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| A spot of weeding in the sun for World Naked Gardening Day 2021 |
Smile
Welcome to May, where there is plenty to celebrate today; May Day, Fête du Travail and World Naked Gardening Day, plus the sun is out and I can almost smell the freedom of deconfinement.
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| A bunch of lily of the valley to bring you happiness |
May Day
On 1st May, in France, there is a lovely tradition of offering a small bunch of Lily of the Valley to your friends, to bring happiness or bonheur for the coming year. Since 1st May last year we have lived through eighty-four days of confinement and over a hundred days of nightly curfews, so anything that offers the promise of happiness or raises a smile, works for me.
Stepping out naturally for World Naked Gardening Day 2021
World Naked Gardening Day #WNGD
The first Saturday in May is World Naked Gardening Day #WNGD, when gardeners are encouraged to step outside a little more naturally than they normally would. It is day to remind us to be kinder to the planet and the natural environment and to encourage us to reduce the amount of chemicals we use. It is also a day to remember to be kinder to ourselves (and each other) and accept who we are and what we look like. To stop obsessing about having a perfect body shape and love the skin you are in.
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| Enjoying the May sunshine for World Naked Gardening Day 2021 |
This year marks my ninth year of celebrating WNGD and I may have more grey hairs, wrinkles and saggy bits than I did back in 2013, but with so many rules, regulations and restrictions on our daily lives at the moment, the rebel in me was overjoyed at the chance to throw off my clothes and step outside to feel the warmth of the sun on my back. Here’s to carefree fun and silliness, that raises our spirits and makes us smile.
Deconfinement
As of Monday, our restrictions on movement will begin to ease. There will be no more attestations required for leaving home (outside of the curfew hours) and we will be free to travel where we like in France, for whatever reason we want.
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| Deconfinement graphic from BFMTV |
From 19th May, non-essential shops, cinemas, museums and theatres, plus cafés, bars and restaurant terraces will be allowed to reopen and the curfew will be put back to nine o’clock in the evening. A sunny café terrace with a coffee and croissant and a spot of people watching, or a sunset bike ride; the things we’ve been dreaming of for so long, are now so tantalising close I can’t help but smile.
Keep smiling, stay safe and have fun.
I'm glad things are opening a bit. And I love your lily of the valley tradition.
ReplyDeleteI don't quite "get" World Naked Gardening day. I guess I don't want to be that close to the dirt and bugs and thistles and thorns when I'm naked! I can Naked Other Days, but the gardening perplexes me.