The last time we celebrated anything was New Year. A few days after the turning of 2023, things became incredibly difficult in our lives with the hospitalisation of my father. He’s still, four months later, in the hospital. Things have been moving in a general positive direction as of late (with some heavy dips of futility every few weeks to keep the trauma fresh) and I thought it was time to finally celebrate something. So my birthday seemed an appropriate place to start, and then two days later: Beltane

I had completely stopped all enjoyment of life when I was put in charge of this estranged man’s life from thousands of miles away, and to go out and enjoy spring has been an absolute wonder. I am always low during the first two grey months of the year, but finally life is blooming again. The spiders are making homes, and the bees are visiting the new flowers. It’s magnificent.

The Japanese Camellia was a little late this year, but I’m glad I was able to enjoy the pretty pink flowers, and the Azaleas are doing better than ever. I must encourage the Clematis to trail along the deck again, though.

There are still a few weeks left where I could begin planting seeds. My greenhouse was destroyed in a storm right at the end of 2022 and I hadn’t the energy or ability to replace it before spring. So all my goals for the garden are slipping away. Perhaps I could get some tomatoes out of the season.

We lit the first fire of the year and sat around talking and laughing and planning things for the coming year, trying to let go of anything negative before this day.

Chickpea pasta salad and mushroom and asparagus were what we cooked up. Simple and delightful. We ate by the fire and went in to try and interpret tarot in a way that could help us move forward. Miniature Maypoles were on the agenda, but we weren’t feeling up to it by the afternoon. Hopefully next year. And hopefully by Midsummer, we will be back to our fully glory.

One thing that went completely well this year, with no hiccups, was Lucy’s second cancer removal in February. She has fully recovered and is doing fantastically. I was so happy to see her enjoying the outside with us, because there are no truly bad days with her around.