Palm Sunday or as it is known in Russia ~ Pussywillow Sunday

A sure sign of spring, the building of the restaurant patio.

Can you see the pussywillows in her bag?

and in hers?

The baby in her arms is wearing a bunny bunting.

in her hand?

and in hers?

A current favorite lunch spot.

This woman was selling pussywillows outside the metro when we arrived for church, by the time we were headed home after lunch it looked like she was headed home too.

After church we went out to lunch with friends and for a walk along Old Arbat because the sun was shining.  Orthodox and Western Easter fall on the same Sunday this year so Palm Sunday does too.  In times past it was difficult to get palms in a country this far north so the faithful turned to what was available, pussywillows.  The devout take a bundle of pussywillows to church to be blessed by the priest and then take them home.