Sunday, April 08, 2007

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.



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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.


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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.



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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.


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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!




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Oh, don’t be bashful.



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



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That’s what I’m talkin’ about!

I hope your Easter was a joyous one.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wonderful memories!! I would like to wish you and your family a happy easter!

Ruth said...

Special days change as our families grow up. Nice to have those good memories. I love the last photo.
Ruth

KGMom said...

Mary--lucky Michael--that's a great chance for a golfer.
Our Easter company were our pastor & wife--after our meal, the pastor said--can we turn on the Master's! So we did.
Happy Easter.

LostRoses said...

I heard it was a bit chilly at the Masters, but what a great opportunity for a golfing aficionado. Loved your Easter bunny story, some things stick with us for years, don't they!

entoto said...

Love the yearn hair! How did you save those eggs?

Thanks for the story. I can see a little four-year-old boy taking that all in.

dmmgmfm said...

What an awesome post, Mary. You continue to amaze me with your creativity. Love the bunny shot and your bewd series. Most excellent!!

Jayne said...

Wow, how cool Michael got to attend the Masters! We went to the first round of the PGA championship in Atlanta one year, and I remember soaking it all in, especially as Tiger came up to the first tee. Funny, they all seem so much smaller in person (he must have like a 30" waist!) ... well, except for Ernie and Veejay!

A lifesize Easter bunny... how funny... your poor brother!

kate said...

Oh Mary, I had to laugh at your description of the Easter Bunny's visit and your poor brother. That made me laugh.

You are a wonderful mum for taking such good care of those Easter eggs of Gina's. That is quite amazing.

As always, your pictures are beautiful...the rabbit pic was really cute!

Your blogging post was excellent ... everything you said I can so relate to. It is like constant sustenance visiting and reading blogs and knowing that others are enjoying one's take on the world too!

Enjoy your week ... mouse and keyboard too!

Annie in Austin said...

There might be a blown-out egg or two tucked away here, too... they don't take up much space for the amount of sentiment they carry. The eggs we buy now have brown shells, so they wouldn't look too good after a pink or aqua dip, would they?

Good bird catches, Mary!

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

Cathy said...

So Keith and I probably got a glimpse of your Michael whilst I was daydreaming of Tiger in a Speedo:0)
We didn't have a traditional day either, Mary. I didn't even think to get the old eggs out. Gina's are precious.
The tale of your brother's Easter fright is a hoot. It gives us a little more sense of the wellsprings of your sense of humor. So where did the hair come from? (or do I not want to know :0)

Mary said...

Cathy, I don't remember where the hair came from. It was planted, no doubt and probably cut from a brush. If Mom were alive, I'd ask her and she'd remember the joke. We were fooled. And, wouldn't everyone love to see Tiger in a Speedo? Ooooh la la!

Mary said...

Mon@rch, I hope you had a great day, too!

Ruth, things change as we get older but we'll have Easter dinner soon!

Donna, how can anyone resist the Masters?!

Lost Roses, it was probably the coldest Masters ever! It was the coldest day on record in NC.

Trixie, I packed them in ceramic containers, wrapped very carefully. And yes, I remember my brother's fright...LOL!

Laurie, I'm glad you had a nice Easter under the circumstances. May the nince days continue!

Jayne, I don't know my maps very well, but it only took 2-1/2 hours to Augusta! I wonder where you are in relation. I'll figure it out soon.

Kate, yes, reading other blogs is an adventure we all enjoy!

Annie, there were many more blown-out eggs that didn't make it to packing, but I'm glad I was able to save a few.

Q said...

Hello Mary,
Yes, things do change as we grow older. I do not mind either. Your Easter memories are so funny! Giant Easter Bunny!
The American Gold Finch photo is beautiful! It is fun when one of those breath taking photos happens; bird and light and battery all working together. Your photo is greeting card quality!
Sherry

LauraHinNJ said...

That is the first I've heard of a real visit from The Easter Bunny - how creative of your Mom and your poor little brother!

My goldfinches are still AWOL, glad yours are showing some color!

sonia a. mascaro said...

What a lovely memories, Mary!
Love those photos, too!
I wish you had a Happy Easter! (Sorry my belated wish)

Verena said...

Hi Mary,
your poor brother was afraid of the Easter bunny :-)! But after such a story I can imagine how afraid he was with five years.

Golf is very popular in Austria too, although I´ve never tried it. Maybe one day!?

Anonymous said...

Wonderful post and memories. Rich felt we HAD to go to Final Four for business reasons (I liked it!) but he would sell his soul to go to the Masters. Lucky Michael is right!