Happy May Day, dear reader, Happy May to you! Today is the beginning of a new month, May, a month where Catholics honor the Blessed Mother Mary, and also a month where, nationwide, May is known as Bike Month. That being said, I'm sure you realize that the so-called greatest city in the world, New York City, where I live, certainly honors the "merry, merry month of May" — when it comes to bikes — starting with the first Sunday of the month of May, when they host the spectacular Five Boro Bike Tour.
In describing the Five Boro Bike Tour, Bike New York recently stated that, "If you are lucky enough to snag a spot in the Five Boro Bike Tour . . . on Sunday (May 1st 2011), you'll pedal 42 miles of New York streets that are closed to motorized traffic . . . riding car-free with 32,000 fellow cyclists . . . " And once again, yours truly "is lucky enough" to "snag a spot" in the Five Boro Bike Tour via the courtesy of Achilles, and the grace of cyclists (who through the Achille's division known as the Twin Tandem Program) volunteer their time as bike captains for the blind, as well as the visually challenged who is legally blind like yours truly.
As you may recall, last May, when I participated in the "tour ride" for the second time, I wrote about Achilles and how I happened to be involved with them. If you'd like to read (or reread) that blog entry, please click here.
I anticipate that today the Five Boro Bike Tour will be even more spectacular because of the sunny, yet cool temperatures for the weather conditions (I've done the tour twice once in pouring rain for the entire 42 miles, and once in blistering heat — not the best of weather conditions either year, but an awesome experience nonetheless), and also the fact that I am meeting my captain an hour later than the previous years which gives me time to tend my garden and collect my thoughts.
My regular captain had a sudden emergency and she had to cancel our plans at the last minute; however, through her willingness to loan her tandem to another captain and me, and some fast footwork by Achilles, I will be riding with a different person this year — courtesy of a last minute arrangement for which I am very grateful and will discuss in my next blog entry when I report on the ride. Last year I reported on the ride with cycling related humor, ( as you may recall, but if you'd like to read it again please click here).
It is a blessing for me to remember that I am feeling much better this year because, in spite of the jokes which I posted in the link after last year's ride, I was not feeling very humorous at all, which is evident by the sad expression on my face in the photograph of yours truly that was taken towards the end of last year's race — right before we crossed the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. Even the ride could not lift my burdens that year, one of which was the danger of my losing my home and consequently my garden that I adore and for which I provide the upmost care.
The fact that the month of May (besides being a month dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and bike riding), was named for the Greek Goddess, Maia, who is identified with fertility, is not lost on me, I can certainly see the association — given how my garden is flourishing this year —evidenced by the photographs posted below which were taken a little after 6:00 A.M. today just before I must leave my apartment to meet my captain for today's ride.
With all the lushness after April's dreariness (discussed in many April blog entries that you can go to by clicking here for one of them and from there you may go to others if you like), the contrast of my garden during the long winter, coupled with (for the most part) the dreariness of April, with the lushness of my garden beginning to flourish on this May morning are not unlike the bleakness I felt last year at the Five Boro Bike Tour, but am experiencing the hope for enjoyment today.
In any event, its May! It's May! And the song of the same name (from the musical Camelot) is on my mind as I water my herbs, plants, shrubs, and trees this morning, and if you'd like to join in on that fun song as you view my garden photographs here's the link.
Guinevere:
It's May! It's May!
The lusty month of May!
The lovely month when ev'ryone goes
Blissfully astray.
It's here, It's here!
That shocking time of year
When tons of wicked little thoughts
Merrily appear!
It's May! It's May!
That gorgeous holiday
When ev'ry maiden prays that her lad
Will be a cad!
It's mad! It's gay!
A libelous display!
Those dreary vows that ev'ryone takes,
Ev'ryone breaks.
Evr'yone makes divine mistakes
The lusty month of May!
Whence this fragrance wafting through the air?
What sweet feelings does its scent transmute?
Whence this perfume is floating ev'rywhere?
Don't you know it's the dear forbidden fruit?
Tra la la la la1 That dear forbidden fruit!
Guinevere and Chorus:
Tra la la la la !
Tra la la la la !
Tra la la la la !
Tra la la la la !
Tra la la la la !
Guinevere:
Tra la! It's May!
That lusty month of May!
That darling month when evr'yone throws
Self-control away.
It's time to do
A wretched thing or two,
And try to make each precious day
One you'll always rue!
It's May! It's May!
The month of 'yes you may,'
The time for evr'y frivolous whim,
Proper or 'im.'
It's wild! It's gay!
Depraved in every way
The birds and bees with all of their vast
Amorous past
Gaze at the human race aghast,
The lusty month of May!
Guinevere and Chorus:
Tra la! It's May!
The lusty month of May!
The lovely month when ev'ryone goes
Blissfully astray.
Tra la! It's here!
That shocking time of year
When tons of wicked little thoughts
Merrily appear.
It's May! It's May!
The month of great dismay.
Guinevere:
When the world is brimming with fun,
Wholesome or 'un.'
Guinevere and Chorus:
It's mad! It's gay!
A libelous display!
Those dreary vows that ev'ryone takes,
Ev'ryone breaks.
Ev'ryone makes divine mistakes
The lusty month of May!
Well, dear reader, enjoy your May Day, and I'd like to hear how you are spending it. As for me, I could just fiddle around in the garden, but it's off to the Five Boro Ride . . .
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