May(be Baby)

I'm a little late with the "It's Gonna Be May" and "May the Fourth Be With You" (and also with you!  hahaha!  a little Catholic humor thrown in for giggles.  I can't resist!) memes.  And I'm also a day late for Cinco de Mayo (or Cinco de Drinko as I like to call it). 

However, I am posting on the day Meghan Markle finally gave birth to a bouncing baby boy!  Yay!  Is it just me or does it seem like she was pregnant forever?  I asked Coach the other day to weigh in on the rumors that she secretly already had the baby.  And he looked me dead in the eyes and said, "I have no idea who that is."  What?  In?  The?  Holy?  Hell????  We have a Harry and Megan wedding tea towel for God's sake!!!  Who is this man????

We had some crazy storms for a couple of days which is normal in North Texas this time of year but the weather in Dallas this past weekend was pretty close to perfect.  We had to cut down our big beautiful tree (see previous post) but this weekend we did a little project and installed a sun shade/sail over our patio area to provide some relief from the sun.  It's perfect and with the curtains blowing, the sun shade catching a breeze, all my candles and pillows, flowers . . . it's very intimate, relaxed and very boho!  We love sitting out there and it's easily one of our favorite spots! 

May

May is the fifth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian Calendars and the third of seven months to have a length of 31 days.

May is a month of spring in the Northern Hemisphere and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. Therefore, May in the Southern Hemisphere is the seasonal equivalent of November in the Northern Hemisphere and vice versa. Late May typically marks the start of the summer vacation season in the United States and Canada and ends on Labor Day, the first Monday of September.

The month of May (in Latin, Maius) was named for the Greek Goddess Maia, who was identified with the Roman era goddess of fertility, Bona Dea, whose festival was held in May. Conversely, the Roman poet Ovid provides a second etymology, in which he says that the month of May is named for the maiores, Latin for "elders," and that the following month (June) is named for the iuniores, or "young people" (Fasti VI.88).

 

Special devotions to the Virgin Mary take place in May.  I remember as a child, our elderly priest (whose name escapes me at this moment but he had snow white hair) always said prayers to honor Mary during his mass.  I don't remember another priest ever doing that and it always stuck out in my mind. 

Mayovka, in the context of the late Russian Empire, was a picnic in the countryside or in a park in the early days of May, hence the name. Eventually, "mayovka" (specifically, "proletarian mayovka") came to mean an illegal celebration of May 1 by revolutionary public, typically presented as an innocent picnic.

Eta Aquariids meteor shower appears in May. It is visible from about April 21 to about May 20 each year with peak activity on or around May 6. The Arietids shower from May 22 – July 2, and peaks on June 7. The Virginids also shower at various dates in May.

May's birthstone is the emerald which is emblematic of love and success.

The May birth flowers are the Lily of the Valley and the Crataegus monogyna.  Both are native throughout the cool temperate Northern Hemisphere in Asia, Europe, and in the southern Appalachian Mountains in the United States, but have been naturalized throughout the temperate climactic world.

The "Mayflower" Epigaea repens is a North American harbinger of May, and the floral emblem of both Nova Scotia and Massachusetts. Its native range extends from Newfoundland south to Florida, west to Kentucky in the southern range, and to Northwest Territories in the north.

The zodiac signs for the month of May are Taurus (until May 20) and Gemini (May 21 onwards).

In Catholic tradition, May is the Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Celiac Awareness Month

Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month

Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Awareness month

International Mediterranean Diet Month

Better Hearing and Speech Month

National Electrical Safety Month (United States)

Garden for Wildlife month

New Zealand Music Month (New Zealand)

Skin Cancer Awareness Month

National Smile Month (United Kingdom)

South Asian Heritage Month (International)

World Trade Month

Huntington's Disease Awareness Month (International)

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

National ALS Awareness Month

Bicycle Month (United States)

National Brain Tumor Awareness Month

National Burger Month

Community Action Awareness Month (North Dakota, United States)

National Foster Care Month (United States)

National Golf Month

Jewish American Heritage Month

Haitian Heritage Month

Hepatitis Awareness Month

Mental Health Awareness Month

National Military Appreciation Month

National Moving Month

Older Americans Month

National Osteoporosis Month

National Stroke Awareness Month

National Water Safety Month

National Corps Member Appreciation Month

 

Harry & Megs

When I initially saw Meghan Markle, now the Duchess of Sussex, step onto the steps of St. George's at Windsor Castle, I was a little disappointed.  I thought her gown was a little plain.  Elegant but very plain.  But, as the day went on and we heard more and more about the gown, the veil and the significance of the flowers in her bouquet, I thought the wedding gown was very appropriate and uniquely Meghan's style.  I think if she had gone a little more glitzy, she would have been labeled as an upstart American divorcee.

Clare Waight Keller is the first female Artistic Director at the historic French fashion house Givenchy and, according to the palace, Meghan and Waight Keller “worked closely together” when designing the royal wedding dress, which “epitomises a timeless minimal elegance referencing the codes of the iconic House of Givenchy and showcasing the expert craftsmanship of its world-renowned Parisian couture atelier founded in 1952.”

The simple, yet regal Givenchy wedding dress designed by Clare Waight Keller featured a stunning white bateau neck wedding gown with a hand-embroidered 16.5-foot silk tulle veil with flowers representing all 53 countries of the Commonwealth.

