Sample of Spring

Spring is here, and even overtaking us. We have hydrangias looking good, seedings growing inside, tomatos accumulating inside and waiting to be planted, things blooming everywhere, and some very odd-looking little baby birds, whose thoughtful parents have housed them in a pretty wreath I got at Marshall Fields (RIP) several years ago 75% off. Yeah, I'll be washing it carefully when they're done.

Recently the kids counted 20 trees in bloom visible from our back deck. Running in all of that scent and petal confetti is like a funny fairy tale. It is spring, and we are glad.

Egg hunt win!

Today, the Easter Bunny managed to do her thing before the kids woke up (sometimes the Bunny comes while we're at church, but not this year.) So first the kids made pastry under Papa's guidance (Nutella plus puff pastry equals yum) and then while it baked they hunted for eggs (hence the chocolate smears on some participant's faces.)

It was fun, all the eggs were located, fancy chocolate pleased one and all, and contrary to what you'd expect the kids were extraordinarily well-behaved at church. Perhaps chocolate acts as a sedative under certain circumstances? Must investigate further.

Easter fun

Temporarily postponing Peter's birthday pictures to blog our Easter preparations. The Easter china gets its time in the sun starting today, which Grace and I, at least, find great fun.

We did the standard egg dyeing, plus one sock that Peter turned pink, and the colors seemed especially pretty, including a couple of eggs my very, very favorite shade of blue. One egg got cracked so there was an uneven number, and the kids compromised by taking turns writing on the last egg with pencil before dyeing it. Grace picked a quiche recipe from a kid cookbook, which seems to have turned out well, and we've got a grownup quiche with suspicious vegetables like.... ... mushrooms as well. Papa has a pastry plan for tomorrow, and so it all seems as it should: nice brunch on the pretty dishes we've used since Grace was a baby, and church on Easter, and an egg hunt with our beautifully dyed eggs afterwards, plus a metric ton of good chocolate. Mmmmm.... resurrection!