These flowering woody plants are in the olive family, known for producing fragrant purple blooms which are often the same color as their name!
Lilac
Although the species stands for renewal and confidence overall, each color of lilac has its own specific meaning. White lilacs represent purity and innocence, while purple lilacs symbolize spirituality. If the blooms edge more on the blue side of the color wheel, they symbolize happiness and tranquility. Magenta lilacs symbolize love and passion. The yellow variety of lilacs, 'Primrose', is not a common sight in American gardens, and was only introduced in 1949, so it's not known to carry any symbolic meaning.
What day is May Day celebrated on?
May 1st
May Day, day commemorating the historic struggles and gains made by workers and the labour movement, observed in many countries on May 1. In Europe May 1 was historically associated with rural pagan festivals, but the original meaning of the day was gradually replaced by the modern association with the labour movement. In the Soviet Union, leaders embraced the new holiday, believing it would encourage workers in Europe and the United States to unite against capitalism.
What types of weapons do Jedi Knights use?
Lightsabers!
The lightsaber is the weapon of a Jedi, an elegant weapon of a more civilized age. It can be used to cut through blast doors or enemies alike. Using the Force, a Jedi can predict and deflect incoming blaster bolts, and reflect them.
What does the Spanish phrase "Cinco de Mayo" mean in English?
"The Fifth of May"
This day is also known as Battle of Puebla Day. It celebrates the Mexican Army's victory over France at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, during the French-Mexican War, according to History.
Who was snoring when it was raining and pouring?
The old man!
According to questionable sources, the old man never woke up again because he suffered a fatal head trauma after cracking his head. “That's right,” she said. “So there you have it, a cautionary tale to remind us that when it's raining and pouring, don't drink so much that you bump your head or you could end up dead.”
These small colorful flowers are also sometimes called violas or violets, known for how quickly they come up as soon as the weather gets warm.
Pansies
The English term ‘pansy’ is derived from the French pensée, meaning ‘thought’. The flowers are often associated with virtuous humility and tender, playful or fleeting love. In Victorian England, lovers communicated their ‘thoughts’ of love by sending a bundle of herbs wrapped around a small bouquet of wild flowers; at its heart was a pansy. These small posies were a way of expressing love; the single pansy conveyed the message, ‘I am thinking of you.’
True or False: May Day is celebrated as Lei Day in Hawaii.
True!
The first Lei Day was celebrated on May 1, 1927 with a few people wearing lei in downtown Honolulu. Over time, more and more people began to wear lei on May 1, and thus began the tradition of “May Day is Lei Day in Hawai'i.” The first lei Queen, Miss Nina Bowman, was crowned by Honolulu Mayor Charles Arnold in 1928. A lei is a common symbol of love, friendship, celebration, honor or greeting. In essence, it is a symbol of Aloha. In ancient Hawaii, wearing a lei represented wealth, royalty and rank. It is also associated with hula, religion and geography.
True or False: The two droids which are featured in many adventures throughout the Star Wars series are called C-5PO and R4-D4.
False! They are called C-3PO and R2-D2.
Some people actually believe that R2-D2 is the main character of Star Wars! He's appeared in every main saga film, he's witnessed the rise and fall of the Galactic Empire, and when all hope was lost for the Resistance, he even kicked off this new Disney era of the franchise by helping the heroes locate Luke Skywalker.
True or False: Cinco de Mayo is Mexico's Independence Day.
False!
Cinco de Mayo is often confused with Mexican Independence Day. But it actually commemorates a significant battle during the Franco-Mexican War that took place in Puebla.
True or False: The classic nursery rhyme goes Luke and Lill went up the hill to fetch a pair of water.
False, it's Jack and Jill!
According to the Kilmersdon story, Jack and Jill were a couple expecting a baby. As the lyrics passed down to us attest, Jack popped out to fetch water but had an accident on the hill and sadly died. Jill experienced a heartbreak so severe that she passed away just after giving birth to her son.
These woodland flowering plants are sweetly scented with small pendent, bell-shaped white flowers.
Lily of the Valley
A symbol of purity, joy, love, sincerity, happiness and luck, lily of the valley has much significance beyond the United Kingdom. It's actually the national flower of Finland, and in France, on 1st May for La Fête du Muguet, lily of the valleys are gifted to loved ones.
May Day festivities are traditionally linked to the celebration of what?
a. Fun and Folly
b. Rebirth
c. Fertility
d. Death
c. Fertility
The May Day celebration is believed to date back to the Roman era, with festivals worldwide taking place to promote fertility and new life. In medieval times the celebrations would regularly centre round a village green where dancing would ensue. A May King and Queen who would be crowned and they would be dressed in green to symbolise fertility.
The name of Han Solo's ship is the Millennium _________.
a. Buzzard
b. Eagle
c. Hawk
d. Falcon
d. Falcon
The Falcon looks like a worn-out junker, but beneath her hull she's full of surprises. A succession of owners, including Lando Calrissian and Han Solo, have made special modifications that boosted the freighter's speed, shielding and firepower to impressive – and downright illegal – levels.
Who did the Mexican army fight in the battle in Puebla on May 5th?
a. The Russians
b. The British
c. The Americans
d. The French
d. The French
The Mexican Army was largely outnumbered and poorly supplied, with only outdated guns. Yet, as few as 2,000 Mexican soldiers—some of whom hid behind tall cactus plants—defeated 6,000 French soldiers during the battle, which lasted from daybreak to early evening. The Mexican's "rag-tag army" intercepted the superior French army in Puebla as they attempted to make their way to Mexico City, forcing the French to retreat. The French were forced to wait for reinforcements, which took almost a year to arrive.
