This is long weekend for us. It's had a few changes along the way.
Originally this was a week end to celebrate Queen Victoria's birthday. For a while it was celebrated on the exact date of Queen Victoria's birthday.
After Queen Victoria died it became the time to celebrate the reigning monarch's birthday. That was a bit of a stretch as monarch's kept changing. It's still the day to celebrate the present monarch's birthday. However, nothing happens in any way as a celebration of the birthday.
Now the name has changed unofficially a bit. Many people just call it the May long weekend. In some places it's called a may two four referencing a case of beer. It's the first long weekend of the season so most people look at it as an opportunity to get out and have fun
The actual day has been mandated as the Monday before May 25.
Most people look forward to this weekend as the first camping holiday of the season. Now here's where the water gets muddy. This is still early in the season so in many cases the weather is very poor. I've camped in the snow a few times on this weekend until I gave up trying to camp.
It can be awesome weather. The first time the Micro Manager and I camped on this weekend was 1967 and it was awesome weather. However, we were the only people in the campground. We rented a canoe and paddled all day on the lake.
The present weather is very dull. We're supposed to get some rain and towards the Rocky Mountains it's supposed to snow.
What am I doing this long week end? Well, of course , I'm staying home!
For those Canadians who've gone out camping , have a fun week end.
We have a running joke around here that the May long weekend it always rains so it makes camping weekend a wet one. I never plant to go camping so it doesn't bother me but it is hard for those that love camping and look forward to the first weekend to do it. Interestingly we were supposed to have more rain but the skies opened up today and the sun came out. Now I see the weather forecast has changed and it may actually be a nice one for campers. I always enjoy this weekend because it falls close to my birthday and just makes me feel a bit of joy somehow. Enjoy your May long weekend.
ReplyDeletePeople look forward to getting out. When the weather is good it's a great weekend.
DeleteSounds like our Memorial Day weekend, just a week earlier. Lots of people go camping here too, but not me. I was always a fair weather camper. As retired folks, we stay home and let the vacationers have the traffic.
ReplyDeleteI stay home on this wee end too but I always used to get out.
DeleteHolidays are time to family reunions whether they come for one reason or for another
ReplyDeletecamping in snow?
Wow this is something we never tried ,sounds COOL IDEA lol
i bet the snowy day you paddled in the lake is unforgettable for you
such memories always cherish our heartbeat :)
hope staying home is also proving fun for you dear Red!
have wonderful weather ahead!
The day we paddled was a very sunny warm day. The weather here can be extremely nice or very bad at this time of year.
DeleteNothing more unpredictable than the weather, the same here, after some very nice spring weather we went back to cold and winds. But we are used to the ever changing temps. I should stay home if I was you
ReplyDeleteI haven't been out on the long May weekend for a long time. When I had a recreation property I always went out.
DeleteIt's also the weekend to open up the cottage. Turning on the hydro and water. It means line-ups in town, too. Crazy drivers, who think the rules don't apply in rural Ontario. Yep. Time to hibernate!
ReplyDeleteI went out when we had recreational property. Going to a campground these days is not fun.
DeleteI've never been camping, as we had a cottage for 50 years!
DeleteHello, enjoy your long weekend and Victoria Day!
ReplyDeleteI'll enjoy it. I stay home!
DeleteNext weekend is our first long one, Memorial Day weekend. It's our welcome to summer celebration, really. :-)
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of your Memorial weekend.
DeleteVery much like our Memorial Day, except instead of remembering the queen we're remembering people who died while serving in the armed forces. But really, for most, it's the official launch of summer when swimming pools open, the backyard barbecues come out, and plans get made for going to the beach.
ReplyDeletethere's not much remembering of the Queen here. That aspect of the weekend is not promoted. I like the idea of your Memorial weekend where you not only remember armed forces but relatives.
Delete...a Happy Victoria Day, Red!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteOn Parliament Hill, there's a twenty gun salute to Victoria at noon.
ReplyDeleteThat must be the only event remembering the Queen.
DeleteThanks for the info on the long weekend. Hope you enjoy. Ours will be next weekend, Memorial Day, like Tom described in his comment. Quick question: I see that Hiawatha House received the Laughing Horse Award in 2015 and 2017. I am curious about the criteria for winning that. :-) Do you get cash? :-)
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your long weekend, Red. It's probably a good decision to stay home in the age of unpredictable weather.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your weekend at home! We make a point to stay home on holiday weekends in order to avoid the crowds and the traffic.
ReplyDeleteI avoid long weekends for the same reason.
DeleteHave a good at-home long weekend, Red and MM :) We are doing the same, because it's cold and wet here. It's not camping weather, not cottage-opening weather, not good-for-anything weather except for staying home and reading :)
ReplyDeleteYounger people can survive and have fun in poorer weather.
DeleteHave a nice long weekend at home. We'll be staying put, as well. The weather is always iffy this time of year. Some years it's amazing, and other years it's cold and damp. You just never know!
ReplyDeleteCamping in the snow doesn't really work for me...:)
ReplyDeleteWell that was educational. I have to say that I didn't know the origin of the second May long weekend.
ReplyDeleteI guess that must be the source of our second May bank holiday (in the UK) as well? Or maybe not. I'll have to do some research on that! Ours isn't until next weekend.
ReplyDeleteAhhhh... We're having our long weekend now since it's the Memorial Day weekend. It was intended to recognize the men and women of the armed forces. But here in Hawaii, it's become a day to just remember those who passed before us.
ReplyDelete