Baba Marta (Grandmother March)

I don't like winter much. All the plants die down, trees lose their green, and we retreat further and further into the inner warmth of the house. In the early spring and summer I feel like everything breathes a sigh of relief. The back door to the house stays mostly open and the air is refreshingly clear and warm.

For me, the beginning of March is a very special time. On March 1st, I take out my beloved collection of martenitsa, all of which were sent to me from my dear friend Ivan who lives in Bulgaria.


Martenitsa are a traditional Bulgarian gift that people wear from the 1st of March until they see the first signs of new life. This could be the first buds on the trees, or the first stork flying overhead!

For me, I celebrate the start of new life on my Birthday (7th March), and hang martenitsa from the trees in our garden.

Martenitsa on Google (1st March 2011)

This month I am starting a new website, and one of my first posts will be on my trip to Bulgaria in 2000. More details soon...!