRECTIONS

In a bowl, mix sugar, salt, eggs, water, yeast and oil. Then mix in the flour. Knead dough on a floured board until smooth. Let rise. Cut the dough into 4 equal parts. Roll dough to about 2 feet in length. Place on a greased baking sheet and flatten slightly with the heel of your hand. Snip dough on both sides and in the middle and shape like a date palm. Let rise until double in bulk. Bake in a hot 400° oven for 30 to 40 minutes until golden brown.

Recipe Source: Viva San Giuseppe by St. Joseph Guild, St. Joseph Guild, 1200 Mirabeau Ave, New Orleans, Louisiana 70122

• 1 cup sugar

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 3 eggs

• 1 quart warm water

• 2 packages dry yeast

• 1/2 cup corn oil

• 16 cups bread flour

• 1 egg, beaten

Details

Yield: 4 large palms

Prep Time: 4 1/2 hours

Difficulty: • • • •

Cost: $$$$

For Ages:11+

Origin: Italy

[cherry]

Be sure to light a fire tonight (a bonfire is best, but a candle will work too) in order to bless the months ahead, protect you from fairy mischief, and connect you with the folkloric past that we all share, no matter what our ethnic background.