O Mary we crown thee with blossoms today,
Queen of the angels, Queen of the May.
O Mary we crown thee with blossoms today,
Queen of the angels, Queen of the May.
-Catholic Song to The Virgin on May Day
"Through hundreds of years, this day was celebrated by the ancient Celts as the feast of Beltane, the renewal of earth's reproductive energy in springtime. Revelers danced around trees that represented the phallic energy of the season, and everywhere lovers enjoyed dalliances to encourage and participate in earth's renewal.
With the coming of Christianity, the old festival was discouraged, especially in light of its highly sexual content. In its place, the church offered a chaste processional to honor the virgin mother of god, with the girls singing songs like that above. But the ancient symbolism held fast, though hidden: the virgin was crowned with wreaths of flowers, the sexual organs of plants. Thus, even when the outer meaning changed, the inner meaning of the season remained a celebration of nature's fertility and fecundity."
-Patricia Monaghan
The Goddess Companion
In celebration of this most lovliest of Holidays, I thought it was appropriate to share my deep love for species that is flora. How lucky I feel that I live in a state where we can have varietal flower gardens filled with many beautiful colors and textures. I absolutely love walking in my neighborhood at this time of year.
Flowers have always been a major push for me as a designer. I envision every garment through the filter of a flower. I've thought of so many ways to incorporate this most inspiring species to become a part of clothing to the point where the majority of my garments have some form of such worked into the final piece. It's safe to say it's an obsession, but a healthy one!
May day has been an important day to me since I was a young North Portlander. My Mom would plant pansies, violas and marigolds in all the beds in our front yard on N. Fox street, and they presented a pleasant welcoming to our home. My Grandma Violet who lived across the street was known for her beautiful roses. The leaves were free of black spot and mold, they were religiously dead headed and trimmed with love so that they were equal to show quality. She so modestly brushes it off as no big deal even today.
She would share some stems with me so that I could deliver flowers to my favorite neighbors and friends who lived nearby. I'll admit that along the journey of delivery, I guiltily stole more flowers from neighbors' yards. Sorry neighbors!
Placing a small bouquet before the door, knocking or ringing the bell and quickly running to hide was one of my favorite activities as a kid. What can I say, I'm a giver.