Who was the little girl that lost her sheep and couldn't tell where to find them?
a. Big
b. Little
c. Giant
d. Tiny
b. Little Bo-Peep
The original story is about a little shepherdess who loses her sheep. Her name may have come from a 16th-century children's peek-a-boo game in England known as “Bo-Peep.” The game was even referenced in a scene in Shakespeare's King Lear.
These flowers are sometimes referred to as cranesbills, found in many different temperate regions in variations of annuals, biennials and perennials.
Geraniums
Scented geraniums release a fragrance when their leaves are touched. The most popular scented geranium is often sold as a mosquito plant, as its leaves release a lemon or citronella scent. Research doesn’t support the claims that it will repel mosquitoes, but it is an attractive and fragrant plant for summer gardens. The geranium flower’s message depends on the situation. As a housewarming gift it may represent friendship or wishes for good health. While its meaning is sometimes contradictory, most Americans view the geranium flower as a symbol of happiness and positive emotions. These flowers are ideal for adding color and scent to window boxes, hanging baskets and container gardens. They are often presented at special occasions such as promotions and retirements.
What do young children dance around while holding brightly colored ribbons on May Day?
The Maypole!
A maypole may be raised on the celebration day of May 1st or it may be kept up all year long. The maypole may be painted with different colors, or it can be decorated with greenery and flowers in preparation for the celebratory dance around the maypole. The meaning of the maypole dance is to celebrate the spring and the upcoming summer seasons. It is also a celebration of nature and fertility.
Who is the creator of Star Wars?
George Lucas
George Walton Lucas Jr. (born May 14, 1944) is an American filmmaker and philanthropist. Lucas created the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises and founded Lucasfilm, LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic and THX. He served as chairman of Lucasfilm, before selling it to The Walt Disney Company in 2012. Lucas is one of history's most financially successful filmmakers and has been nominated for four Academy Awards. Lucas personally directed or conceived ten of the 100 highest-grossing movies at the North American box office.
Mexican citizens do not actually call the celebration Cinco de Mayo but instead call it "El Día de la Batalla de Puebla", which translates to what?
"The Day of the Battle of Puebla"
During the Battle of Puebla (May 5, 1862), invading French troops were repulsed there by a much smaller Mexican force under the command of Gen. Ignacio Zaragoza; thereafter the city was renamed Puebla de Zaragoza, and May 5 (Cinco de Mayo) became a Mexican national holiday.
What are some of the things mama (or papa) promises to get if their little baby hushes and doesn't say a word?
A mockingbird, diamond ring, looking glass, billy goat, cart and bull, dog named rover and a horse and cart!
"Hush, Little Baby" is a traditional lullaby, thought to have been written in the Southern United States. The lyrics are from the point of view of a parent trying to appease an upset child by promising to give them a gift.
This Asian flowering plant belongs to the Poppy family, valued for it's signature shape and often cultivated in small fairy gardens.
Bleeding Heart
For some, Bleeding Hearts symbolize sorrow and lost love. For others, it is a symbol of beauty and positive energy. Bloom colors are often associated with positive energy, love, friendship, and warmth at home. There is a dark side to this beauty: the flowers are poisonous. All parts of the plant are poisonous if ingested. Even so, Bleeding Hearts received the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.
The traditional, pagan observance of May Day is founded in it occurring almost directly between which two astronomical events?
The Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice
The astronomical foundation of May Day lies in it falling almost midway between the vernal equinox (usually 20 March) and the summer solstice (usually 21 June) in the Northern Hemisphere, the part of the world where May Day festivals are often relegated to.
Who are some of the classic Star Wars characters? Who is your favorite?
Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Yoda and Darth Vader!
Surprisingly, Darth Vader is actually the most highly known and iconic Star Wars characters! We don’t think it’s going too far to suggest that here is the single most iconic screen villain of all time: his appearance is terrifying, his voice bone-chilling, his words pure, dripping evil.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt helped create which policy which helped the celebration of The Battle of Puebla gain popularity and established positive exchanges and relationships with Latin Americans?
The Good Neighbor Policy
Although it was celebrated in the United States just weeks after the Battle of Puebla, Cinco de Mayo didn't gain traction in the US until 1933. That's when President Franklin D. Roosevelt helped create the "Good Neighbor Policy," which aimed to establish positive exchanges and relationships with our Latin American neighbors. A few weeks after the Battle of Puebla, Americans and Latinos in California heard about the valiant efforts of Mexican soldiers through newspaper reports. Residents in the state were so excited that they celebrated with parades of people dressed in Civil War uniforms. In Northern California, one town partied with drinks, food, and banquets—it was most likely the first Cinco de Mayo fiesta in the United States!
Finish the Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes:
1. One, two, buckle my _____!
2. Baa baa black _____, have you any _____?
3. Mary, Mary quite ________, how does your _______ _____?
4. Little Miss Muffet sat ___ ___ ______, eating her _____ ____ _____.
1. One, two, buckle my shoe!
2. Baa baa black sheep, have you any wool?
3. Mary, Mary quite contrary, how does your garden grow?
4. Little Miss Muffet sat on her tuffet, eating her curds and whey.