Baba Marta

So my mom has had a terrific research assistant for the last two semesters. Well, today she gave my mom this charming white and red needlepointy thing shaped like a crane and explained a wonderful custom. In her native Bulgaria, the custom for the first day of March is to present relatives and loved ones with a red and white pin or bracelet made of thread, which they wear until the buds of spring emerge. Then they pin them on bushes and trees! What a lovely and romantic custom.

I looked it up, and it's called Baba Marta, and you typically wear the red and white threads until you see storks. This amulet will keep you safe all year if you follow this custom. Well, it's unlikely to see a stork just wandering around northern Massachusetts, so we'll going to go with the first buds. I like it!