Obviously, visiting the desert on the Sunday St. Mary of Egypt is not feasible for everyone, but when you live an hour away from Red Rock Canyon in the Mojave Desert, an afternoon of hiking there is a must.
The deep blue skies, the Liturgical color for feasts of the Theotokos, kept my mind on the Annunciation which is also celebrated on our calendar today. This picture, of many I took, stood out to me because of the solar flare. In most Annunciation icons there is usually a semi circle that represents the divine realm, from which three rays emerge. As I was going through my pictures from the day, it was yet another sweet little reminder. There are many ways to commemorate these two important days on our church calendar (most important being attending Liturgy or Typika, depending on your situation, of course).
In the past on Annunciation, I have had a potted flower exchange with friends to start a Theotokos themed prayer garden for the year or had the kids bring vases of flowers to place in front of the icon of the Theotokos.
Feel free to share any special traditions you have for the Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt or Annunciation in the comments below!
Favorite ideas from around the web:
- Charming the Birds from the Trees: Festal Learning Basket for Annunciation
- Charming the Birds from the Trees: Our Mother of God Garden
- Our Garden of Virtues: Garden of the Theotokos
- The Orthdox Children’s Press: DIY Kids – Annunciation Bracelet
- Catholic Inspired: Annunciation Prayer Craft
- “And you shall call His name Jesus” – Simple Craft
- Annunciation Garden Kit
Living Liturgically 
