MAY DAYS: “The mayflower celebration came next! Mayflowers in
the northern woods were small and delicate, pink, blue, yellow and
white, carpeting the forest as far as one could see. Their sweet
perfume lent itself to the fairy-like atmosphere that transported
us to glens and fairy rings in our childish imaginings.”

So writes Shirley Donan of Grove City in part two of her
essay:

“It was an innocent time when we little girls and boys were
allowed to roam freely on the thickly forested hills that rose on
either side of our small village of Duke Center. Come May 1, we
would gather together our construction paper, scissors and glue to
make colorful small baskets with handles. Once this task was
completed, we made our trek up the hill to the places where the
mayflowers bloomed, picking great bunches of them.

“I really wanted to roll and gambol like a spring lamb in this
beauty, but someone always protested that I was crushing the
flowers! We usually picked way too many of them, and they were
short-lived, but still, the memory of those spring beauties lingers
to this day.

“Arriving home, we next gathered the new emerald green grass on
our lawns to fill the baskets. We would carefully arrange the
colorful mayflowers in the grass until we had created one big
nosegay. The final touch were the little pastel ribbons tied to the
handles. Now it was time for fun!

“These wee messages of love only went to special people. My
first basket always went to my neighbor next door. Shine had been
my source for a banana snack ever since I could toddle over to see
her. She never failed me! Carrying my basket of flowers, I would
carefully creep up to her front door and hang it on her door knob.
Ringing the bell, running to hide and seeing her surprised face was
the best part. Happy May Day, Shine!

“We would repeat this routine until the baskets were all hung.
Hungry and tired, we would trudge home with a job well done and our
hearts full of good will. May Day was one of my favorite days of
the year. The lovely mayflowers only bloomed for a few weeks each
spring, but, oh what joy they did bring to the children of that
little valley in the Enchanted Mountains of Pennsylvania.”