Martenitsa

Spring across Bulgaria. We drove through April, stopping along mountain roads to find red and white threads intertwined in the early blossoms. Bobbing in the breeze to entice a happy spring, they are called Martenitsa.

A changeable season that can bring rain and snow if it’s in a bad mood. Baba Marta is the mythical personification of the Bulgarian spring, and she’s known for a grumpy disposition.

So when you see a sign of spring, a stalk or blossoming tree, you take your martenitsa from your wrist and tie it to the nearest branch as a little encouragement.

It might be my favourite bit of folklore tradition, cause aside from making a cute bracelet, it’s the idea that we shouldn’t just expect to have flowers, sunshine and birdsong. It takes patience to get out of the gloom.

We should be grateful for being gently hatched out of winter, and give nature a sign that we appreciate the effort. Catching the remnants of this March tradition in an April full of life, it seemed this year the message had been received.