It is the 1st May and in France that means it is a day to wish others health and happiness by presenting a bouquet of lily of the valley. There could not be a more perfect and exquisite flower to express those sentiments - the fragrance alone is enough to send me soaring above the happy charts.I think a bouquet of lily of the valley would be the perfect way to thank my lovely friend Sande, at a A Gift Wrapped Life, for her very thoughtful and in depth post about yours truly. Her blog is a creative and visual treat and one of my first stops on the morning rounds.
I wish you all a very happy 1st of May and much lily of the valley, xv.
drawing - google
Happy May Day, Vicki and to everyone. Lily-of-the-Valley reminds me of my dear Mum. LBx
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely post.
ReplyDeleteI had a funny experience that 'sort of' involved you and Carla today. I was wandering through some shops and there in a little gift store on a display was your book and Carla's Italy book. I was chuffed to see them I whipped out my phone and went to ask the shop owner if I could take a pic. I told her I 'knew' the authors and would just love to snap a pic to show them. She refused to let me and said for all she knew I was wanting to take photos to copy her display for my own shop.
The funny thing was, her display was very ordinary. The other funny thing was, I was shopping for Mother's Day gifts, so she potentially missed out a fairly decent sale. Silly woman :-)
I wish you also Happy first Day of May!
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Ewa
Happy May Day. How beautiful the Lily of the Valley is. I remember my mother having them when I was a child.
ReplyDeleteAlison
Happy first of May to you too! I had not heard about that tradition before, so lovely.
ReplyDeleteSo lovely...
ReplyDeleteFM~FP
Thanks for sending me over to Sande's. Loved her two posts about you, Vicki!
ReplyDeleteI was just sipping my morning coffee thinking about the fact that it was May 1st and how I felt the need to celebrate it- since the arrival of May makes it officially spring in New York. (Hurray!)
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of the French tradition- but I love it! Luckily I have some lily-of-the-valley growing in my garden...I'm off to make little bouquets for my husband and kids right now!!!
Have a great weekend!xo
I've heard of this tradition! It's lovely. Lilly of the valley is my favourite flower but for some reason it's really hard to get them in the UK.
ReplyDeletedear vicki..
ReplyDeletethanks for that gorgeous blog re the 1st may..
OH... you know i am here in melbourne...and the weather has just gone FROM kind of nice warm...to COLD in a flash!
I dont want to wear warm clothes...
SOO how kind of funny is it vicky??one minute we have HUGE temps..fires here in victoria...
NOW snow...& you are enjoying your blooms etc..
it just shows what a wide wide world we live in??
and just a note re your last post about POSTS...
OKAY..my post will fall into the silly INANE post about nothing much...LIKE a SIENFELD episode..
Nothing about NOTHING!!
xx andrea
I just poured Lily of the Valley candles and soaps for the shop...my house smells divine...thanks for stopping by, you lucky globe-trotter. When I get home from work I'm going to pour through your pages and pretend I'm wandering amongst the olive groves.
ReplyDeleteHappy May Day...sharon
BTW...I'm not painting the chest...for now anyway...ha!
Happy May Day!! Have a lovely weekend. Amanda x
ReplyDeleteHello Vicki,
ReplyDeleteYour interview with Sande is very enjoyable indeed. Well done you!
My grandmother loved Lily of the Valley - but that's a l-o-n-g time ago.
Happy May Day Vicki!!! Checked out Sande's posts, and loved the read...Have a great weekend ♥x
ReplyDeleteGood Morning Vicki!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the lovely mention and I love lily of the Vally...I also used to pick those coming home from school and bring home to my mother. These were the days when we thought everyone's garden was our own! Opps...as I think of it now. Lilacs and lily-of-the-valley, brings lovely memories of my mom who I do miss.
I had no idea about the lilly of the valley on the 1st of May in France. How interesting!
ReplyDeleteAlso a fan of Converse All Star here. Not exactly pink, but blue, black and white! :-)
I never heard of this. Sounds like a wonderful idea. We should do it at the first of every month.
ReplyDeleteHappy May Day to you as well!
Happy May Day Vicki! I am just off to bed here. That was a lovely interview with A Gift Wrapped Life. Very nice to see Carla there as well. Your new book sounds wonderful! xx
ReplyDeleteMy Grandma wore Muguet des Bois in the spring and switched to Jean Nate in the summer - such wonderful memories. I used to make tussies - and fill the with flowers to hang on friends door knobs on May Day --ring the doorbell and hide!
ReplyDeleteHappy La Fete du Muguet
My lilies of the valley here in North Carolina opened just a few days ago. One of my favorite scents . . . and I didn't know of the French May Day tradition. A virtual bouquet for you and your lovely blog!
