The Heart of the Phoenix by Barbara Bettis

 May Day was yesterday. I remember from younger days, my friends and I made May Baskets, usually from construction paper, and on the first day of May, filled the baskets with flowers. Then we’d hang them on the handles of doors in the neighborhood, ring the doorbell (or knock), and run.

We’d hide nearby to watch the door open and the baskets discovered. The smiles of pleasure the folks had as they picked up the flowers were gratifying to us kids.

In school, we also had Maypole dances—often at recess, or at Spring programs presented for parents. Inevitably one of the dancers would drop a streamer or go under when he or she should have gone over and the resulting colorful pattern would knotted. But that was all right. Our parents loved it anyway.

I don’t know if that’s done anymore; if not, it’s a shame. It was such a fun thing to do for others, plus we had a lot of fun making those baskets. My best friend was very artistic. She’d cut and paste pieces into lovely containers, make designs on the sides.

My talents stopped at rolling a sheet of paper into a cone. If I was lucky, I’d succeed in pasting a narrow strip on for a handle.

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Children have innocent fun with those traditions. They don’t realize the traditions have roots in ancient times. May 1 has been celebrated for thousands of years. In the Middle Ages, it was observed as the first day of Summer and was synonymous with Beltane, a Celtic celebration of summer held April 30-May 1. Ancient Romans celebrated the time as the Floralia, or the festival of Flora, goddess of flowers, although those festivities began April 27. 

Traditions may evolve over the years, but it’s important to remember them. And what better way than with a gift of flowers in a red paper cone placed on the door of someone special.

Did you do anything special to observe May Day when you were young?

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Some call him a ruthless mercenary; she calls him the knight of her heart.

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TWRP 

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Memories

Lady Evelynn’s childhood hero is home—bitter, hard, tempting as sin. And haunted by secrets. A now-grown Evie offers friendship, but Sir Stephen's cruel rejection crushes her, and she resolves to forget him. Yet when an unexpected war throws them together, she finds love isn’t so easy to dismiss. If only the king hadn’t betrothed her to another.

Can be cruel

Sir Stephen lives a double life while he seeks the treacherous outlaws who murdered his friends. Driven by revenge, he thinks his heart is closed to love. His childhood shadow, Lady Evie, unexpectedly challenges that belief. He rebuffs her, but he can’t forget her, although he knows she’s to wed the king’s favorite.

And deadly

When his drive for vengeance leads to Evie’s kidnapping, Stephen must choose between retribution and the love he’s denied too long. Surely King John will see reason.Convict the murderers; convince the king. Simple. Until a startling revelation threatens everything

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