Coincidence

Eastern and Western Easters usually fall on different dates but it just so happens that in 2017 we will all celebrate Easter Sunday on 16th April. Five years ago Greek Easter was the same weekend as it will be this year but Western Easter was a week earlier. You would think, therefore, that this year we will all be having pancake day together, but no! Here 'pancake day' lasts three weeks and will finish on Sunday 26th February. Eastern Lent will then begin on Monday 27th February. but Western Christians will be having their pancakes on Tuesday 28th Feb. Crazy isn't it!

During our three-week run-up to Lent there are a couple of specific markers and today is Tsiknopempti and it is all about smoke and burnt meat. I suspect it has its origins in sacrifice and the smoke from the fires pleasing God's nostrils but nowadays it's an excuse for a big barbecue party, mixed grill, too much wine, music and obligatory dancing. It seems that the local grill shop is inexplicably closed tonight and so it will be a quiet affair for us this year, home alone with toad-in-the-hole.

Clearing huge fallen olive branches has exposed the tiny delicate violets I planted a couple of years ago.