Dear reader...

APRIL IS A month of firsts. The first bluebells appear on the woodland floor; the first summer visiting birds arrive; the first truly warm days of spring envelop the countryside. Nature is bursting forth with verdant green. Previously naked branches are clothed with unblemished leaves; hills and valleys are swathed in a fertile blanket. Everything feels fresh, new and full of promise. With my senses stimulated, nature’s vigour inspires me to embrace the day with rekindled enthusiasm. During the winter, some tasks have been laid to rest, unnecessary as nature slumbered through the shorter days. But now there is grass to mow, seeds to sow and pruning to be done. With the sun on my back and without need for a jacket, there is simple pleasure to be taken from these humble chores. Washing is next. Hanging sheets on the line, I fold them double, matching their edges and pegging each sheet in three places. I like wooden pegs. Old-fashioned and evocative of days gone by, they are a familiar link with the past. The smell of the laundry, a mixture of fresh air and soap, is uplifting. Of course, it might rain; it is April after all, and I will have to make a dash to bring it all indoors, but for now I watch the sheets wafting back and forth in the breeze. The scene is modest; domestic; a welcome return to the rituals of spring and summer to follow.

Rachel Hawkins Editor