New Year

White almond blossoms

 It's the New Year. I don't feel festive as it's the first time mum is not here   with us. It's heavy and everyone at home must surely feel it. I'm just keeping it lowkey as I don't want to face another horrid year like last year where I literally lost everything. Of course people say this year will be a building up of new things, the old being removed to make way for the new. I certainly hope so.

Almond blossoms

This week the almond blossoms are bursting out around the Old City walls. They look lovely. Spring is finally here. People laugh at me when I take photos of the flowering almond trees ... and they too marvel at the beauty and some eventually give in and take photos themselves.

This year Lent and Ramadan coincide on the same day ... with the New Year preceding by one day. Muslims and Catholics all fast together for 40 days. Hopefully it's not just a superficial event but something that leads to significant mutual understanding and collaboration. Only time can tell.