Dare To Hope

It is May 1st. It is also known as May Day.

I have seen pictures of girls dressed in lovely dresses dancing around the Maypole. Each carried a long brightly coloredl ribbon. As she skipped around she would weave in and out with girls doing the same but moving in the opposite direction.

When the dancing was finished the Maypole was covered by the different ribbons in a tight weave. I am not certain why they did it but it looked like fun.

When I was a little girl there was a custom in our area. We gave out May baskets.

May baskets are made of those oversized paper cupcake cups. Pliable pipe cleaners are attached to make a handle. Then the basket is filled with various candies and maybe a small trinket or two.

I was seven years old when I delivered my first May Day baskets. It was great fun putting the baskets together. Then we put them in a box and into the car. Off we went.

It was then that my mother told me what to do. I was to take a basket to the front door of the person's house, knock on the door, and run back to the car.

If the person could catch me they had to give me a kiss.

The first stop was Susan Otradowski's house. I took a basket, went to the front door, knocked, and ran back to the car.

Nobody said anything about leaving the basket before I ran.

As I was climbing back into the car Mom was excitingly telling me that I had to leave the basket on the doorstep. I had to get out of the car to take the basket back. Susan caught me and gave me a kiss on the cheek. Of course I was mortified.

I guess I delivered the rest of the baskets with no problems. I only remember Susan's delivery.

Now back to my original reason for this post.

I think, I believe, I hope that spring is here.

The snow has been gone for a couple of weeks. The temperatures are closer to what they should be. Birds and animals are spending more time in my yard. I love to watch them.

A couple of days ago the little rabbit that comes to nibble near the spot I work on the computer and watch out the window was here. He is out every day about this time.

So the other day he was nibbling when another rabbit came from behind the garage. Ever alert the two rabits stopped and looked at each other. They each edged closer to the other. Closer, closer, closer. Finally they were almost nose to nose.

One rabbit lunged at the other who jumped about three feet straight up into the air. They separated and repeated a couple of times. They disappeared beyond my vision to behind the garage.

Within seconds one of them hopped back out and went to the neighbor's yard to nibble over there.

Was it a fight for territory? Was it a mating ritual? I have no idea. It was fascinating to see.

Things are becoming green again. The ground is sending up plants that will be grass, weeds, dandelions, and violets soon.

The trees are thinking that maybe they can begin to send out a few leaves. There are none yet but I can see the buds.

The river is flooding a bit. Not nearly as bad as a couple of years ago. It is up over the banks and into the fields on both sides.

Most farms on this side of the river have built earthen levees to keep them safe from the modest flooding we are having right now. If they do not have to open the dam too much north of here we should see a receding river.

We are ready for spring.

Here is hoping.