Easter musings

Dear Diary,

I have posted three nice pictures above as I haven't put any up for ages. Hope you like them. Two are reminders of summer and good things to come. One is a brass bed and a cat. I love both.

I wake on Easter Sunday to Radio 4 as usual and the words of Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams who seems to be talking a lot of sense this time and I agree with his sentiments.

Countries should not strive for the control of others and their oil.

Materialist greed will bring about the collapse of our civilisation. It certainly will.

Or as I say… Money is the root of all evil.

Enough doom ‘n’ gloom.

Shall I start with Blessings today?

New Life. In abundance round these parts at the moment.

Stripey - the puppy I have fallen in love with.

Five new border collie sheepdog puppies on the farm at my daughter’s. Five big round and so-cuddly bundles. I got quite broody holding them yesterday. Their mother is an excellent one, she is an all-black sheepdog whose name is…rather originally don’t you think - Black. The irony of that name is not lost on me as there has been much discussion on the subject of the Black Dog over at Purplecoo. But this black dog brings me nothing but joy and is very welcome, I will not be trying to banish her from my sight with a Big Stick.

Darling newborn lambs are to be seen everywhere and the sound of their bleating means only spring and summer to me.



A couple of long night’s sleep. I collapsed at 9pm on Sunday evening and was early going to bed last night too.

Luckily I have a week off work to play catch-up.

Sunshine and snow but why is the latter so non-stick?

Log fires, still needed in the evening.

Good book I am reading at the moment. The Uncommon Reader by the wonderful Alan Bennett.




Cosiness.

That’s enough.

We have just had a run of those Special Days. A religious holiday. These are the days I find the hardest. It makes no sense but whenever there is an invisible pressure to be happy and jolly that is the time I feel really low and empty. From my own personal research I understand it has a childhood, low self-esteem reason. A feeling that I don’t really deserve to be happy and certainly not be extra-specially so. I’ve never understood the concept of enforced happiness. I didn’t eat any chocolate on Sunday because, for a different reason, for once I didn’t crave it. Perhaps I am just perverse. Well I am actually!

I write these words in bed and as if they sense my maudlin mood my three animals, two dogs and the cat are all over me, all fighting for my attention, all jealous of each other.

PART TWO

Later on, as the day developed, the snow showers moved away. My son S came and spent the day with us which was a surprise and a treat for us as we hadn’t seen him for a few weeks. He seems well and happy, he played his guitar, good to hear that again. Why do Irish mothers of sons worry so?

I give the dogs a good run in the field and have a brisk walk myself. The snow showers have cleared away and the sun is shining. It almost feels like spring. I take advantage of the warm temperatures and set to on awakening the garden, something I have been longing to do. A bit of cutting back the dead stuff and raking up etc. I limit myself to a good hour or so as I am prone to overdo it by trying to do the whole garden in one go. That way leads to a bad back, something I certainly don’t need. Before I go in I fill the wheelbarrow with logs, that’s a job I love doing. I always look forward to the lighting of the woodburner when evening falls.

My daughter bought me a little dish with a quotation on - ’Gardening grows the spirit’. It’s another kind of Feng Shui isn’t it? De-cluttering in the garden certainly frees the mind and has the same effect on me as it does in the home. It also exercises the body and you get lots of lovely fresh air as well.

Less is more that should be my mantra.

I did a few touch-up paint jobs in the cottage. M is feeling well and happy too so All’s Well that Ends Well. God another cliché, my writing tutor would be very angry with me.

Sarah Ban Breathnach says that every day has a hidden gift. I rather like that idea. Searching for it is a good practice. Her book Simple Abundance is one of my bedside books that I dip into each morning as it has an entry for every day of the year.



John O’Donohue’s book Anam Cara sits beside it and is another I dip into. My dear sister grew up in Ireland and she tells me that (her words) he never got enough recognition for his amazing skill, but from all accounts he was a shy and unpretentious man so did not want and maybe would not appreciate too much attention.



But what else does Sarah Ban Breathnach say? If in doubt….. have a bath.

I’m off to have a bath,

Bye for now,
Go mbeannai Dia duit,
Caitx