the may flowers

Maybe the prettiest of all the months, May gifts us longer days, warmer breezes, plentiful bird call and the blossom of so many flowers. Each awakens us to mirror nature in its reinvention and rejuvenation.

In with the spring cleaning, the gardening, the late evenings, entertaining and celebrating the neatest and sweetest in life. Cultivating and nurturing one's new ideas, projects and plans this month ensures a robust and abundant summer and fall harvest. It's high spring and time to pursue with fervor a "permanent state of France."

available at the paris market: collected sea shells, deer shed, dried flowers, garden tools

May 1st - May Day/Beltane: May Day began as a festival of flowers. Beltane, falling on the same date, celebrates the same and adds a fire festival. You'll often see the color yellow used to represent the fire in May Day fests. Watch the sky for the full moon (called the Flower Moon, also called Milk, Mother's and Corn Planting Moon), Venus (hello, goddess of love and fertility) and Jupiter (king of the gods).  I use Sky Guide which is ah-MAY-zing.

May 5th - Cinco de Mayo:  Shooting rifles and lighting fireworks in response to Mexico's resistance to French rule in the 1860s, we now honor Mexican culture with family, food, dress, drink and dance.

May 10th - Mother's Day:  Brought to us in 1908 by Miss Anna Jarvis of West Virginia, she urged us to honor with thoughtfulness, handwritten notes and sentiment.  In 2015, honoring with flowers, fanfare and fireworks (and a hand-written note) also seems fine.

May 25th - Memorial Day:  Known also as Decoration Day, we are called to recognize the war dead by placing flowers at graves and memorial sites.  Because flowers bloom throughout the country at this time, the late May date suited.

available at the paris market:  clay votive pots, air plants (not pictured)

Blogging this week for The Paris Market, artist and collaborative designer katherine sandoz makes abstract paintings, fiber arts, illustration, portraits and collaborative works of art in a barn behind her home in Savannah, Georgia. The flora and fauna of the low-country serve as fodder for her imagery. Her favorite season is plants and flowers with a warm breeze. With two explorer-warrior-hunter-gatherer grandfathers, one Swiss-French and one Jeffersonian Virginian,  Sandoz claims a genetic predisposition to loving The Paris Market experience.  

available at the paris market:  dried flowers, garden in a bag, garden tools, deer shed, sea harvest

On the Table : Winter by the Sea

Although some may think of sea shells as summer decorations, we on the other hand like to enjoy their beauty all year round! For one of our current tablescapes, we've set the scene for an evening of dining that is surrounded by inspiring aquatic curiosities. In addition to the sea life, we've incorporated our favorite white dishware to keep the place settings light and simple. Utilizing our vintage silver flatware as an accent not only helps unify the varied decor, but adds that extra special shine to the table as well. Taking a trip to the beach this time of year may very well be out of the question, but that won't stop us from enjoying a warm sea-inspired meal together!