Thursday, April 06, 2023

Of April Things that Gladden the Heart

 


Spring is a wonderful and capricious season; blowing hot one day and cold the next. There's been both during this first week of April. All day today the wind tossed tree branches to and fro, and pink and white prunus blossoms fly through the air. Now in the evening we sit in warmth and pools of light and listen to the gusts outside.


American Robins are everywhere. I see them on lawns, poking their sharp beaks into the soil to bring up juicy worms. They perch on tree branches in the garden and in the woods. A sure sign of spring. 


Along a recent walk I noticed a weeping willow tree, each trailing stem acid green with new growth. In my own garden the acer tree leaves are a similar yellow green. 


The apricot tree is in bloom. I always think it flowers much too early, before the pollinators are really active. So I do my part with a soft paintbrush. Whether or not it does any good I can't say as our yield of apricots has never been large. 

The dyes I used were from things around the house - purple cabbage (the teal eggs), dried marigold flowers, yellow onion skins, grape juice, and sumac - the last was a first time experiment.

While dyeing eggs yesterday, I thought about Easters past. My sister and I always had new dresses for Easter Sunday, sewn by my mother, who usually sewed something for herself, as well. When I was very young, there were little hats and white ankle socks to wear with our patent leather shoes, and sometimes even white gloves. 

We often went to my grandparents' home for Easter, spending time with both paternal and maternal grandparents. Church on Easter morning meant getting dressed up in our new garb. My grandparents' church was large and I always thought it cold. But I loved the singing - Mennonites sing harmony so well. 

Then Easter dinner - a feast! My grandmother hid a large chocolate treat for each grandchild, often in the house because the weather was unpredictable. One year I remember looking and looking for mine and feeling quite desperate because everyone else had found their egg. Grandma told me that because I was the eldest, mine was well hidden. To my relief, I eventually found my egg. 

This year we're having dinner with our children and grandchildren at one of my daughters' homes. Rain is predicted so perhaps the egg hunt will be indoors once again. 

For those of you who celebrate Easter, I wish you the joy of the Risen Christ. 


20 comments:

  1. I wish you and your family a very Happy Easter! We will be leaving to the tiny house and the sea. Bandit is going to the kennel. The weather will be cold at night but dry and sunny I hope it won’t be too cold.

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  2. You have made a wonderful Easter basket... the colors of your Easter eggs are fabulous.
    We also celebrate Easter and I look forward to it every year, this year it's small because the children and grandchildren spend Easter in Paris... I think I'll also sew a bit :-))) and of course cook as well bake. This morning we enjoyed the sun... but rain is expected for three days.
    Greetings to you and I wish you a happy Easter with your loved ones.

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  3. Such a beautiful Easter post! Blessings to you this Easter season.

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  4. I love those signs of spring and am looking forward to seeing them around here shortly. I too, remember Easters of the past. New dresses and hats,socks and always white sandals.Those are special memories .

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  5. Spring is indeed a capricious season! However, it is much preferred to Winter with its cold , sometimes freezing weather, storms, rains , snow. At te end of Winter, people are pathethically looking for signs of the approaching Spring everywhere: in the garden, in the forest, on the streets and roofs.
    Happy Easter to you and family!

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  6. Anonymous4:16 PM

    There are so many Robins here too! I like your naturally dyed eggs. They're so pretty in that dish with the Spring blooms.
    Granny M

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  7. Dear Lorrie, those dyed eggs are so beautiful. How clever you are to develop all those different natural colours. Your Spring does sounds a bit capricious, and we also have winds today, bringing just a hint of Autumn around the corner. That is a cute little robin, well captured. Happy Easter to you and your family.

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  8. Happy memories of Easters gone by, my mother would also sew new dresses for my sister and I and we always had new shoes, little hats, handbags and white shoes. Your dyed eggs are stunning such beautiful colours. Spring flowers are blooming here in our Yorkshire garden and shrubs and trees are just beginning to sprout new leaves and tiny buds, Spring is truly my favourite season of them all.

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  9. Best wishes for a LOVELY Easter!
    Titti

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  10. Dear Lorrie - gorgeous blossoms and robin, and those eggs really are special dyed in those rich colors.
    Love the story of your childhood Easter celebrations - mine were similar, especially with my mother making my dresses!
    I do have my Easter bonnet at the ready for tomorrow - even if I don it just for sitting out on the porch! The weather has taken a turn for the worst this weekend, cold, and so wet, flooding and thunder, but hopefully tomorrow will bring the sun back by afternoon when I plan an Easter tea.
    Off to frost and decorate the cake I made - hope it turns out well - haven't baked a layer cake in forever it seems!!!
    Happy Easter dear friends - enjoy each moment with your family.

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  11. To you and yours I also wish the joy of our risen Savior!

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  12. Wonderful signs of spring.
    Have a happy and blessed Easter, dear Lorrie!

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  13. Lovely to see your apricot blossom. Intriguing it blooms so early. I’m hopeful my apple tree will have lots of blossom this year. Have a lovely day. B x

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  14. Beautiful spring photos! I just love those dyed eggs :)

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  15. You are ahead of us in the spring beauty department but it's coming! Yesterday was gorgeous. I really loved hearing your Easter memories. They are so precious. I hope your day this year was as lovely and brings as many memories!

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  16. Marilyn7:02 PM

    Your eggs are beautiful. Love the blossoms. The yellow green of new growth always makes my heart happy. Love your Easter memories, so very special.

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  18. Your words let me see your April there, Lorrie, especially the spring grass sprinkled with the blooms of flowering trees and shrubs. And your Easter memories are so similar to mine as a child growing up in a Baptist church. Such precious memories!

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  19. Happy Easter, Lorrie! I love how the purple cabbage resulted in teal eggs.

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  20. Love those beautiful dyed eggs.

    Hugs and blessings, Lorrie

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