ReplyDeleteI didn't get a chance to make bouquets this morning, but I did take my coffee out to the garden to say Happy May Day to my little lilies!
ReplyDeleteVicki your words a beautiful wishing everyone a happy May~ How special all that is! And the posts that Sandee has put together has been so much fun. She really is doing them so well. I have truly enjoyed reading...
ReplyDeleteWish you and your family a beautiful May!
Have a wonderful flower and love- filled Spring Day!
ReplyDeleteWow...what a great tradition. I luv Lily of the Valley but just the thought of wishing everyone great health...thanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete-marie
I totally agree - now if only they were in bloom here...
ReplyDeleteHappy May Day and happy Friday~
Have a lovely weekend,
xo
Hello Vicki,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your sweet post. Lily-of-the-Valley is very often given at Easter so it is not uncommon to have in the house in full bloom on May Day. They are so fragrant and truly a sign of spring.
Have a lovely day!
Nola @ The Bloom Girls
Nashville, TN
I adore meeting someone new ...we can be friends right?
ReplyDeleteI love it here
I'd be honored to add you to my favorites
let's chat
I love Lily of the Valley, Vicki. Sande is such a sweetheart and I thoroughly enjoyed her post on you! Have a wonderful wknd!
ReplyDeleteHappy May Day to you and thank you for the wonderful reads on your blog!
ReplyDelete-m
Joyeux Premier Mai! I surprised all of my neighbors with a ittle bouquet this morning:)
ReplyDeleteAs usual I have learned something from reading a Vicki post .... Lily of the valley has always been a favorite of mine ~ like my most favorite gardenia and magnolia, the fragrance is pungent and sensual. Enjoy your weekend ~ it's just stretching out in front of you.
ReplyDeleteHappy May Day to you too! Thank you for dropping by my blog and for the kind words.
ReplyDeleteI love how you write about blogging. And your header photo is so appealing that I can smell the candles! Delicious! ; )
To you as well my far away friend,all the best!! Chrissy
ReplyDeleteLovely - one of my favorite flowers. I used to have some growing in my side yard but one spring they did not reappear. I should plant more. Thanks for the tip on the french movie from the other post.
ReplyDeleteI love any holiday's involving Lilies.:-) Happy May day to you.
ReplyDeletei love the scent.
ReplyDeleteit was my first when i was a little girl.
when i put in on now, after a shower, is smells sweet yet still green, and clean.
xx
ok....i will wish everyone good health & happiness too. :)
Happy May Day to you! I had no idea that you had written a book, I am off to Amazon to get it... Carla's too, I also love her blog! How fantastic, your blog is such a delight and inspirational, I am excited to read your story!
ReplyDeletewow, very sweet. happy may day to you (and have a fabulous weekend).
ReplyDeletehappy may day, vicki ... i was just wondering about the custom of the first of may so was thrilled to read this...thank you, as always,for sharing your lovely ways...
ReplyDeleteblessings...
Love Lily of the Valley, but we have to wait longer, here.
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you for pointing me to Sande's blog. Yes, she certainly did a wonderful job of detailing you and your books. Mmmmm, awaiting the new one. :-)
Happy May,
'Aunt Amelia'
Oh, what a fantastic tradition! Happy 1st of May to you too! Lily of the Valley is a favorite of mine and has such a special place in my heart (my mom carried it in her wedding bouquet, as did I.) Have a most wonderful weekend, Vicki! xo
ReplyDeleteMy mother always used to wear Lily of the Valley scent and I loved smelling it when I was little. Have a lovely weekend.
ReplyDeleteHappy May Day! I love how this day is celebrated in Europe. Nice to reconnect with you!
ReplyDeleteJoyeuse Fete du Muguet Vicki!
ReplyDeleteI fell in love with this little, delicate yet oh so powerful flower when in Paris. The aroma drives me crazy and I love it.
Wishing you and yours health and happiness!
xo,
Kelli
I was watering my lilies that I see popping up this morning! Happy May Day to you as well!
ReplyDeletexo
Maria
Happy May Day, Vicki. I hope you had a lovely one.
ReplyDeleteDiorissimo is my one and only perfume. I have worn it for years and years and often have to order it from Galerie Lafayette because it's sometimes hard to find here now. It is almost all lily of the valley. I have always been besotted with the fragrance.
Thank you Vicki for yet another lovely week on your blog. I never tire of your thoughtful posts. If I could send you a bunch of lily of the valley blooms, I would.
