Reflections on May Day 2018

May Day 2018 was a near perfect day at Merry Mount.  The “Big Sky” was a cloudless blue and the temperature ranged from 50-80 degrees.  There was some wind.  Smile.  We devoted the morning to garden preparation. 

The task at hand (and hoe) was to dig up Stellaria media commonly know as Chickweed.  In his book, Gene Everlasting, Gene Logsdon, (the Contrary Farmer) devotes a full chapter to Chickweed in a chapter he entitled, “Intimations of Immortality I”.  Logsdon’s point is that Chickweed is indestructible and will be challenging farmers many generations from now.  I say it is best to accept its persistence, swing the hoe, and sing in your strongest operatic voice, “Stell-aria media” to whatever media might be listening!  I suggest using the melody from “O sole mia”.

From Ode: Intimations of Immortality

Now, while the birds thus sing a joyous song, 

And while the young lambs bound 

As to the tabor's sound, 

To me alone there came a thought of grief: 

A timely utterance gave that thought relief, 

And I again am strong: 

The cataracts blow their trumpets from the steep; 

No more shall grief of mine the season wrong; 

I hear the Echoes through the mountains throng, 

The Winds come to me from the fields of sleep, 

And all the earth is gay; 

Land and sea 

Give themselves up to jollity, 

And with the heart of May 

Doth every Beast keep holiday;— 

Thou Child of Joy, 

Shout round me, let me hear thy shouts, thou happy Shepherd-boy. 

       -William Wordsworth

Following lunch and a short nap, Simon arrived with Joy and Eva.  The afternoon was filled chasing two curious 19-month-old identical twins.

Joy and Eva swinging and singing

Joy with GranMama petting Beulah the chicken

Eva reaching out to Clara

As evening arrived, I returned to the garden spot and with a single match lighted the dried, dead foliage from winter that Rett had collected in the burn cage.  Standing at a comfortable distance from the fire, I marveled at the juxtaposition of the coolness of evening and the warmth of the fire.  As the colors of a beautiful sunset waned in the west, I noticed the apricot colored moon rising in the East.

May Day 2018 provided us with another  “slice of paradise”.

To see a World in a Grain of Sand

And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,

Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand 

And Eternity in an hour.

                        - William Blake

CPW