Maypole Mayday!

I couldn't resist the chance to dance the maypole for the first time in quite a few years. One of the regular dancers had finagled the Sunday Waltz for May to celebrate her birthday, launching it with a maypole dance beforehand.

My serious dancing days have been curtailed by painful bonespurs and unhappy joints in both knees, but dancing the maypole is so untaxing, and this situation was full of folks who'd never done it before, so the pace was even slower. Dancing, perse didn't really happen so much as we moved around the pole with music going on in the background.

The day was gorgeous, with lilacs in full fragrant bloom, and the maypole outside. She'd made a truly gorgeous maypole with thick grossgrain ribbons, provided a fine accordionist and instructed the group well. We got o'erly photographed, videoed and whatnot. I hung about for awhile when the action moved inside to waltz, and had a most gratifying afternoon. The rest of the piano player's band didn't show up - a scheduling mixup - and she didn't want to play alone. I play with her in another band, so she's familiar with me. I zipped home, gathered up autoharp, waltz music books, a tinwhistle and harmnonica for Dale and dashed back. The accordion player was willing and very very able to play whatever we had music for, so we played. I'm most fond of 3/4 time anyhow, I knew most of the tunes we did, stumbled only minimally, and enjoyed myself immensely. It didn't cross my mind that I'd get paid, being a last minute addition: THAT was a huge, and welcome surprise. (and of course, goes in my 'get a concertina' fund). A lovely thing to be so directly rewarded for helping out. Lovelier still, that I as able to do so, playing the music that fills my heart.