Wednesday, May 1, 2013

May Day

   I remember May Day holiday since my childhood. Standing at my window I saw the flags, flowers, colorful balloons, merry men and women, who were singing, dancing and shouting going in middle of the street. I had not known the political significance of this holiday, because for the child it was just a joyous spring festival.
Here are the greeting cards had been sent to relatives and friends for this holiday in my childhood years.

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Later much has changed, the years have passed and the words in foreign languages appeared on greeting cards. The 1st of May began to be called Day of May and Peace.

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In recent years this holiday became known as the Spring Labor Day. And I like this name! Because it's a day off and I can go into my garden and work from the heart there. There are a lot of work after winter. 
Today I've raked the old leaves from the lawn,
re-planted the seedlings in bigger pots in my greenhouse,
cleaned the roses and cut their bad branches,
put some fertilizer under the blackcurrants and gooseberries,

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the gladioli bulbs with sprouts were planted in vases and boxes, I've raked the bed with garlic and sown the carrots, parsley and dill.

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As you see I've been enjoying in my garden in the Spring Labor Day...
I've made a pie with meat, tomatoes, onions and cheese because all gardeners are hungry after working 'from the heart'. Here it is:



These are the greeting cards are issued at the 1st of May now. They show how everyone works in that day. 

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Happy Spring Labor Day, dear bloggers and gardeners!

55 comments:

  1. Thank you! Happy Holidays!Happy Spring Labor Day, dear Nadegda!

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    1. Спасибо, Алла, Вас тоже с праздником весны и труда!

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  2. Pretty greeting cards, especially the last 4 are funny. In our country we have no day off on May 1st., but you did a good job in your garden. Your pie looks delicious.

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    1. This pie was delicious, I thought I might to put more meat, tomatoes, vegs, cheese there!
      Thank you, Janneke!

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  3. Dear Nadezda,
    You were gardening and we were Spring cleaning. I would prefer to be out in the garden. One day we will have one!
    You grow gooseberries - lucky you! I love making and eating gooseberry pie.
    Your pie looks good. How did you make it?
    Happy Spring Labour Day to you too!
    Bye for now,
    Kirk

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    1. Kirk, I think your place is very clean now!
      I love gooseberries, but he's so prickly! I always prick my fingers collecting berries, because it is not convenient to gather them in gloves on
      Cake recipe: normal yeast dough, roll it out thinly, put in a baking dish and put on the dough all that is in the fridge. The more you put, the tastier! Bake for 30-40 minutes at 200 C.
      Thank you!

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  4. Happy May 1 -- you got a lot done in your garden and it feels good, doesn't it? Such a nice reward to come in after a day of work and have a hearty meat and tomato pie for dinner. Yum.

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    1. Yes, it does! When I cooked this pie and ate some pieces, it was a real reward!
      Thank you, Laurrie!

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  5. Happy Holiday, Nadezda.
    I’ll be joining you in the garden. It will be so pleasant when the sun shines and the earth warms up and we can get our hands dirty again.

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    1. I love warm and friable soil but I never garden without the gloves, my skin badly reacts to moist soil.
      Happy gardening with your best helper Mollie.
      Thank you, Frico!

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  6. Hi Nadezda, I am also used to 1st May being an official day off, a day of political marking and a Labour Day - from Norway. Here in Britain there is no such thing, although there is a day off, the spring holiday is always moved to nearest Monday, there are no political or environmental causes being talked about and labourers are not mentioned. It’s simply a day off – on Monday next week.
    I hope you enjoyed your day and that you had just as nice weather as we had here in London :-)

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    1. I hope you will spend the next Monday in your garden and the weather will nice. It was nice 1st of May, with sunny sky and warm wind. And I did a lot of work that had to necessary be done.
      Thank you, Helene!

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  7. Happy Spring Labor Day, Nadezda! And enjoy that delicious looking pie :)

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  8. Well, it's nice to get a day off! I guess a rest from work is much like our Labor Day holiday, perhaps. Your pie looks so delicious.

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    1. Nowadays I like this holiday, because after long winter people have day off and spend it in gardens, woods, rivers, etc. I love to be in my garden this Labor Day.
      Thank you, Holley!

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  9. Those cards are very interesting - how the style of drawing, and also the message has changed over the years! Exciting to see your berry bushes leafing out - soon you will have some tasty jam.

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    1. Sure, I will have some berries, but not very soon!
      The cards and their texts changed, and I like that this holiday was named Labor Day.
      Thank you, Rebecca!

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  10. The pie looks delicious! Whatever you call it, a spring hoiday is a good thing. May 1 is not a holiday here, but we have "Labor Day" at the beginning of September, which is considered the end of summer. There are parades and picnics.

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    1. I know about your holiday Labor day, it was interesting to watch on TV!
      Thank you, Jason!

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  11. Dear Nadezda, Happy Spring Labor Day to you! I'm happy that you got the day off of work and got to work in your garden! I love the postcards and learning about your traditions. When I was a child May Day, as we call it, was celebrated by making simple paper baskets filling with them flowers and hanging them on the doorknobs of the houses of friends and family. We would knock on the door and then hide.

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    1. Interesting tradition, Peter! It's pity it didn't hold now. Did the people give you some sweet opening the door?
      Thank you!

