On May 2015

May, the fifth month of the year, but one of seven months with 31 days

May, spring in the northern hemisphere, but autumn in the southern hemisphere – making May and November as seasonal equivalents

May, with no other month beginning or ending on the same day of the week as May

The month May was named for Maia, a Roman goddess

Late May, being the official start of the summer vacation season in the US and Canada

May, with its symbols

  • Birthstone: emerald
  • Birth flower: Lily of the Valley signifying sweetness, humility, and return to happiness
  • Zodiac: Taurus (until May 21) and Gemini (May 22 and into June)

May moon

  • Called Egg Moon, Grass Moon, and Hare Moon
  • Full Moon May 4th 3:43 UTC
  • New Moon May 18th 4:13 UTC

May, with national celebrations in Armenia, Canada, Eritrea, Japan, Mexico, Norway, United States, and the UK

May, with many countries celebrating May Day & Mother’s Day, plus Europe celebrating victory over the Nazis in World War II

May embraces Asian American & Pacific Islander heritage, chip your pets, creative beginning, Haitian heritage, audits, Mediterranean diets, Jewish-American heritage, guide dogs, meditation, military appreciation, moving, preservation, older Americans, personal history, preparing tomorrow’s parents, Social Security education, South Asian heritage, date your mate, and recommitment.

May increases awareness in ALS, APS, arthritis, asthma & allergies, medical orphans, brain tumors, celiac, cystic fibrosis, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, fibromyalgia, Huntington’s disease, homeschooling, lupus, melanoma & skin cancer, hepatitis, neurofibromatosis, preventing osteoporosis, physiotherapy, Prader-Willi Syndrome, pet cancer, toddler immunization, chemical injury, Tay-Sachs & Canavan diseases, Tourettes Syndrome, borderline personality disorder, high blood pressure, Lyme disease, stroke, preeclampsia, and ultraviolet rays & skin cancer.

May celebrates wetlands, clean air, community living, drums, Freedom Shrine, gifts from the garden, golf, Victorian women, Latino books, barbeque, bikes, eggs, hamburger, inventors,
pets, photos, salads, salsa (the food), strawberries, asparagus, beef, chocolate custard, and drinking water.

May promotes global civility, better hearing & speech, building safety, ecodriving, family wellness, gardening for wildlife, getting caught reading, global health & fitness, food drives for homeless animals, heal the children, healthy vision, Oregon wines, business image improvement, motorcycle safety, foster care, good car keeping, mental health, physical fitness & sports, service dog eye examinations, water safety, Finger Lakes wines, youth traffic safety, revising your work schedule, spiritual literacy, women’s health care, reacting, and respect for chickens.

Any celebratory occasions in your life during May? What songs did you listen to in this post? Have a wonderful month of May.

On Catch-Up Tuesday

Whew. This past 3-day weekend was full of racing around, so I need a breather … and this post will give me a chance to catch up.

Before I forget, Time: The Musical returns Thursday (Wednesday night in the US) with an act featuring songs with Hour(s) in the title. Get ready!

From ballroom to several gathering of friends to a family wedding to a Cincinnati tradition, our weekend kept us busy. Toss in my mother-in-law’s hospitalization, we decided to forego Monday activities for some relaxation time.

We had to cut short a pig roast to attend a Cincinnati tradition … a grand fireworks display synchronized to music down on the river. Because a half million spectators gather for this, we have not attended in many years – but hassle-free television doesn’t do the display justice. Last Tuesday (and completely out-of-the-blue) we received an invitation to attend a private party at a historic mansion on a hill not far from the river. Knowing this may be our only chance ever, we left the pig roast for the Wiedemann Hill Mansion. (Their website has nice pics.)

The restored home is not only beautiful, but he had a great view of the fireworks, and it was our first time view from the Kentucky side of the river, which has downtown Cincinnati as a backdrop. The pic below was taken from a short distance away from our viewing location. If you have a spare 30 minutes and enjoy fireworks, view the show here.

From the Cincinnati Enquirer, Photo by Amanda Davidson

From the Cincinnati Enquirer, Photo by Amanda Davidson

Meanwhile, the weekend also brought a new month, so month-long celebrations in September include Bourbon heritage, chili peppers & figs, happy cats, guide dogs, apples, potatoes, honey, eating chicken, coupons, mushrooms, prime beef, peas & radishes, papaya, whole grains, rice, pianos, ice cream sandwiches, food allergy awareness, California wine (as if I need a reason), and being kind to editors and writers.

This week’s daily celebrations include:

  • (Tues) Another Look-Unlimited Day, Skyscraper Day
  • (Wed) Beetle Bailey Day, Peter Rabbit Day, and Eat an Extra Dessert Day
  • (Thurs) Be Late for Something Day, Waffle House Day, Teacher Day in India

Because this feelings like a Monday Morning Entertainment post, let’s honor Piano Month with a clip from the great Victor Borge playing while wearing ugly pants. Enjoy, and I’ll be back tomorrow with some satire bits.