The First day of May


Black and white lily of the valley

Gentle passage of time.

Giving sweet notes to lead the way.

Perfumed bells that cannot be denied.

 

 

Lily of the valley

 

 

May 1st. Lily of the Valley, other names include May lily, May bells, Lily Constancy, Ladder-to-Heaven, and Muguet (French). 
In France on May 1st, vendors line the street and back roads selling Muguet. It is customary to give a sprig of muguet to the members of your family and closest friends. 

 

 

Old bottle as a vase

 

This morning, as tradition would have it, French Husband brought me muguet. The wonder of a small flower with a big punch of fragrance. Since muguet is such a delicate flower I wanted to find an appropriate vase. One were it show cased the single strands.

An old bottle, perfect with its narrow neck.

 

Teinture...muguet

 

The old label reads Teniture de condurango (tincture) which is used to aid digestion.

Lily of the valley, or Muguet, the return of happiness, since it is one of the first flowers to bloom in spring…

 

 

Lace curtain, early morning

 

Return of happiness…spring.

Spring: Morning light, the flowering almond and cherry trees, awakening color, the roses growing over my bedroom window, birds song- especially the evening owls singing their mating song that I love so much…

Spring comes in as I leave the window open at night, listening to the thundershowers.

  

 

Muguet under lace

 

Muguet under lace,

Emotion close to surface,

Pulling back winter's blanket,

Awakening.

 

 

Teinture spring

 

What would be your teinture-tincture for Spring?

A drop of sunshine,

a sprig of thyme,

a blush of pink by pinching a baby's cheek…

a note of Pomp and Circumstance as the graduates march.

 …
 
I have added some brocante finds to my shop, please take a peek.
Tongue in Cheek Antiques.
 
 
 
If you haven't listened to the Art and Soul interview I did, please sign up here to listen to it:
Art and Soul Interview Corey Amaro
 


Comments

9 responses to “The First day of May”

  1. Beautiful. Lilies of the valley my beloved Mother adored them. I had them in each garden of each home.
    Now I can only dream of them thanks for posting them.
    I adore all you share.
    I love spring she is by her very nature divine.
    Love Jeanne

  2. My mother used to wear muguet perfume; it was probably her signature scent (though she no longer wears perfume…I wonder when that stopped?). I always think of her when I smell them.
    I love how you make everything look like it has pride of place.

  3. I love Lilies of the Valley and remember when my children were small and quietly sneaked May baskets with Lillies of the Valley onto our neighbors porches.
    Corey, I SO enjoyed the Art and Soul interview ! So fun to actually hear you speaking. It was 2nd best to meeting you. (which is on my bucket list…for sure)

  4. martina

    Picked a bouquet this a.m.! My tincture of spring is the smell of rain just as it starts falling on a warm sidewalk. It reminds me of Dad hosing off our driveway in the spring. It reminds me of my Dad just as much as the smell of fresh sawn cedar, Barbasol and the ocean call him to mind.

  5. I love the tradition of the muguet in France. I have put them in my garden, but they don’t ever come up. How I would love some. I enjoy lilacs in my garden for the first of May. The scent of lilacs, just nuzzling my nose in and breath deep is amazing.

  6. I have some pink muguet, do they have pink ones in France? If not, I might have to smuggle some in next time I visit. I love, love, love the first photo. C, you should have prints, notecards etc. made of your photos and sell them!

  7. Lily of the Valley was my mother’s birth flower, and we had a few growing alongside our house when I was a child (probably planted by her mother). I still remember how sweet and pure they smelled.

  8. Marie-Noëlle

    That picture of the lily-of-the-valley and lace is lovely !
    It reminds me of the cards my grand mother used to get on May 1st…

  9. I second Marie-Noëlle’s sentiment: Your photo of the lily-of-the-valley and lace is indeed lovely and inventive!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *