Monthly Archives: May 2026
With the end of World War II in 1945, the United States, Great Britain, and France took control of western Germany, including the western half of Berlin, which was located deep in the east. The Soviet Union occupied eastern Germany and the other half of Berlin. As tensions from the Cold War grew between the western allies and the Soviets, it became clear that Germany wouldn’t be reunited. By the late 1940s, the United States moved to make the division official and create an independent western Germany, leading to the formal announcement of the Federal Republic of Germany in May 1949.
In 1954, West Germany became a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the mutual defense alliance between the United States and several European countries. Now, all that remained to give West Germany her independence again was for the Americans, British, and French to end their nearly decade-long occupation. 
That happened on May 5, 1955, when those nations issued a proclamation ending the military occupation of West Germany. Under a previously reached agreement, West Germany could now create a military force of up to half a million men and restart arms production, though it was banned from making chemical or atomic weapons.
When the Allied occupation of West Germany ended, it marked the full recognition of the republic as part of the Western alliance against the Soviet Union. Although the Russians weren’t exactly happy about a rearmed West Germany, they were relieved that reunification was no longer on the table. They wanted to keep control of their 
part of the old Germany. Not long after the May 5th proclamation, the Soviet Union officially recognized the Federal Republic of Germany. The two Germanys stayed divided until 1990, when they reunited to form a single democratic nation once again. It had been a very long road.
I’m sure that many people were very worried about Germany ever regaining any of its former power. It was easy to foresee a comeback of a Hitler-style terrorist nation, and that would simply be unacceptable. While much of the prejudice and hate of the Hitler era was gone for a time, we do see a resurgence of it these days, and that makes me very sad. There is simply no reason for it. I don’t understand why people can’t just accept other people as they are. Things like skin color and religious background should not matter. We all bleed red, and that makes us all the same…no matter what the haters think.
On May 4, 1776, Rhode Island, the smallest state in the United States, which was founded by radical religious dissenters from the Puritans of Massachusetts Bay Colony, became the first North American colony to break ties with King George III. Ironically, it was also the last state to ratify the United States Constitution, finally doing so over 14 years later on May 29, 1790. The residents of Rhoad Island were really a very “different” people. They were unconventional and, in some ways, difficult. Still, in many ways, they fit right in with the times.
In the 18th century, Rhode Island was a hub of the transatlantic slave trade, which was a common practice of that era. Molasses from the West Indies was turned into rum in local distilleries, then traded on the West African coast for enslaved people. Those slaves were then forced to endure the brutal middle passage across the Atlantic to the Caribbean, where the survivors of the trip were sold to plantation owners in exchange for more molasses, thus continuing the cycle.
The British at that time were trying to tighten control over colonial commerce, starting with the Sugar Act of 1764, which increased molasses duties and imposed stricter trade regulations. Rhode Islanders, eager to protect their profitable triangle trade, grew frustrated with British efforts to tighten control over them. Two major clashes followed during the protests of the late 1760s and early 1770s. On June 10, 1768, British customs officials seized John Hancock’s sloop Liberty for its past role in smuggling Madeira wine, sparking a riot in Boston. Four years later, near Providence, the British customs schooner Gaspee ran aground, and angry 
Rhode Islanders, resentful of what they saw as unfair taxes, boarded and burned the vessel, injuring its captain.
Rhode Island’s strong trade network caused nearly as much friction for the new American nation as it had for the British Empire. With thriving ports in Providence and Newport bringing in wealth, it was the only small state in 1787 that could realistically survive outside the proposed federal union. Unwilling to give up revenue from import duties to the federal government, Rhode Island resisted joining. It wasn’t until 1790, when they were faced with the heavier financial burdens of being treated as a foreign nation and all that entailed, that Rhode Island finally agreed to ratify the Constitution of the United States.
My son-in-law, Travis Royce, is a fun-loving guy. Travis is, in many ways, a born entertainer, and he loves entertaining. Travis has never heard a joke without knowing the punchline, and he always remembers them…probably because they just click for him. My guess is that he could anticipate the punch line before he has even finished hearing a new joke. Travis is a true comedian, and not only because he recalls punchlines, but also because he can make up jokes on the spot. Travis seeing humor everywhere. I enjoy talking with him because he always brings something fun to the table. I’m sure that is one of the things that drew my daughter, Amy Royce to him, and one of the things that kept their house filled with laughter when the kids, Shai and Caalab were little.
Travis has a pretty cool job working in the local tourism industry. One of his tasks is restocking tourism flyers around the area, and the best part is doing it on the ferry boats. To fill the racks there, he gets to ride the 
ferries, which sounds like a dream gig. Sometimes, when he works on weekends, Amy joins him, and they turn it into a fun day out. The actual work doesn’t take long, so they get plenty of time to just enjoy the ride. Maybe those trips could get routine, but it’s hard to imagine that happening with Travis. He seems to have a touch of wanderlust…he’s not one for constant travel, but he loves a good outing. Still, he’s happiest spending most evenings relaxing in the backyard.
Travis and Amy love their backyard and fixing it up. Every year brings a new addition to the design. Amy plants new flowers, and Travis improves the design of the yard to make it even more inviting than it already is. This year, Travis redesigned the firepit area, and it is beautiful. The whole family loves hanging out in the Royce backyard, as do all their friends. Their yard is the go-to hangout for all their friends. Travis has always loved yardwork, and now 
his efforts are paying off in a big way. They also have a recreation room with a pool table, bar, and seating area for their many friends. Here Travis, Caalab, and several friends hold regular jam sessions. Both of them are excellent guitar players, and I love listening to them play. Sometimes, Shai and Amy will sing along, but mostly it’s the guys paying the music they love…which for Travis is and has been Blues for many years. Today is Travis birthday. Happy birthday Travis!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
Some holidays celebrate a single tradition, but others, like May Day, can mean many things. When my sisters and I were kids, May Day was always special. Our mom, Collene Spencer, would go to the store to buy candy. We’d make baskets out of construction paper, fill them with treats, and sneak around the neighborhood hanging them on neighbors’ doors. After knocking, we’d run and hide. Sometimes they caught us, and other times they’d just call out “thank you,” but they were always happy to know we thought of them and did something kind for them. For us, the tradition was all about the game.
Many people see May Day as a celebration of the start of summer or at least the warmer part of spring. It’s the time when flowers seem to bloom all at once, the grass 
turns green practically overnight, and trees burst with new leaves. For me, it’s a perfect way to think about it, since spring and summer are my favorite seasons. I love getting outside to hike and soak up the warm weather. Some festivities include a Maypole dance, where colorful ribbons are woven around a pole to create a beautiful pattern, much like braiding…although I haven’t really heard of it happening in the United States anymore. Still, where it is practiced, it’s a fun activity for kids and a wonderful way to welcome summer!!
In the United States, May 1st holds another meaning…it’s also Law Day. Opinions about it may vary, but to me, it’s an important occasion. Our nation depends on law and order, and I think most people would agree. Law Day is a time to reflect on the role of law in the country’s foundation and to recognize its value in society. Some people criticize the police, yet turn to them when they need help, suddenly appreciating their importance. I’ve had law enforcement officers in my family, and they are among the most caring people I know. So, to them I say, Happy Law Day!! And to everyone else, Happy May Day!!
