Yesterday was the universal Labor Day, May first, and the day that France celebrate with “Muguet”, tons of it!
This is a flower I love and it’s hard to find in the U.S.
Not only all the flower shops are offering them but there are literally one Lily of the Valley stand at every corner of every street!
“Je porte Bonheur” means “I bring happiness” and this is what this flower is supposed to do for the recipient.
I have a preference for fragrant flowers and Lily of the valley is a tiny flower that perfumes the whole room! The flower is also known as Our Lady’s tears, since, according to Christian legend, the lily of the valley came into being from Eve’s tears after she was driven with Adam from the Garden of Eden,although this seems unlikely, since in Catholic parlance, “Our Lady” refers to the Virgin Mary. Another Christian legend states that Mary’s tears turned to lily of the valley when she cried at the crucifixion of Jesus, and because of this it is also known as Mary’s tears.
Some of the florists are mixing them with roses (above and below):
but I love them by themselves, pure, white, fragrant and unassuming…
Other names include May lily, May bells, lily constancy, ladder-to-heaven, male lily, and muguet (French).
“Sweetest of the flowers a-blooming
In the fragrant vernal days
Is the Lily of the Valley
With its soft, retiring ways.”
“Like the Lily of the Valley
In her honesty and worth,
Ah, she blooms in truth and virtue
In the quiet nooks of earth.” Paul Laurence Dunbar
I love this picture, the talented Marie Ancolie Romanet, sent me yesterday…exquisite!
Merci pour ce moment de fraîcheur, malgré ton emploi de temps très chargé,
Le premier mai c’est pas gai / The first of May is not cheerful
Je trime a dit le muguet / I slave away, said the lily of the valley
Dix fois plus que d’habitude / Ten times more than usual
Regrettable servitude / A regrettable encumbrance
Muguet, sois pas chicaneur / Muguet, don’t be a quibbler
Car tu donnes du bonheur / Because you make people happy…
Brin d’ muguet, tu es quelqu’un… / Little bouquet of lily, you are somebody…
— George Brassens.
Dear Michelle you are amazing! your post today “les muguets” made my day! Those are my favorites too….here in the states we don’t see them that often! Believe it or not this post was a sweetest gift for my Bday:) This morning I opened my eyes to start the day with your post…what a blessing! You are such an inspiration and I thank you lovely one. All the best wishes for you.
Refreshing and pure to look at, but enchanting in its perfume. I too love those little bells and never knew their significance. While I have not seen them wild in the US they most certainly are available at Trader Joe’s ever single Spring. Thanks for a lovely post.
I love the name of : ladder-to-heaven. And I believe that its fragrance helps to step this ladder.
Quelle délicate attentin Michelle
Seule toi sait embaumer nos coeur aux senteurs de la joie en le reveillant aux touchants souvenirs de la foule Parisienne célébrant le premier Mai en disant son amour a autrui a travers ces delicates fleurs. A toi Michele, l’eternelle magicienne, qui ne cessera de nous troubler par tes mots et tes images.
Je voudrais rajouter a tittre personel, pas vraiment, puisque je suis sur les ondes, mais c’est simplement pour inviter ceux-la qui peuvent comprendre, a laisser derriere eux l’agitation de la foule et te regarder attentivement pour constater a travers tes yeux toute la profondeur de ton âme, la brillance de ton esprit, et surtout la delicate noblesse qui le couronne.
Merci mon Général!
Dirais-tu quelque chose sur Obama annoncant si elegament, sans sourire ni triomphalisme la mort de Ben Laden? Et puis sur cette presse qui accourt avec des aboiements pour quemander des details, des preuves, des photos, du sang….Alors toi la magiciemnne, dis nous des choses qui invitent a la descence humaine, celle qui doit regir ses droits même dans les circonstance les plus propices au lynchage. Pourquoi ce besoin d’une curée pour dechiqueter la peau encore et encore.
Très en retard, mais je suis très touchée que
vous ayez intégré le muguet du jardin dans
votre hommage au 1er mai.
Merci encore.
Marie