Being Good Friday today, our thoughts turned to Easter! It seems to have come round remarkably quickly this year. We know the dates change every year, but who decides? Apparently, Easter Day always falls on the first full moon after the Spring Equinox on a Sunday, to represent Jesus's resurrection. And this was decided by a council of Christian bishops convened by the Roman Emperor Constantine in AD325!
Good Friday is the day of the crucifixion and traditionally hot cross buns are scoffed today as it symbolises the end of Lent. The cross on the top marks the crucifixion and the spices inside remind Christians of the spices that were put onto the body. Why bunnies and eggs? The eggs are a symbol of new life as are cute chicks, lambs etc. They represent the continuation of life after the resurrection on Easter Sunday and also the rebirth of Spring after the harshness of Winter. The Easter Bunny originally comes from German traditions - originally an Easter hare, it brought chocolate to children who had been good (mentioned in German literature in 1682). This has led to the supermarket shelves today being full of Easter bunnies and chocolate Easter eggs...
After our route march last Wednesday, today's walk was a gentler stroll around the centre of Shepton, taking in the window dressing of the shops and the preparations for the Friday Shepton Market - lots of lovely plants and veg were being taken out of vans. Jenny bought some carrots, not for the Easter bunny, but to put in her juices! Above is the window of the One Craft Gallery, which I helped put together last Friday...
We noticed that we are losing another independent shop in the town - Just Jo, which had a great selection of handmade gifts. We always look in the window at the latest creations. According to the notice on the window, she will be continuing on-line only - another indication of how internet shopping has effected our High Street...
We made the most of a lovely, sunny morning, as according to the weather forecast, it is downhill for the rest of the Easter weekend - cold, wet and maybe snow!!
Today was cold - still a bitter wind - and dreary, with rain in the air, so we decided to keep to an urban walk. It was more window shopping than stomping over fields! We always enjoy looking in all the windows of the High Street Shops. I am redoing the One Craft Gallery window on Friday ready for Easter, so I was looking for ideas... We are also very nosy when it comes to empty houses and can be seen peering through the windows!
We noticed the charity, Cats Protection, had put up a display in one of the empty shop windows - the realistic sleeping cat above top centre is part of it. We have loads of cats on our estate which would be fine if they kept to their own gardens! I have had to clear up the mess they leave behind, and recently, we thought a lovely blackbird couple were nesting in the ivy on our garden wall but have now been deterred by a cat prowling on the top! I love watching blackbirds and have recently finished a couple of artworks featuring them...
Talking of artwork, today we noticed Mr. Fox painted on the side of a house in a passageway (see below bottom centre), where we have been before. Funny we hadn't seen it previously - must have been deep in conversation! Other sights today included rather a nice motorbike on the pedestrian way outside the tattoo shop (top left) and the imposing facade of the Anglo Trading Estate (top middle).
