Easter Nature Table & Lost Things

Hello there!
I do hope that you've had a lovely Easter; whether springy or autumnal, chocolatey or Churchy;
or, quiet & filled with grace & work, like ours.
With so many wonderful friends sharing tales & pictures of the goings on in the "upper" hemisphere I have become especially aware of our upside-down-ness down here, this Easter season.
No daffodils, hares, eggs or spring blossom here. Rather, an abundance & excess that is almost embarrassing in it's exuberance, urgency & splendour.
I found myself gathering armfuls of harvest & arranging a kind of "nature table" as a kind of thanks, over the weekend.

I discovered fresh roses in the cherry blossom tree,

a few figs that the wax eyes actually hadn't pecked & the first glowing sweet persimmons from our laden tree.

The little heart tomatoes are still going...

& the sun is now lower in the sky; washing our front verander with welcome late afternoon sunshine.

I had little people coming to visit on Thursday so I made a Jewish oatmeal cake with feijoas & tart dried apricots. We used to make it often when we were young & living in Taranaki, a time when friends would share recipes & you'd all be making the cake. It's still great 30 years later & more like real food than cake...which always works for me! I have just realised that I haven't posted the recipe yet so I will do that very soon.

 It really struck (as I said) this year that bunnies & eggs & all things spring are really rather silly in the middle of our lovely autumn Easter, so inside, I gathered all kinds of meaningful bits & pieces & put together a sacred scene that bought focus & stillness & gratitude to these restful days.

Of course the lily-of-the-valley isn't real...it just seemed nice. The hearts were called "sacred hearts" at the organics shop...for my niece & nephew. Mary is awfully battered & chipped, but the whole ordeal was pretty hard on her at the time, so that kind of fits.

Now, I have been told that this may be St Anthony. I bought him on Trade me last week in support of a Hospice shop. If indeed he is St Anthony then that would make him the Patron Saint of Lost & Broken Things...that's me (thought I) he'll be perfect!

What a funny old thing to crochet, a cross...I love it though. It's very old. I wonder who made it?

Of course, there always has to be a butterfly to remind us of liberating, metamorphosing grace.

Autumn, Easter & menopause...who ever would have thought there was a theme in that!
Transformation. Shedding the old. Completion.

Still, there's something to be said for imagination....& silliness!

A return to innocence & a child-like heart is always a helpful approach on any occasion, in my book.

Wishing you all, sunshine & happiness in the coming week & maybe a little skipping.
Thank you so much for popping in.
Much love Catherine x0x0x
♥♥♥♥♥