Friday, April 30, 2010

HAPPY MAY DAY AND RUN FOR THE ROSES!

Tomorrow is May Day & The Kentucky Derby...a huge day in the South! However, there will be no pretty 'May Day Baskets' or mint juleps in my day! Beginning at 6:00 tonight and ending tomorrow at noon, I will be participating in the Cancer Society's Relay for Life to honor and support my friend Jan Taylor, who is battling liver cancer. You can read more about this story here. This time tomorrow, I will hopefully be resting my poor ole feet and snoozing!

I thought I would show y'all a previous blog post I did about 'May Day Baskets' and the Derby...

~May Day Basket~
I think it's such a sweet tradition (bringing in May) to create a May Day Basket and leave it on someone's door handle--just ring the bell and scoot! You can give them to friends, family, or elderly neighbors. The basket can be of any shape or style and contain flowers, cookies, candy, or maybe even tea and scones. For my basket, I used a green toile container, added some fresh spring flowers, and a green gingham ribbon to tie the basket to the door handle...very simple, very Southern.
~ Run for the Roses~
And they're off! Tomorrow, at 6:24 p.m. E.S.T. it's post time for the 136th running of the Kentucky Derby. In the world of sports, there is not a more moving moment than the one when the horses step onto the track for the Kentucky Derby post parade and the band strikes up "My Old Kentucky Home." Those ladies decked out in their spring outfits and gorgeous hats, what a fashion parade!

On Derby Day it's time for mint juleps*. It's not surprising that mint juleps are popular in the South, mint is a symbol of hospitality and this drink brings forth the ideal image of genteel gatherings sprinkled with that sweet Southern drawl...

It is considered proper to drink mint juleps with a sterling mint julep straw/spoon. Simply use the spoon to stir the julep and sip your beverage through the tiny hole at the end. This is one of the very few times a lady should use a straw to drink a beverage. It's also acceptable to use a straw when you are drinking a coke out of a can or when you've "taken ill and are in the bed."

A sterling mint julep straw/spoon...stir with one end and sip from the other...Could you possibly get more Southern?


*Recipe for Miss Janice's Mint Julep
1 tblsp. granulated sugar
8 mint leaves
1 tblsp. water
4 oz. Kentucky bourban
Crushed ice
Sprig of fresh mint

Place sugar and mint leaves in a small bowl. Bruise mint well and muddle with sugar until they form paste. Add water and stir well. Add bourban; pour into julep cups (which have been frosted in the freezer) and fill with crushed ice. Insert sprig of fresh mint and silver straw. Each julep should be made separately.

~Derby Party Hostess Gift~
Y'all know Miss Janice always likes to take a gift to the hostess. I found this Mint Julep mix at TJ Maxx. I kind of like the package, but that thing attached...and that tacky ribbon. No ma'am, it's cute, but not cute enough for moi...
I took the julep mix out of the package, placed it inside a silver mint julep cup, made a gift card with several recipes printed on the back of the card, and attached a silver mint julep straw/spoon with a green dotted ribbon. I wanted it to be Southern...and Memorable.


Thank you so much for stopping by today. I'm off to get ready for the Relay for Life event. If you are my friend on Facebook {Janice Sessums Gibson} or Twitter {www.twitter.com/socialgraces101}, please chat with me tonight...I'll be UP ALL NIGHT, y'all!

Remember, it's the little things that you do for others that makes the day special and memorable.

21 comments:

  1. I will be on facebook this evening so I will look for you :O)

    I love what you did the the drink mix! I would love to get my hands on some julep cups!

    Have you see how Ina uses them? I think they look fabu as a vase!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Prayer for your friend Jan. My daughter's have done the "relay" it is very moving.

    I have never seen the silver mint julep straws, I will be on the lookout. I have the cups.

    Have fun!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love your hostess gift. How very Southern. My prayers are with your friend.

    ReplyDelete
  4. You are just the most precious little thing Miss Janice :) Glad to know that I meet your approval per my straw/beverage consumption preferences (Diet Coke and that is all!). Have a friend who has a May Day birthday- I am going to have to find some tulips to scoot over and leave in a basket on her door :) Loved doing that when I was little.

    Happy Weekend!

    xoox

    kHm

    ReplyDelete
  5. I've always wondered about the straw in the Coke can thing... now I know! You are indeed a lady of knowledge, Miss Janice!!! Happy Derby/May Day! xo

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'll be thinking about you tonight and am thankful for people like you who do what they can to support cancer research. My daddy passed away almost two years ago from brain and liver cancer. What you're doing makes a big difference! Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  7. This post is so full of wonderful, the May Day basket you put together is just darling, your mint juleps look fabulous and I wish I could be sipping one with you right now, and your hostess gifts are amazing!

    I am praying for your friend Jan and will look for you on Twitter tonight. XOXO Happy May Day!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Your last comment is so true! Others are very important in my life. I've prayed for Jan and hope she is doing better.
    I'll be cheering you on in spirit tonight.
    Your hostess gift was darling.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Mint julep cups are the best... I use them all over the house!

    Go Miss Janice! You can do it!

    ReplyDelete
  10. If I ever get married I am going to use wishful thinking and register for mint julep cups!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Prayers for your friend Jan. So pretty, so young. I hope God hears. And blessings on you and your house for being so caring. Miss Janice, you so make me think of home and the little things that mean so much. I love my mint julip cups (a friend gave me a tray and six pewter cups years ago)...and love more when friends come to visit...and I've filed away your clever/elegant mint julep gift idea. Thanks for the tip...been away from the computer a bit, relaxing with your blog is a treat. (Rest and get some snoozes.)

    ReplyDelete
  12. will be thinking of you and your dear friend in her fight!
    your mint julep etiquette is wonderful! unfortunately i do not have enough silver julep cups for the number i'm entertaining, but all this is good to know! of course there will be plenty of roses at the party, tho! happy may!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Will be thinking and praying for you (and Jan) tomorrow.
    Enjoyed the rest of your blog - makes me thirsty!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Good luck tonight! I will be thinking of you and your friend Jan. Check out my post Monday. I visited the Kroger where they made the garland of roses last night. Jennifer

    ReplyDelete
  15. What a fun post! I adore mint juleps and of course they are perfect for today...Derby day!

    The May basket is just darling...I am going to copy and put one on my door!

    You are just filled with wonderful ideas...I am so glad that I found you! I am soooo enjoying my visits here!

    Enjoy!
    Cathy

    ReplyDelete
  16. Miss Janice, I will be eager to hear how you did on your walk. We don't walk until June 12.
    Thinking of you & wishing we were sitting in porch rockers together drinking mint juleps!
    xo, Cheryl

    ReplyDelete
  17. I love the hostess gift you made - how perfect!

    The May Day basket is such a charming decoration!

    Manuela

    ReplyDelete
  18. I hope Relay for Life went well for you! I did it a couple of years back and it was a really memorable experience, a lot of fun, good exercise (!) and most importantly, for a great cause. Good for you!

    ReplyDelete
  19. You might like my Derby post...your header is beautiful...Sunday evening blog hopping.....
    Have 2 great giveaways that I am drawing for on late tonight.....
    Hope you will stop by.
    http://grammyababychangeseverything.blogspot.com/2010/04/oh-happy-day-and-giveway-no-two.html

    ReplyDelete
  20. What a beautiful hostess gift! Congratulations on your participation in the relay. Such a worthy cause.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Ohhhhhh, I so want to do a May basket for my Mom. How very sweet!

    ReplyDelete