Happy Easter

Leiny made fresh lemonade, we sipped it in the garden under blue skies.

The cherry blossom is begining to shed petals in the breeze,

leaving a petal carpet on the lawn.



Big hugs,


Margie

Rhubarb Crumble

Leiny and I harvested the rhubarb yesterday, this was the best year yet with lots of pinky stalks perfect for baking.

Leiny and Rommeij made the Nigella Lawson Rhubarb Crumble (recipe here) for dessert last night, served with custard and ice cream. Result: ten totally satisfied diners.

I am joining in at My Romantic Home's Show and Tell Friday, do pop over and see all the Easter preparations from 100's of blogs.

Happy Easter

Big hugs,

Margie

His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama

I was part of a group of over 1000 people who extended a Céad Mile Fáilte (a hundred thousand welcomes) to His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Kildare town centre today.

The Brigid flame was presented to His Holiness by the two keepers of the flame, re kindled in 1993 and tended since. Sr. Mary Minehan also presented him with a Bog Oak and Silver Brigid's Cross especially commissioned at Newbridge Silverware. See more photos of the visit to Kildare here

Two local school children sang the Brigid song and presented His Holiness with a Brigid's cross.
The bronze sculpture an acorn, with a perpetual flame in the town centre was host to international media and the mood of the assembled crowd was one of reverence and emotional quiet. Liam O Flynn's Uileann pipes music hypnotising and haunting us while we waited.

For those of you who know my obsession with basketmaking and willow, I was so pleased to see the willow circle surrounding the bronze sculpure in full spring mode.


Earlier today His Holiness, Richard Moore (Children in Crossfire, who lost his sight as a ten year old boy on the streets of Derry during the Troubles), and Mary Robinson (retired Irish President and UN High Commissioner on Human Rights) were in City West at a social forum dedicated to creating a space for dialogue. Tomorrow His Holiness travels to Limerick for a special address on the theme of forgiveness.


Big hugs,

Margie

Spring has sprung

There are signs of spring everywhere, blooms and buds, majestic hosts of daffodils, april showers, and pale green growth.

Curly willow near the greenhouse, is budding in beautiful green.

Mr. Margie gave the lawns their first cut of the season.

Pheasant's eye narcissus are my absolute favourite spring bloom, these pretty flowers seem to smile through the green leaves, as they gently sway in the breeze.

The apple trees are bursting with spring blossoms, green leaves sheltering palest pink.


“Nothing is so beautiful as spring – when weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush; Thrush’s eggs look little low heavens, and thrush through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring the ear, it strikes like lightning to hear him sing.” – Gerard Manley Hopkins


Has spring sprung for you yet?

Big hugs,

Margie.