Happy Easter

Christ is risen, bringing with him new life and new hope for all who can say ‘I got it wrong. I’m sorry and I’ll try to do better from now on.’ Whether or not you’re a Christian, I think that’s a message that we could all do with at the moment.

Alternatively, we’re celebrating the Goddess Eostre, who we don’t know much about because she’s only briefly mentioned in the writings of Bede, who was the monk who became the first chronicler of the North of England. Cynics might ask how accurate he is, and how much he wrote to suit his masters, but that goes for all historians and journalists doesn’t it? She’s believed to bring new life and good fortune, and that’s something else that we could all use.

Or maybe we’re celebrating the changing seasons, whether that’s longer or shorter days or giving our beloved husbands or partners lists of outdoor jobs and getting out in the garden. Or maybe we’re just eating as much chocolate as we can? Or organising Easter egg hunts for children? Or simply slowing down… That sounds good, doesn't it? So why don’t we do it more often? And how do we do it without feeling guilty? If anyone’s got any good ideas about that, then I’d love to hear them.

Whatever you’re celebrating or not celebrating, may I wish you happiness and love and hope.

I’m writing this on Saturday when it is raining. Thankfully, not the flooding downpour the forecasters prophesied but a steady rain that’s soaking into the dry soil just when the apple and cherry trees are coming into bloom. There are bluebells everywhere in my garden, but you’ll have to wait a little while to see those because it’s so wet that the cats are now part of the interior decoration, curled cutely on chairs and firmly ASLEEP with all the words capitalised.

You can see my hot cross buns and Easter biscuits though, because I like marking occasions with food and my family like eating so everyone’s happy!

I tried out the ‘clean’ fragrances I wrote about on Tuesday and they’re lovely and light. As usual they don’t smell like the description but they mark the changing of the seasons away from craving warmth to longing for fresh air filling the house and long walks in the sunshine and paddling along the beach.

So here to finish is what I think of as my beach on a day when I had it all to myself while I sat and dreamed and listenen to the waves landing softly on the shore. It’s beautiful, and usually empty, but then it’s just as beautiful when the wind drives the waves into a white frothy foam and the fishing boats hurry towards the shelter of the Haven.

That’s another word I love, so along with the happiest of Easters, may I please hope that you find your haven, whatever it may be and know that you can go adventuring and then come home to shelter.