Easter in Athens

It's known as Holy Saturday in Greece.

As midnight approaches, streams of people make their way through the streets of Athens and into the city's churches. Families, friends, individuals - all are dressed in their best. Each person carries a long, thin candle or unlit lantern. And for those without, there are the street sellers hovering nearby, doing a brisk trade.

The priests are already chanting the Easter liturgy, which is relaid via tannoy to the streets around.

Then, as Saturday becomes Sunday, the various congregations spill out onto the steps of their respective buildings, now holding candles aflame. The crowds turn to face the church doors from where the priests conclude the special service.

Then there's hugging and kissing as Easter greetings are exchanged. And now the streams are of flickering lights as the Easter flame is carried back to homes across the capital. Even passing cars glow from the carefully tended flames within.

Wishing you a very happy Easter from Greece!

The Nature Table: April

If I could bottle blue sky and give it pride of place on my nature table, I would.  The weather’s been idyllic so far this month.  It feels like the sun will shine forever.

Even without the bottled sky, my table is full to bursting.  Spring has sprung in riotous fashion and there’s not room for all the things I want to display.

This, then, is a selection of all that’s jostling for space right now….

1.  Hellebores - pure Lenten roses
2.  Zingy new green leaves in abundance
3.  No idea what these are but I loved them!
4.  Beautiful, beautiful blossom - everywhere you turn
5.  Flowering currants - they smell fabulous and the bees love them
6.  Daffodils - they’ve been spectacular
7.  Daisies - I adore daisies
8.  Berries in the hedgerow
9.  Dandelions - sunshine on earth
10. Unknown flower at the field edge (I really should look these things up…)
11. Pine cones in the making
12. Tulips - lush, lush colour
13. Primroses - native wildflowers
14. Forget-me-nots (I never will)
15. The gardens are brimming with flowers
16. There’s going to be a bumper crop of bilberries this year
17. I have ten of these woolly bundles in my field right now

Do What You Love

I’ve been handing out a few tips for living a creative life….and sharing something of my own story, too….over at Do What You Love.  Click here and scroll down to read my accumulated wisdom!  (My friend, Kate, calls this my manifesto….)

I’m also a featured sponsor on Kelly Rae Roberts’ blog right now….tempting folk to grab one of the remaining places on The Magic of the Moors retreat in August.  If you haven’t signed up yet, now's your chance!

The Best Birthday Party

I had the best birthday party yesterday.  THE best!

First, we gathered by the stream and made little rafts from twigs and twine.  Then decorated them with paper flags and gave them each a cargo of fresh flowers to carry.

Next we tucked into our pretty picnic (I’d insisted on the ‘pretty’).  We sat under the bunting, strung between the trees, and I opened presents and cards and blew out the candles on my cake and wished hard.

Finally, the sun still shining, we launched our mighty vessels and watched to see whose would make it to the stones downstream first.

I’m sure I won!

P.S.  The idea for this came from a mini raft project in the latest issue of Making magazine.  That sparked memories of the birthday parties Tasha Tudor used to throw for her children….during which a cake, candles alight, would be floated down the river on a raft.  We bottled that particular idea when it came to it (prefer to eat our cake dry!) but still had fabulous fun.

Beningbrough Hall

I spent today at Beningbrough Hall near York.

It’s a lovely, red-brick mansion, built at the beginning of the eighteenth century for a local landowner; now in the keeping of the National Trust.

Even by the Trust’s own high standards, it’s an exceptionally well-cared for property with an easy, welcoming atmosphere.  You can even dress up in costume and play the lady of the manor if you want to  (I did, but the costume was too big….which I presume means I don’t get to marry the prince).

If you ever get chance, it’s worth a visit.  Worth it for the laundry alone - I was entranced! (So maybe that’s my station in life….)