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celebrate the holiday by simply doing kind deeds for their neighbors. Thankfully, there’s little cause for mayday on May Day. MAY’S MOST FAMOUS SHIP The Mayflower, named after the English word for the small, white hawthorn flower, served as a merchant ship before making its biggest voyage in 1620 from England to the eastern coast of North America. But the Mayflower was one of many. There were actually dozens of English ships named Mayflower, and in 1620, today’s most famous ship in the bunch headed
down the River Thames into the English Channel with another boat, the Speedwell. A group of Puritans and others fleeing religious persecution boarded the vessels, hoping for a new home in the West. But there’s a reason why we only recognize the Mayflower and why the Speedwell has been forgotten for most of history. Just as the two ships began their journey in August, the Speedwell sprang a leak. Waiting for repairs pushed the journey’s start date to September, and that attempt was just as unsuccessful. After this second leak on the Speedwell, weary travelers either gave up on the trek altogether or joined the hopeful Pilgrims on the Mayflower. In November 1620, after a treacherous, dangerous, and deadly journey, the Mayflower finally landed in present-day Cape Cod. The rest is history — literally. LIVING LIKE A MAYFLY Life is short, especially if you’re a mayfly. To no surprise, mayflies hatch in May, but they traditionally only live a few days. Most of that
time is spent mating and reproducing, which mayflies are particularly skilled at. The average female mayfly can lay anywhere between 400–3,000 eggs. After being dropped in water, the eggs grow and mature before hatching every May. Many people who live near rivers have come to expect the mayflies’ uncanny ability to blanket entire towns in a mask of creepy-crawlies when they hatch each spring. Despite their short lifespans, mayflies are actually powerful little creatures. Fish feed on the insects and their carcasses, making them popular bait among fishermen. Scientists even use mayfly eggs as a marker for water pollution and clarity. The eggs are extremely sensitive to pollution of any kind, and only one-fourth survive mild pollution. Still, researchers believe mayflies are evolutionary wonders. They are believed to have been around before dinosaurs, and the famed Greek philosopher Aristotle even mentioned mayflies in his writing. If there’s one thing you take away from this article, it should be that we could all live a little bit more like the mayfly and seize the day.
THE TIMELESS CHARMOF THE DRIVE-INMOVIE Plus, How to Create Your Own Outdoor Cinema
Summertime is synonymous with many childhood experiences: hours splashing in the pool, sleepaway camp, and snow cones, to name a few. A quintessential summer destination that isn’t as common these days is the drive-in theater, yet many childhood memories are built on this little bit of nostalgia. The first drive-in theater opened in 1933 in Camden, New Jersey. At the time, films cost 25 cents per person, plus 25 cents per car, and drive-ins usually got movies in the second run, after they’d shown at indoor theaters. The trend started off slow, but by the ‘50s, Americans had fully embraced the outdoor theater experience. The ‘80s brought a charismatic Michael J. Fox to audiences in “Back to the Future,” and shortly after, “The Sandlot” hit the big screen and gave us lines that we’d quote for the next decade (“You’re killin’me, Smalls!”).
As of 2018, USA Today estimated that only about 330 drive-in theaters still exist in the United States. But if you don’t have one in your area, there’s a way you can enjoy the outdoor movie experience without having to leave your backyard. Your outdoor cinema starts with a projector. If you don’t have one, they are readily available to purchase at most big-box stores. For playing the movie, you’ll need a laptop and streaming service or a DVD or Blu-ray player. You’ll connect these devices to your projector through an HDMI port. As long as you’re not broadcasting to the whole neighborhood, stereo or computer speakers should be just fine, but you can also opt for a Bluetooth speaker that will give your audio a big boost. Next, you’ll need a flat surface to display the movie. A plain, white bedsheet makes a good screen, or you can make your own with white
fabric from craft stores or online. Cushions, blankets, and outdoor hanging lights add a fun touch to your cinema. Just be sure to turn the lights off before the movie begins — and silence those cellphones! Once your setup is complete, select your movie, get the popcorn popping, and enjoy some movie magic right in your backyard.
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