Easter Monday

For at least a dozen and a half years, I've decorated an Egg Tree in our front yard during the Lenten season. I wrote a couple of blog posts about it. You can read a little bit about it here (including some easy how-to instructions). 

When Easter falls midway through the April calendar, like it did this year, I rush to get my plastic eggs up early enough that the tree leaves and blossoms don't arrive simultaneously to my decorating. Because of the Lunar calendar, Easter is always on the first Sunday after the first full moon of Spring. The earliest possible date for Easter is March 22nd (plenty of time for decorating and seeing the tree) and the latest possible date is April 25th.

Virginia 2018

Virginia 2019

This year I decided to move our Egg Tree to a new location in our yard, sharing a little Easter cheer from a new vantage point.  

Virginia 2020

By Easter, the dogwood tree is flowering and the eggs are harder to see. 

My goal is to bring a little joy and a reminder to passersby. Every year as I unbox my eggs (and create a few more), the meaning and message are the same. 

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Happy Easter!

The Easter Cross

Until we relocated to Texas last summer I had never seen this precious idea.

The Easter Cross appears in yards all over town (and not exclusively at Easter in some cases, either).  However, from Ash Wednesday until Easter Sunday, these lovely emblems of Christianity spring up all over town.  The idea is to place the blank-side cross in your yard during Lent 

and to turn the sign over on Easter Sunday for this special message.

The plumber who repaired our dishwasher last week, came by yesterday and gave me one of these (he also gave one to my neighbor - the woman who referred his company to me).  What can I say?  Texas is a hospitable place.  And definitely the buckle of the Bible belt.

Egg Tree, Texas-Style

I'm a bit late getting my egg tree up this year.  But I love this holiday tradition and was committed to making it happen this year, regardless.  


In the warmer climate of Texas, everything is in bloom and the leaves have eclipsed the fun and whimsy of my Egg Tree.  Still,  here it is.  

Two nine-year old neighborhood girls rang our doorbell Sunday afternoon to tell me how much they liked it.  That was awesome.  Just the kind of eggstraspecial (sorry, couldn't resist) response I was hoping for.  

Of course, my tree is nothing compared to this beautiful 10,000 egg tree in Germany.  

You can read about it, and the special man whose mission it has been for the past 47 years, here.  Don't know if I'll ever get there, but it's a happy aspiration.  

Palm Sunday

Easter

Have a Blessed and Happy One!

Erstwhile Easters

My photos are few and far between but I couldn't resist this walk down Easter Memory Lane. 

1996

At the preschool egg hunt, 1997

Two of my favorite people make an  Easter cake,1997

In their Easter Sunday Best, a 4 year old and unhappy 1 year old, 1998

At the Dunn's for a neighborhood egg hunt, 1998

Ready for church, 1999

Decorating eggs on Grandmother's porch

At neighborhood egg hunt, 2001

Kindergarten Egg Hunt in 2002

Easter Sunrise

It's just one more week until Easter and for at least 4 of my 40+ years on Earth, I've done something a little out of the ordinary.  

I have managed to get myself up well before daybreak to enjoy an Easter Sunrise Service. There is something extra special about celebrating Resurrection Sunday with this special rite.
 

The first of my break-of-day Easter experiences was in  the late 80s on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.  If you ever have the opportunity to enjoy the splendor of the sunrise while sitting on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, do it!  It is the essence of majestic.  That year Christian musician/trumpeter Phil Driscoll provided the music, it was indescribable. 

Flash forward 7 years and, in 1994, my husband and I had the crazy notion that we'd walk to the top of Georgia's Stone Mountain, 1 year old in tow, and experience an Easter sunrise  service conducted by a local church from atop the world's largest piece of exposed granite.  What we didn't count on was the freezing temperature, the wind, and the toll hiking 1.3 miles up in the dark with a 13 month old would take on all of us. I've filed that experience under "What were we thinking?" in my metaphorical life box!

My husband and daughter pose at the top pf Stone Mountain

The sun begins to rise!

Warming up before we head back down the mountain.

