Happy May Day

Happy May Day - maypole
Big Big Paint Book
Whitman Publishing, 1936

Isn't this a cute coloring picture! Had to send it out to celebrate today.

It is my birthday and the family and I have been outside between rain/snow/slush showers visiting parks and statues snapping pictures.

We went to Giant Springs Park to look for the owls and owlets that have been reported there, but couldn't find them again this year. They may have already flown the coop headed onward as they don't stay around long. It was fun to walk around all except for tons of gnats (bugs) that swarmed around us at one point. I think I may have swallowed one because I had a coughing fit right after we fast pace left the area. I have even had a problem finding a great horned owl to picture here in this blog. Lord willing there will be next year to fulfill the quest of sighting and photographing one from me.




I ended my day by going out to eat at Chili's in Great Falls, Montana with my husband. One other experience with Chili's in Chattanooga, Tennessee a few years back found both of us talking all this time about going to the restaurant chain again. Wish I could say our memories were held to the test again this evening, but not the case. As a matter of fact, upon departure my words were that it has been taken off my list to do again. Tasteless is a word that comes to mind in my review of the experience of the food tonight.

On a good ending note of my day -- I won at Rummy against my son and husband.

Mountain Top Retreat

Savannah and I enjoyed a wonderful weekend at the Mountain Top Retreat off Cottonwood Canyon Road in Bozeman, Montana this past weekend. The scenery was lovely and the company grand!





One friend was celebrating her 70th birthday. The party planners decided on a Hawaiian theme -- grass skirt,leis, sunglasses, hula hoop,and pretty flowers. Laughs were had by everyone as Kathy is a character out of costume, but even more animated in one.



These are friends I have not seen in over 9 years. They all had not changed in appearance or personalities very much. What a joy!!!



I love this picture of Savannah blowing bubbles at the party.

Jane Austen Doll Figure

I think this is absolutely for me! I feel a birthday present coming on. This is a Jane Austen Doll figure and I have just found some listed on Amazon.com at a very reasonable price.

More and more I find I am into Jane Austen and her novels. I just recently won the auction her whole set of hard back books with dust jackets from 1996 Book-of-the-Month Club while shopping on shopgoodwill.com.

Today, also I was exploring my new residing town of Great Falls, MT and got totally excited when looking at their online site for the Chamber of Commerce at the calendar of events. I found this May 9th listing for a Mother's Day Tea & Victorian Fashion Show. A wonderful website appeared, but I was having trouble finding an address for the event.

Upon more exploring, I am not very happy to report that it is over 198 miles to travel to this event. -- There goes my special fun outing with my daughter, Savannah Rose (who also has a birthday on May 5th). We will have to continue to look for something more local.

Who knows it may be a snow blizzard at that time as well -- because it has been snowing all last night, today, and currently at 1:28 a.m. -- Spring time in the Rockies!!!

Jane Austen in Rio, originally uploaded by Adriana Zardini.

May Day Celebration History

My birthday is May 1st or better known as MAY DAY -- but what exactly is MAY DAY and what is a Maypole?



Wikipedia says: May Day occurs on May 1 and refers to any of several public holidays.[1] In many countries, May Day is synonymous with International Workers' Day, or Labour Day, which celebrates the social and economic achievements of the labour movement. As a day of celebration the holiday has ancient origins, and it can relate to many customs that have survived into modern times.


Many of these customs are due to May Day being a cross-quarter day, meaning that (in the Northern Hemisphere where it is almost exclusively celebrated) it falls approximately halfway between the spring equinox and summer solstice.




Historians generally agree that May Day celebrations probably originated in the spring fertility rites of ancient Rome, which occurred at about the same time of year marking celebrations honoring the goddess of spring, Flora. ((I had an Aunt Flora!!!)).

By the Middle Ages, the day was being celebrated with a procession led by a "Queen of the May" chosen from a population of pretty teen girls, followed by the townspeople dancing around a maypole decorated with streamers and colorful spring flowers.



Pilgrims later brought May Day to America, but Puritans were quick to condemn the tradition as "that Stinking Idol reviving feasts of ye Roman goddess Flora or ye beastly practices of ye mad Bacchanalians".

By the late 19th century, May Day was taken up in America as a socialist movement celebrating workers' rights, a tradition that remains strong in Europe.

All told, modern May Day celebrations today have evolved into a hodgepodge of traditions including parties, sing-alongs, Old World maypole dancing, parades and workers' demonstrations, along with general protests against Big Business on the streets of major capitals worldwide.

And just for a little contrast, in Hawaii it's ... Lei Day.




Location: Canungra, Australia

Date: ca. 1934




Tiled mural rescued from a children's ward in Middlesex Hospital showing a maypole dance.

Designed in 1929 by Haydn Jensen.

Now in the Tile Museum, Jackfield, near Ironbridge, Shropshire.

Alice in Wonderland CAKES

Birthdays are fast approaching our household. My birthday comes on May 1st, which has me thinking I should do a little research to find out what MAY DAY (a lost celebration tradition) used to be all about. I know there is something to do with a May Pole and girls in fancy dresses. -- Another blog will be coming soon.



But, down a rabbit hole I have travelled and need to get back on my path -- birthdays coming up. My name is Alice. I hope you have put my blog name, WonderlandShoppe together and also my many references over the past few months.



One of my favorite places to explore online is Flickr.com. I am also always looking to see how people invision Alice in Wonderland and stumbled upon some beautiful cakes. It is impressive to see the details put into each design.



As you can tell, I am one of those viewers of the food network and watch the cake competitions with the special themes. Also, another love is the Ace of Cakes show. The dialogue can get a bit repetitive, but watching the construction and strain the competitors go through is truly amazing. They are on another level of creativity that I have not quite obtained -- being 3D in their art.



Enjoy these sugary creations and know that you ARE NOT putting on calories -- at least I don't believe I am!!!