Muguet (Lily of the Valley)

May first was Labor Day in France – yet another national holiday. As you drive along the forest road there were multiple vendors selling little clusters of muguet. Many of them were tied in clumps with moss on the bottom and tied together with a thin white thread. From my research I learned that King Henry of France started the holiday when he presented all of the Ladies in Waiting with the tender lilies. A couple hundred years later it was designated as a national holiday and now it’s just a great reason to stay home from work and enjoy walking in the forest searching for lily of the valley. Tradition says you present it to your friends for good luck.

When the Ames were visiting they bought me several bouquets of roses and one little lily of the valley plant. Little did any of us know of the history behind this little flower – but I consider it my “Great Luck” to have them as friends. Monique taught me a song about the flower that she learned as a young girl:

White coral bells upon a slender stalk
Lilies of the valley deck my garden walk.

Oh don’t you wish that you could hear them ring?
That would happen only when the fairy’s sing.

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