Spring cleaning, pulizia di Primavera

These bright sunny days are ideal for Spring cleaning. In Italian it is known as pulizie di Primavera or sometimes pulizie di Pasqua, Spring cleaning or Easter cleaning. Our houses don't need so much Spring cleaning nowadays because with central heating we are able to wash curtains and bedding a Winter long. There is something about the fresh Spring air that makes you want to throw open all the windows and freshen up the paint work. Without getting too carried away it's always a good feeling to have your house clean and tidy but it is a never- ending job. Once you finish one task there is always another.

Waiting in a queue the other day I saw this  hand-written sign and I liked what it said because it made me think of sun- dappled woods. The shop keeper told me she loves inspirational sayings .

There is a place where the peace that is in Nature filters through us like sunlight under the trees.... It is not difficult to achieve: you just have to look inside yourself and have a pure (clean) heart.

Having a pure or clean heart isn't the same as having a clean conscience. Many times it is said that a clean conscience is one that has never been used. To have a clean or pure heart is something else all together. Like the Spring cleaning it is something that has to be done regularly. Let the fresh air into your heart, get rid of all the cobwebs hanging there, let go of all your old grievances and regrets, let the sunshine into your heart.
This lovely book, illustrated by the Italian artist Angela Albera, is the story of a lazy pixie called Bramble, Prunello in Italian, who doesn't want to spring clean his house. He gets lost and learns lots of invaluable lessons while finding his way back home.

Il Folletto Pigro by Angela Albera

The Lazy Pixie, by Angela Albera has been translated into English., a lovely tale of friendship and getting lost and found again.