Meghan paid tribute to all 53 countries of the Commonwealth with her 5-meter long wedding veil, which represented the flowers of each Commonwealth country. Meghan also incorporated two flowers with personal meaning: Wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox), which is grown outside her Nottingham Cottage home with Prince Harry, and California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica), the state flower from her place of birth. Meghan’s veil also included “crops of wheat are delicately embroidered and blend into the flora, to symbolise love and charity,” the release said.
The silk and organza wedding veil took hundreds of hours of sewing, and workers had to wash their hands every 30 minutes to keep the tulle and threads pristine, according to the release about Meghan’s royal wedding dress. I think the veil was my favorite part.  I loved the symbolism! 

What a beautiful shot of the veil and the entrance to St. George's covered in flowers. 

 

 

This kid is totally McCauley Culkin-ing it.  #HomeAlone

 

 

 

Meghan’s veil was topped with Queen Mary’s diamond bandeau tiara, which was on loan from Queen Elizabeth. The Queen Mary diamond bandeau tiara, which was made in 1932 with a centre brooch of 10 diamonds dating back to 1893, features a band of 11 sections of diamonds and platinum.

The diamond bandeau was made for Queen Mary and specifically designed to accommodate the centre brooch,” a release about Meghan’s tiara said. “This brooch was given as a present to the then Princess Mary in 1893 by the County of Lincoln on her marriage to Prince George, Duke of York. The bandeau and the brooch were bequeathed by Queen Mary to The Queen in 1953. The Bride is wearing earrings and bracelet made by Cartier.

 

 

 

I also loved Meghan's make-up.  She looked so fresh and natural! 

 



 

 

 

 

And this, is a total James Bond moment.  Harry looks like a total stud and Meghan's arms in that Stella McCartney dress are everything!  And the Jag!!!

Wedding Hangover

Were you one of the crazy ones (like me!) who woke up super early Saturday morning to watch the Royal Wedding or did you watch a recap at a later time?  I woke up early for Diana and Charles and Kate and Will; I wasn't going to miss this one! 

Let's first talk about the most important but often overlooked factor of the day -- the weather!!!  The sun was shining, beautiful blue skies and London was in her glory!!  You don't get many perfect weather days in the dreary UK but Saturday was definitely one of them! 

I'm always impressed by the military precision in which the Palace organizes events.  I'm a stickler for being on-time (which, to me, equals "early") and they had arrivals on a tight, tight timeline.  Once the Queen arrived, that was it.  No tardy relations barreling through St. George's doors trying to slip into their seats unnoticed.  https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/the-royals/timeline-how-the-royal-wedding-will-unfold-1.3935417

And now on to the fashion!  Here are some of my favorite guest looks from Saturday: 

George and Amal Clooney

Diana's brother, Charles, Earl of Spencer, and his wife.

James Corden and his wife.  I love everything about her dress and fascinator -- the color, the cut and her accessories.  I had no idea his wife was so pretty!

Kitty Spencer, Diana's niece.  She's stunning! 

Pippa! 

Sarah Ferguson looked lovely in a combination of navy and pink. 

James Blount and his wife, Sofia Wellesley.  I think she was the best dressed guest at the wedding.  Quintessential British day wedding wear and a fabulous smile and fascinator!

 

David Beckham (notice I did not include a pic of Victoria.  That's because she looked like she was going to a funeral.  She always looks miserable!)

 

 

And now for the rest of the guests:

 

Oprah (could have ditched the sunglasses).  I do like her shoes, though! 

I like Serena's dress and fascinator but the necklace was distracting. 

OMG.  These two. 

All I can say is "bless their hearts." 

Eugenie looks like a 1960's flight attendant and her dress is too short for a Royal wedding (dress code is "at or below the knee"). 

 

But, I guess it's better than this: 

It's a Boy!!!

This morning's announcement from Kensington Palace:

Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge was safely delivered of a son at 1101hrs.

The baby weighs 8lbs 7oz.

The Duke of Cambridge was present for the birth.

Her Royal Highness and her child are both doing well.

So exciting!  Let the naming begin!  I correctly predicted the name "George" when he was born, I didn't have any favorites when Charlotte was born but I'm going with "James Phillip" or "Phillip James."  Maybe throw in an "Albert" or "Alfred" for good measure. 

I especially like this little tidbit:  "The birth weight of Will and Kate's second son makes him the heaviest royal baby to be born in over 100 years. In addition to being heavier than both of his siblings -- Prince George weighed 8 pounds 6 ounces at birth, while Charlotte weighed 8 pounds 3 ounces -- the unnamed newborn is also heavier than his grandfather Charles, father William and uncle Harry when they were born."

Seriously.  These two are just too darn cute.  Especially Charlotte. 

Next up . . . Harry and Meghan!  I've already ordered my official tea towel and my official teacup.  There will definitely be a viewing party at my house.  I remember waking up early to watch Charles and Diana, I watched William and Kate and I won't miss Harry! 

It's OK Thursday

It's OK . . .

 

...to intensely dislike Taylor Swift and her music.

...to find Taylor Swift's relationship with the Kennedy kid incredibly creepy.

...that my girl has been away at college for a week already!  Seriously.  It's OK.  She's loving every minute of it!

...to have slowly started to decorate for Fall.

...to love all this rain we've had.  Luv it!  Luv it!  Luv it!

...to be excited that our Ole Miss football tickets came in the mail!  Hotty Toddy! 

...that I hated the last book I read ("Seating Arrangements").  I'm now on to Emily Giffin's "Where We Belong."

...that Prince Harry had a good time in Vegas!  Go Harry!  Go Harry!