First of May/Πρωτομαγιά

Tarcin, the ginger and his best friend Marco, the cat of my friend George,
 enjoying a fine May morning sunshine some years ago.

I tossed and turned last night thinking what to post today. 

It is the First of May!! 

Roses are blooming, there is new green and splashes of flowers everywhere, nature is giving birth to all this beauty... BUT I don't want to just talk about flowers.

 It would make me feel too happy/carefree/let's- go -dance -in- the -fields and yes, a little guilty (stupid me)

Why?


Πρωτομαγιά και καλό μήνα:)
Πολύ με βασάνισε το τι να γραψω σήμερα. Να γραψω για λελούδια και στεφάνια; Μού κάνει υπερβολικα τραλλαλα κι ανέμελο...γιατί, πώς να το κάνουμε, ανήκουμε σε μια γενιά πού δεν μπορεί εύκολα να ξεχάσει οσα έμαθε να συνδέει με την Πρωτομαγιά: 
Τα γεγονότα στο Σικαγο το 1886, Πρωτομαγιά 1936 στη Θεσσαλονικη, την εκτέλεση ανημερα Πρωτομαγια των 200 στην Καισαριανή, πορείες, διαδηλώσεις, Αλέκος Παναγούλης και λοιπά.
Θα μου βγει όμως μια θλιψη και ενα παιδιά-σηκωθείτε-να-βγούμε-στούς-δρόμους που δεν μου κάνει για σημερα...και μια που το πολιτικολογώ ελαφρώς το θέμα, η δικιά μας η γενια των πενηνταρηδων, βάρδα μην τα πάρει εντελώς!!
Στο τσάκ είμαστε για το " βαστατε Τουρκοι τ' αλογα!"

The first of May is a politically and emotionally charged day for a lot of people here-mainly for those over 50 like us ;)

 Our generation is the last to get actively politically involved in the years during and after the Greek junta, so for us the 1st of May will always keep the heavy historical burden of the 1886 Chicago strike, the 1944 execution of 200 Greek men by the Nazis etc etc...
BUT I don't want to  get gloomy on a glorious day like this.

What I love to do is open all windows, cuddle near my man and my felines,

enjoy my coffee

and listen to some of the songs that spell May for us :)

Μπαλκονόπορτες ορθάνοιχτες λοιπόν,το αποφασισα, και στο PC να παιζει τραγουδια πού πάντα θα ψιθυρίζουν "Ανοιξη"!!!
(κι αντε τώρα να μεταφράσω το "γαϊτανόφρυδο" στ΄αγγλικά...)

Aprili mou.
 Music and lyrics by M.Theodorakis, first sung by the legendary G.Bithikotsis in 1962*

Oh my blond April and May full of scents
I wonder how my heart can cope
amidst so much love and beauty


The neighborhood is filled with songs and kisses
The girl I love is Lenio
the girl I love is Lenio
...but, I'm keeping it a secret!


My star,my pale star
 a ray of moonlight is your brow, a fine silken thread
and my heart like a small bird is helplessy trapped


My flower,my scented flower,
my rose, I will come to meet your mother, I will meet your mother
and ask for her blessing and the hand of the girl I love.

For some mysterious reason, Tarcin adores all scents, even perfume,shampoo etc...
he goes bonkers with flowers and freshly washed hair...can't pull him out of it.

*The '60s witnessed the first great surge of talent  Greece had seen since the early 1900s'.

 That generation gave birth to dozens of composers,poets,singers,writers,actors,directors etc. 

They blazed new roads in their respective fields and are considered now classic. M.Theodorakis-the composer- is one of the most important of that generation. He is now well over 80.