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  12. Hi Nadezda, thank you! We had also a nice May Day with a walk through that lovely green and a visit in an ice cream shop ;-) When I was a child, the first time you wore a white dress and socks, but mostly it was too cold
    at 1.Mai and next to the front door were placed buckets with green branches.
    But now that's no more to see.

    Have a nice Mai!
    Meggie

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    1. I've read about the flowers left near the door. I can imagine the little girls in white dresses standing with green branches. It was so touching!
      Thank you, Meggie!

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  13. Dear Nadezda,Happy Spring Labor Day to you!So many things to do in the garden!!Your pie looks delicious!We are celebrating Labor Day,a day after our Orthodox Easter!I realy like your cards!!Have a lovely new month!
    Dimi..

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    1. Dimi,
      We here are preparing to Easter too.
      Have a nice holidays!

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  14. Hope you enjoyed your May Day holiday Nadezda. Your postcards are lovely. My granddaughter was born on May Day seven years ago and it was a beautiful day as it is today, blue sunny skies. She is taking part in a Maypole dance at her school on Friday which is an old English traditional way of celebrating the day. We here in the UK have a day's holiday on Monday, and chances are the weather will change as it often does! Have a great weekend in the garden.
    Patricia x

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    1. I wish the weather was great at your Day's holiday and all kids enjoyed the dance at your granddaughter's school, Patricia.
      Happy belated birthday to her!

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  15. Your cards are wonderful - I don't think I've ever seen any May Day celebrations.

    Happy May to you, I hope it is beautiful where you are.

    Pie, oh yes may I have some please, gardening is hard work!

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    1. Barb, the pie is delicious, help yourself, please!
      Thank you!

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  16. Hi, Nadezda, Happy Spring Labor Day! Yes, it's sunny in Japany today and really good season to work in a garden! I visited to my friend's garden today;) Hope you enjoyed the May Day!!

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    1. yes, I did, thank you, Keity!
      Have a nice gardening!

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  17. That pie certainly looks yummy! I enjoyed looking at the postcards. In France they have had pictures for the first of May also for many years. The 1st of May is Labor Day but mostly “Happiness and Good Luck Day” when people give some lily of the valley to their loved ones, family and friends to wish them good luck and happiness for the whole year. I wrote a post on it several years back, on 30 April 2011 http://avagabonde.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-intermission-entracte-no-10-may.html. It is a nice custom.

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    1. I love this name of holiday:"happiness and good luck". That's we all need!
      Lily of valley is my favorite wild flower, it is pleasantly smells.
      Thank you, Vagabonde!

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  18. Nice picture - great post.
    1 May Labour Day is something special I think., believe that it will market in many countries.
    In this country, who speaks of "famous people" politician / red banners etc.
    Wish you a good weekend :) Hugs Hanne Bente

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    1. I'm glad that here this day is Labor Day and nothing of politics.
      I prefer to work in my garden in day off.
      Thank you, Hanne Bente!

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  19. Hi there! I really enjoyed this post. I don't recall ever celebrating May 1st. It sounds like you got a lot done in your garden, and still managed to make that delicious looking pie....yummy!! I look forward to visiting again.

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  20. Our Labor Day is in early September, but I like the idea of a spring Labor Day! I think everyone is ready to get outdoors and do some clean-up in the spring, even if they're not gardeners.

    Your crocuses on your last post are so cheery!

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    1. It might be two Labor Days,gardeners always have what to do in the gardens.
      Thank you, Rose!

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  21. We do not have a traditional holiday or celebration on the 1st of May here in Canada. Our big holiday comes later in the month on Victoria Day which is the first long weekend of the summer. Your pie for Spring Labor Day looks really delicious Nadezda. Is that cheese on the bottom layer of the pie and is it like a savoury cheesecake? Happy Spring Labor Day to you!

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    1. Jennifer,
      I do normal yeast dough, then roll it out thinly, put it in a baking dish and put on the dough layers:meat, onion, vegs, tomatoes, and grated cheese on the top. It's very simple recipe.
      Thank you!

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  22. Hi Nadezda, this has been my first visit to your blog and I have really enjoyed reading your post. It is so interesting to see what is happening in your garden ! And the pie looks as if it will satisfy the hungriest of gardeners !

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  23. Such a lovely post, Nadezda! Beautiful cards. I was also raking and working in the garden. I have a lot of work there..

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    1. Satu, we all are glad to have a lot of work in the garden!
      Thank you!

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  24. That reminds me - I must put fertiliser on my gooseberry bushes too! :)

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    1. Glad my post is such useful, thank you, Jenny!

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  25. Now we're happy, there is so much to do all at once! Nadezda that pie looks truly delicious :) Would you mind sharing the recipe, pretty please?

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    1. Rosemary, we all do 'all and at once' and then my back says 'Uh!' :))
      This recipe is very simple:
      I do (or buy) normal yeast dough,
      then roll it out thinly,
      put in a baking dish,
      put on the dough all that you want. I put one layer meat, another layer veges (tomatoes, onions, etc)
      grated cheese on the top
      Bake for 30-40 minutes at 200 C. (350-380 F)

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    2. Thank you Nadezda, I can't wait to try this!

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  26. Llego tarde, he estado de médicos en Madrid.
    Dentro de nada tu jardin estará precioso y lleno de flores.
    El pastel seguro que estaba riquisimo:))
    Un beso

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    1. Laura, espero que estas mejor, ten cuidada con tu espalda!
      El pastel estaba tan rico que desaparecio muy pronto.
      Gracias!

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