April….. a new month.. new beauty
April here in Suffolk!
Welcome April, let’s hope it brings some sunshine and warmth that we are yearning for, not that I dislike winter but we have had continuous rain all through March!
Cherry blossom (sakura) season is one of spring’s most iconic events. In Japan blossoms are exploding… Of course, Japan isn’t the only place to see cherry blossom in its full beauty. Here in the UK, our cherry and apple trees are pretty dazzling too, so go get an eyeful of blossom – it’s good for the soul.
Have you seen my Sakura jewellery collection? It is handmade from pure silver and is based on the weeping Japanese cherry I have in my garden.
Some of our visiting birds return in April, the cuckoo which we hear in our local woods, swifts and swallows return for the summer and can be seen darting for insects. Many buildings now have nesting boxes for swifts as their numbers are in decline.
Bluebells show their stunning blue flowers in April, one of my favourite flowers, the local woods here are carpeted with the most amazing colour, a joy to behold.
The scent of bluebells is breathtaking, just stand, look and take in that exquisite perfume!
Come to a botanical silver clay workshop and use the flowers from English bluebells that grow in my garden, sheltered under roses and clematis.
Have you ever wondered about April 1st?
Have some fun!
As a child my father always managed to catch me out with his April Fools pranks from putting china eggs in my eggcup and watching me try to crack the egg shell to telling me that school had been closed for the day… now that was a huge disappointment!
April Fools’ Day—occurring on April 1 each year—has been celebrated for several centuries by different cultures, though its exact origins remain a mystery. April Fools' Day traditions include playing hoaxes or practical jokes on others, often yelling “April Fools!” at the end to clue in the subject of the April Fools' Day prank. While its exact history is shrouded in mystery, the embrace of April Fools' Day jokes by the media and major brands has ensured the unofficial holiday’s long life.
Some historians speculate that April Fools’ Day dates back to 1582, when France switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar, as called for by the Council of Trent in 1563. In the Julian Calendar, as in the Hindu calendar, the new year began with the spring equinox around April 1.
People who were slow to get the news or failed to recognise that the start of the new year had moved to January 1 and continued to celebrate it during the last week of March through April 1 became the butt of jokes and hoaxes and were called “April fools.” These pranks included having paper fish placed on their backs and being referred to as “poisson d’avril” (April fish), said to symbolise a young, easily caught fish and a gullible person.
I hope you have a great April 1st and enjoy the joys that the countryside has to offer.
If you would like more information on my botanical workshops please check out the workshops on my website www.themagicoffirefliesanddragonflies.co.uk
Or would like more information about my blossom jewellery or full day botanical silver clay workshops please email me susanstudd@btinternet.com
