A New Spring Tide Tradition For The Towers?

Nigel had noticed two red and white ties hung in the trees, by the steps, on the way down to the river …….

To be honest, at first he paid them very little attention, but then he and Darrell looked up their meaning online after talking to one of our neighbours in the other block.

It turns out that they are Mărțișor, an old Romanian tradition celebrated all over Romania every year on March 1st. so we are just a bit late there. Mărțișor is a diminutive of March. It is believed that a person who wears the red and white string will enjoy a prosperous and healthy year and in the countryside, people used to celebrate the Martisor by hanging a red and white string on their gate, window, cattle's horn or shed to protect against evil spirits and to invoke nature's regenerative power.

In olden days, Mărțișor were made of small river pebbles, coloured white and red, strung on a thread and worn around the neck (a bit like Darrell’s seaside holey stones). They were worn, to bring good luck and good weather from March 1 until the first trees bloom. When the first trees were flowering the Mărțișor were hung on tree branches.

If we remember, Darrell has noted it in his diary, we are going to hang up a few Mărțișor of our own in the garden next year, because as you know we really love a tradition at The Towers and this one in particular as it appeals to our romantic souls, what are we like?