ReplyDeleteAbout blogging: I never know what I'm going to post about either. I keep on thinking I should have a "theme", but I fear I am too self-indulgent and instead keep posting about my enthusiasms - which tend to be a bit all over the place! Hope you have a lovely weekend. Meredith xo
lily of the valley the most intoxicating of flowers...we are just now entering into lily of the valley season and I am an unconscionable thief - if I pass a patch I must take one to sniff until there is no scent left!!!!
ReplyDeletehooo ., I almost forgot that muguet existed ... thank you to remind me le premier Mai
ReplyDeleteHealth and Happiness to you and your family! I've never received a bouquet of Lily of the Valley! Some people want to climb Mt. Everest, I would like a May Day bouquet! When I was a little girl my mother used to pour a little Lily of the Valley perfume into a basin with water and dip the hair brush into it and brush my hair. It is the smell I always associate with my mother. Thanks for the vacation wishes, Vicki. I will 'see' you when I get back.
ReplyDeleteCatherine xx
Happy May Day and what a lovely tradition. Yes Sande is a lovely lady and so nice that you honored her that way.
ReplyDeleteMy late Mother loved Lilies of the Valley I have them in many spots in our gardens and always bring her some on her birthday May 6th and also for Mothers day where she is buried.
Thanks for all you share.
Love Jeanne ^j^
I also didn't know about Lily of the Valley being associated with May Day! Love learning new french things with your blog. And while I'm sure you have received this before, I've just awarded you the One Lovely Blog Award. Come by and pick it up when you have time!
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Kirsten
their fragrance is incredible!
ReplyDeleteEvery May !st my landlord would bring me muguet, it's just one of the charming gestures I miss about living in Belgium
ReplyDeleteLove the muguets, and they used to be my mother's favorite scent. Though born in Holland, she was raised in France to a French mother.
ReplyDeleteMe, I've always been devoted to the lavender that my grandmother kept in tiny clay pots by the beside. Heaven.
This is one of the most sentimental flowers to me... my grandmother wore Lily of the Valley perfume and I just love the essense of it... what an appropriate flower for wishing health and happiness!
ReplyDeleteVicki,
ReplyDeleteAwwww...Lily of the valley~~
A most blessed way to start May. Is it true that Laduree has Lily of the Valley Macaroons? I can't wait for your new book to come out.
xoxo's
Janet
Happy May...it is my Mother's favorite flower.
ReplyDeleteVicki, thank you for the lovely picture. I could use it to embroider this beautiful flower on tea napkins. Lily-of-the-valley sent reminds me of my parents and the summer house they had, wonderful times. That is why I always have Diorissimo perfume.
ReplyDeleteirina
Those exquisite tiny lillies with the powerful scent. I sooo remember them! I used to wear Muget de bois...remember that?
ReplyDeleteHappy spring. Happy May!
oh so pretty. I wanted lily of the valleys for my bridal bouquet, but alas, it was not the month of may.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite flowers along with such a special aroma.
pve
oh so pretty. I wanted lily of the valleys for my bridal bouquet, but alas, it was not the month of may.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite flowers along with such a special aroma.
pve
Thank you for your comment! Your site is lovely and I especially love this post. Made me smile! and I learned something new. I've only been to Paris once, I hope I have the opportunity to go back really soon.
ReplyDeletewhat a beautiful drawing, lily of valley is one of my all time favorites, with jasmine and gardenia. Unfortunely it is to warm to grow where I live. But i was to lucky to see and smell lilac last week while we were in Ashville SC, at the Biltmore...
ReplyDeleteAlways love all your posts
katie
Thank you for stopping and commenting at Picturing the Year...mostly because it lead me to coming here and browsing at length...fortunately I was not running water or cooking anything:)
ReplyDeleteI love your tradition, love Lily of the Valley and it brings back youthful memories of wearing Muguet perfume...unfortunately our Lilies of the Valley are not yet blooming - but soon!
...also loved your interview...very interesting life you lead!
Beautiful!!!
ReplyDeleteMy daughter was moving into her new house in the French countryside on May 1st and she was bemoaning the price of these little lilly-of-the-valley sprays, which were being sold at the road sides. Now I wish I had sent her one as a house warming gift.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. My neighbor has them blooming now; I think I need to add to my garden...
ReplyDeleteHello Vicky , love bouquet with a lot of muguet . I'm sorry for not having answered to your mail. I have no clue where your friend can find poppies fields. i asked some friends and they won't know neither.
ReplyDeleteHope you will be back in Provence, soon and we will be abble to meet
Lilies of the Valley - so sweet! Happiest May Day, Vicki!
ReplyDeletexo Isa