today is may day, and traditionally in france people celebrate by exchanging les petits bouquets de muguet, or little bunches of lily-of-the-valley. on every corner in reims two years ago, vendors set up booths to sell the flowers for a couple of euros (sometimes the “booths” consisted of a folding chair and empty coffee cans full of bouquets). they smell like the loveliest spring day you could ever imagine. unlike the cherry blossom, which emits the newness and promise of sping, the lily-of-the-valley breathes full-on warm spring wondefulness. it’s an amalgam of rain on pavement, a gentle breeze, new leaves on trees and meadow all in one tiny flower bud.
i celebrated today by wearing caron’s “muguet de bonheur” perfume. it couldn’t smell lovelier and wearing it brings me joy. i also checked at a flower shop near my office to see if they had any of the flowers; the owner said she brought some in yesterday but someone bought the whole lot. she arranged to bring some in tomorrow, fresh from her garden. i’m going to pick them up before work. B has never smelled them before and i can’t wait to inhale. the whole apartment will smell beautiful.