Happy May Day!

The first day of May used to be the worker's holiday in 19th century America, at the peak of the labor unions. The holiday was moved to September for us here in the U.S. (perhaps due to the very left wing--even communist--vibe of the celebration), but May Day remains a worker's day in France. So let's celebrate May Day like the French. Lilies of the valley, muguet des bois, are given to friends or left on their doorsteps. Too bad they're not in bloom yet here...

Also: If you're curious, as I was, about the use of the phrase "mayday" in cases of distress, it turns out to be unrelated to the first day of May. The term comes from the french "m'aidez," which means "help me."