Although I am a born and bred Californian, I spent many years in the Midwest where the first of every May honored the beautiful tradition of May Day. Brimming with a fanciful Maypole dance, crowns of fresh flowers and May baskets, this day long ode to the glory of warm weather, new beginnings, promises of renewal and the joy of surprises is all wrapped up with clusters of flowers. How could I not begin this day without showing you a portfolio of flowers? Since my first obsession is always sharing with you my ideas about how to make your windows and the way you treat them a special design signature, today, for May Day, I have an inspiration of flowers as we view them through our windows. Let’s throw open the shutters, roll up the blinds, scoop back the drapes and vicariously bask in nature’s magic. What is more intoxicating than the true, brilliant colors of flowers?
If you are lucky to have a window box or two outside your window, a ready-made palette of beauty of awaits you each day.
I know you have windows. Even when I lived in Washington, DC. and lived mole-like in a basement apartment, I always kept a bunch of flowers in my windows as my neighbors’ feet and dog paws padded down my alley and my view. Flowers in a window shed light everywhere.
Spring shrubs budding now outside the windows, keep our faith in the eternal hope of spring. Lilacs, hydrangeas and peonies are some of my May favorites.
For those of you who can’t imagine planting or arranging flowers or have not taken the time to value the ephemeral prize of flowers, now is the best time to stroll through a flower market and be sozzled.
“When you have only two pennies left in the world, buy a loaf of bread with one and a lily with the other.”
– Chinese Proverb
May your May Day be full of colorful surprises!
