Thursday, May 01, 2008

Childhood Memories

James took a different route as we were driving to the store last night. We passed some older houses with more established landscaping than we are used to in our freshly-hatched neighborhood. We drove past one house in particular, which had several striking violet-blue iris plants. I instantly found myself reminiscing about a silly yet beloved childhood memory; one I had not thought about for years, perhaps since I was a little girl. I am not quite sure where the tradition started (maybe my mom made it up), but every year on May Day I would pick fresh flowers from my mom’s beautiful garden. I would put them in a vase, leave them on a random neighbor’s doorstep, and then I would ring the door-bell and run as fast as my little legs could run.

I am pretty sure this is one of my favorite traditions ever; and one I will continue to carry on now that I have recalled it. Can you imagine opening your front door on a lovely spring afternoon to the site of freshly picked flowers? I think the finest element to the whole thing is the mysterious anonymousness. Who left these beauties on the door-step? A cute little curly-q, toe-headed girl? I love May Day now and will never let it go by without some fresh violet-blue iris’.

4 comments:

starbubbs said...

I want to do that. What a cute idea. Now I just need a garden...

Jamie said...

Oh my gosh you are adorable, I can just imagine you as a little girl.

Anonymous said...

Gene's mom used to do THAT EXACT THING when she was a little girl (I had never heard of it until I met her) and now we stealthily repeat it each year on her doorstep. But in basket form - as in a basket full of trinkets. I'm so happy to hear that it's a somewhat universal tradition!

Aron said...

i was cracking up when i saw this post too cause it looked so much like mine!! haha great minds think alike :)