Seemingly undeterred, about 5 years ago, we took a spur of the moment trip  to the gulf coast of Florida for Easter weekend.   We enjoyed the sunrise service on the beach. The kids were at a great age and the message that morning was terrific.  The beauty of the sun rising above the horizon was awe-inspiring.  I've always felt that nowhere else on earth is the power and wonder of the Maker of Heaven and Earth more evident than at the ocean. 

Last year, we decided that our Stone Mountain experience deserved a do-over.  We took the kids and hiked in the dark to the top.  It was enjoyable (and truthfully, knowing that your Sunday best is not required, a relief).  A trip to iHop on the way home was an experience too. 

Stone Mountain

The path to the top of Stone Mountain.  We carried flashlights to make our climbing easier. 

We're still debating our Easter plans this year, but I haven't ruled out another dawn excursion (though I've been told, i.e., warned, that I may be going by myself).   But, if you haven't ever tried it, you should.  As a worship experience (and memory-maker), it's incredible.  

Egg Tree

For at least the last eight years I've decorated a tree in our front yard for Easter.  I usually do this about 8 - 10 days before Easter Sunday.  It is one of my favorite holiday-anticipating activities.

This was last year's tree - 

If you want to make your own egg tree, be on the lookout for the plastic eggs with two small holes already in the top (in the more pointed end). It will make your crafting much easier.

 In the top of the blue egg you can see the holes that the manufacturer so thoughtfully included 😉

You will need: a glue gun, fishing line, and plastic Easter Eggs (I use all sizes, all colors)

Open each egg.

  Place a small amount of hot glue between the two holes then thread a few inches of the line thru the holes and make sure it grabs each cut end of the fishing line. No tying is necessary.

Close the egg (of course)

 I don’t worry about my fishing line being equal lengths. Having the eggs hang a varying heights adds to the charm. My best piece of advice is the more eggs the better. I have about 3 dozen eggs on my tree.

I particularly love the eggs that are bunny shaped.

They're a little sun-bleached, but cute nonetheless.

By the time Easter has come and gone, my  little Japanese maple will be completely enveloped in leaves and my plastic eggs will be hidden in the recesses of the branches.  And that's a whole new kind of Egg Hunt.

 

Carrot Cake Muffins

I know. I know.  I promised this wouldn't be a food blog.  Given my photography/food stylist skills and my limited culinary abilities -- it's the least I can do.  Still, every once in a while I stumble upon a recipe worthy of sharing (e.g., eating) and easy enough that even I could attempt it.  This is just such a recipe -- in time for Easter and all things Easter Bunny, like carrots.

The yummy result! 

I found this recipe in The New York Times online.  There are lots of ingredients, but it's well-worth it and none are too exotic.

You will need:

2.5 c. whole wheat pastry flour (okay, forget what I said about not being exotic.  I Googled "pastry flour" and realized I could combine half cake flour [1 1/4 c.]  and half all purpose flour [1 1/4 c.].  I used unbleached flour and achieved great results)

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ground allspice

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. salt

Sift these ingredients together into a bowl.  I don't have a real sifter and instead substituted this strainer. 

I know.  Resourceful, right?

In a separate bowl, beat together:

2 eggs

1/3 c. raw brown (turbinado) sugar - it's, apparently, all the rage these days, but I did have to make a special trip to the store for this item

I had to settle for the individuals packets.  1/3 c = approx 10 packets

 1/3 c. canola oil

1 1/3 c. buttermilk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

 Also, 

1 1/2 c. grated carrots (hooray for the food processor!) 

Note: The NYT suggests the addition of 2/3 c. golden raisins tossed with 1 tsp. of unbleached all-purpose flour or 2/3 c. chopped pecans.  I didn't add either, preferring pure unadulterated carrot muffins - though the addition of cream cheese frosting or a nut crumble on top did cross my mind. 

Using a spatula, combine the wet and dry ingredients.  Do not beat, even "lumps are fine, but don't leave flour in the bottom of the bowl" (the NYT food writer knows me too well).  Finally, fold in carrots.  (If you include raisins or nuts, you would add them now and stir). 

Coat muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray and fill each cup 2/3 full.  Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25 minutes.  

Not too sweet.  Not too carroty.  Just 12 delicious muffins.  

The finished product minus 1, 2, 3!  

I told you they were good.