Chevaliers everywhere, now is the time to show your love in true romantic French tradition presenting your beloved with ‘Muguet’. Surely the most poignant day in France for lovers to show their true feelings and emotions or to remember those we love and cherish. It should be made a worldwide tradition!
1st May – La Fête du Muguet and Beltaine

Lily of the Valley

The meaning of this flower is “You will find Happiness.”
Muguet © Myrea Pettit

Originally the idea as a family was to take the children into the forests and let them pick your Muguet together.It is also the time of the Cuckoo in France.

These days in the cities you will more likely buy it from florist’s, or one of the countless vendors stand that appear overnight on every street corner, many these days selling for charities and other good causes.

Although at all other times of the year, selling any kind of flowers or anything else on the street requires paying for a permit, merry May Day is exempted from this tax, and anyone can sell the blossoms anywhere without being tithed by the city.

Naturally every florist has pots and bouquets of lily of the valley dominating their outdoor displays. The pots for lily of the valley are always deep and vase-shaped, another tradition.

People everywhere clutch their lily of the valley, to be offered to their loved ones. With May 1st also ushering in Beltaine I love this French custom it is such a perfect way to welcome the Rites of Spring, when all is bursting into blossom, and new life appears with animals, birds and insects and one thought turns to beauty, love, caring and togetherness, precious moments for all who share the Fairiesworld. Muguet is also known as Our Lady’s tears since, according to Christian legend, the tears Mary shed at the cross turned to Lilies of the Valley, and in another legend, the flower also sprang from the blood of St. George during his battle with the dragon.

“Fairytales don’t come any more satisfactory than this,” wrote columnist Melanie Reid in The Times.

Persistent rumors that fairies were definitely seen in Gibraltar, were confirmed this month when the Gibraltar Magazine tracked down fairy artist Myrea Pettit and her husband David Riché to find out exactly what happened in the Alameda Botanical Gardens in July 2007.

It seems the population of that little British colony needed clarification. It was in medieval times that Witches and Devils were banished from Gibraltar, and it was thought that the Fairies had gone too.

Needless to say they are delighted to welcome back the Fairy sighting highlighted in the April 2009 Gibraltar Magazine

Reminiscent of the Last Dodo’s speech at his farewell Ball

when he spoke to the assembled guests, inhabitants of the earth, promoting friendship among adversaries and predators alike that the destiny of the world is in their hands, and that without understanding among them they will all become as extinct and dead as the Dodo himself.

An electrifying speech in Prague today President Barack Obama of the USA spoke to all of the dangers facing the peoples of the world and his cause for nuclear disarmament and for peace among nations.

Guardian of the magic white truffles with the Old Librarian keeper of all secrets the Mouse has been splendidly needleworked. Supplies are available from Heaven and Earth Designs exclusively

The rare pink fairy was sighted for the first time in many years in the Isle of Man today. Once a regular visitor nesting pairs have not been seen for over fifty years here prefering the warmer gulf stream they are seen in Galicia in Spain and the Azores. Probably blown off course by recent storms this visitor is not expected to stay long, twitterers please note, though you would be most welcome to the Isle of Man.