Easter Memories & Traditions

In Laura’s post yesterday, she shared some childhood Easter memories and traditions and invited us to share some memories as well. Today I'll share and I'm very much in the mood to do so since it hasn’t been a traditional Easter Sunday at my house.

On Thursday evening, Michael received an invitation from a vendor to go the Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta, Georgia for the Sunday final round! He loves to play golf and I don’t think I’ve ever seen him smile as much as he did before he left on Saturday. I love golf, also, and would be tickled to death to see Tiger Woods (in a Speedo…), Vijay Singh, and Phil Mickelson take a shot at the green jacket. I’m happy he had this opportunity ~ one he might not ever have again. He brought home a load of gifts including tee-shirts and hats for all of us. The best gift he received was being there and walking the most beautiful golf course he has ever seen. The framed photo above is one he'll treasure.

There are no Easter bunnies in my house today but this Easter rabbit visited me. A very disapproving rabbit, I might add! One false move on my part and he was “out of here!” so I had to keep my distance and grabbed one shot through the fence before he disappeared.

My hard boiled eggs. Colored. White is a color, isn’t it?

There was no Easter dinner, no decorating, and no candy. Gina and Mr. Biggins were here for a while and we enjoyed some time together anyway.

After she left, I remembered some things about Easter Sundays past. Alone in the house, I brought out eggs she decorated when she was in elementary school. It’s hard to believe the shells haven’t been crushed after so many years and moves. Sweet. The one on the left has yarn hot-glued to its head to look like hair.

My mind drifted to my own childhood. I can still remember the Church altar being filled with beautiful lilies and how wonderful it smelled inside; shiny leather shoes; frilly dresses and hats; boys wearing suits and sporting fresh haircuts; and pink, purple, and yellow cellophane covering a basket full of Easter treats.

The most vivid memory I have is one that makes me laugh, more than forty years later. My brother was around four years old and I was nine. On that Easter morning, we awoke early and ran downstairs into the kitchen where we found my Mom sweeping a pile of gray and white hair off the tiled kitchen floor. We stood still with our eyes wide and wondered where all that hair came from! I still remember her words.

“Darn rabbit shed all over the place. Mary, hand me that dustpan. You know, I saw him just as he jumped over the fence out back. He must have been at least as tall as this ceiling.”

I looked at my little wide-eyed brother wearing his footed PJs and he looked at me. He blinked once, made a U-turn and ran back to bed and hid under the covers. My Dad was sitting at the kitchen table reading the newspaper and sprayed it with a sip of coffee when my brother high-tailed upstairs. Poor kid had a fear of the Easter Bunny for years later!

Oh, don’t be bashful.

Now you're too far away! Don’t hide. Let me see your beautiful self. Strike a pose, please?

That’s what I’m talkin’ about!

I hope your Easter was a joyous one.