May Day post from Deb, May 1st, 2015

***Today is May Day, one of the most important holidays in France. It is sort of the equivalent of Labor Day in the US, with workers parades and political demonstrations but with lots of other nice, Spring-oriented traditions as well. One in particular is associated with the Ile de France, the "state" that Paris is in. The tradition started when a medieval French king, Charles IX, was given lilies of the valley (muguet de bois) on May 1st, 1561. He found them charming and decided to give bouquets of them to ladies of the court the next May Day. Fast forward to current Paris: florists specially raise pots of muguet, and people in surrounding rural areas go out specially to pick them and send them into Paris for May Day. In the city, charitable and labor groups sell them on street corners to raise money. Their lovely scent was in the air all over today, especially noticeable on the Metro trains, with people taking all sorts of bouquets of them to friends and family. Warren and I bought each other bouquets from a cute elderly couple who swore they had picked them in the woods this very morning. Whether or not that was just good salesmanship, the scent of them in the apartment is delightful.

***Another rainy, windy day today. Our dear landlady, Carol, had warned us that April & May in Paris could be "dreary" so we were forewarned. We just bundle into our rain gear and plug along. Today, since virtually everything is closed for the holiday, we went for a leisurely walk in the huge Parc de Vincennes. This park is a huge, forested area that used to be a royal hunting preserve. As you walk into the walking lanes, the sounds of the city just fade away. The undergrowth of the forested areas is hip-high with ferns, grasses, brambles and young trees. Wild flowers are everywhere, and many, many that I don't recognize. Did see little wild strawberries (fraises de bois) blooming happily along the edge of the path. I'm betting with all the many birds in the park, no human ever gets to taste one. But I have faith that they'll show up in June in little wooden boxes at my fruiterer.


***We finally made our way to the Chateau of Vincennes on one edge of the park, toward which we had been vaguely rambling. We got so turned around on the various pathways, that the Chateau seemed to keep receding link like the legendary grail. After finally asking directions, we found the chateau and were amazed at its beauty and size. It has a moat, a keep, a church - the whole castle-y set of accoutrements. We'll go back when it's open.




***I dearly love the interludes in the parks. The greenery seems to be a "vitamin G" for my mind. But my enthusiasm is nothing compared to the apartment-bound dogs who get to visit on weekends and holidays. We saw three today who were transported with ecstasy at being able to just run and run in a big open field. One beagle-ish youngster was absolutely trembling with excitement as she waited obediently to be unhooked from her leash and freed to join the turn-and-turn-about chasing all over the field. With a lumbering hound of some sort, the young beagle and a lithe whippet there was every range of speed and agility. So fun to see such transports of delight.

***Paris has so many trees in bloom now that whole streets are lined with huge, high flowers and there are petals in the air and carpeting the sidewalks til they clump in sodden drifts, wet from the rain and bruised from feet. About the only blooms I recognize are lilacs, some with bushes as big as trees, others two feet high in pots on apartment balconies. All are luxurious with bloom, and the scent is dizzying. I wish I knew how the French got theirs to bloom so prolifically. I think of my mom, Warren's mom and my aunt Mary and how much they loved the lilacs. A nice remembrance of some nice ladies.