May Day reminds me of the woven colored paper baskets we made at Green Lake Elementary when I was very young. We cut quarter-inch wide strips (nice and even.stay on the carefully penciled lines) in pink, lavender, blue, and light green construction paper. Each strip was about 10" long. Carefully, we wove a bottom for our basket, then the sides to make a small box. When we added a handle, we had a May Basket to take home to our Moms.
     Someone made long cloth streamers in those same lovely Spring colors and hung them from the top of our school flagpole. enough of them so about 30 kids (a classroom full) could hold the end of a streamer and do "the grand right and left" to wind and weave them into a beautiful May Day Pole. The next group of kids took the ends and did the same dance in the other direction, unwinding the strands for the next class to wind. and so on..
     Funny, I can't remember ever doing that in the rain. My memory is always of a bright sunny day with little girls in light colored dresses and little boys in white shirts and navy or brown corduroy trousers.

    May Day was Vern's brother Melvin's birthday. He was born in Chicago to David and Ida Nordstrand in 1913 before they moved to the Ballard district of Seattle. Sadly, Mel is no longer with us.

Mel & Vern, Christmas 2004

     Both of Vern and Mel's parents, David and Ida Nordstrand were born in May. Ida lived to be almost 80 and David, 94.

David & Ida Nordstrand

    Brother Jack's son, Duane Joseph Pfister and sister Florence's daughter, Suzanne (Suzie) Burke came to us in May.

    That was also the birthday of my long time friend, Margaret Bavin. We met as Sophomores at Roosevelt High School and became inseparable buddies on the spot. "Miggs" and I spent most of our time together for the next ten years. We double-dated or just spent time together sewing or walking somewhere. mostly around Green Lake. After I acquired my Model A coupe, we traveled all over the northwest corner of this country during our vacations from work. Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, Glacier Park, Seaside Oregon, Crater Lake. even up to Canada to Spence's Bridge and Harrison Hot Springs.

Miggs

     Then, in 1942, at a mutual friend's wedding, she met John Medley and I met Vern and we were both soon married and raising our families. Our times together became fewer, as they lived on Lake Sammamish and we in Lake Forest Park and then Green Lake. I still consider her my closest friend after all these years.

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS TO MIGGS, DUANE, AND SUZIE
HAPPY MEMORIES OF MEL, DAVID ("DAD"),
AND GRANDMA IDA

    Vern and I chalked up our 62nd Anniversary May 13

    Check out the story of our Second Honeymoon in the link called Dorothea Writes.

    History House's opening ceremonies for their new exhibit featuring Northwest Seattle was a big success. There were at least 50 displays and a very good turnout. Vern and I were each given a handsome Certificate of Appreciation for our displays of our remembrances of Ballard.
     The exhibit will run until the end of July.

    Cousin Ken Nordstrand of International Falls sent us a recent copy of The Daily Journal containing an interview with him wherein he recalls a time in 1959 when The Rancheros (his music group) shared the stage with the already famous Johnny Cash. Still one of his neatest memories.

Kenny Nordstrand, Johnny Cash, Zee Porter & Marvin Rask

    Ryan made the President's List at WSU. Hooray for Ryan!

    John, Nancy, and Carolyn had a good and busy time in Tulsa where they went to be part of Nan's niece Giuli's wedding to her Ben. They took lots of pictures and enjoyed helping the young couple get moved into their house. Giuli and Ben were graduated from Oral Roberts University . Two days later, they were married. It was a very full few days.. but wonderful.

Graduates Giuli & Ben

Bride Giuli, Bridesmaids Charlain, Abbey, niece Josie, & Alissa

     Nancy has step-family living in the area, too, so she and John were able to visit them on a ranch nearby. She got some good pictures of some beautiful horses. They left for home just in time to miss some big tornado warnings - Whew!

    Today (the 22nd) I received a complimentary copy of the tiny book "Oregon A to Z", which uses one of my pictures of Old Celilo Falls as its "C" page. The book is 3 ½" X 4"! It is a little jewel.

    My story The Bruise is now up on www.HistoryLink.org with one of my favorite pictures of Florence and me.

Thought for the day: Plan to be spontaneous--- tomorrow.

Dixie/Dorothea, Senior Editor

Home Page: Dixie-Press.com

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