So far I've managed to ignore numerous clues that Easter Sunday is less than two weeks away, such as: Mentioning it in my previous post; the hyacinths poking up on the western side of the house looking like they regret it; and finally the moon, which is waxing on schedule to a full on Good Friday while impressing nearby Venus and Jupiter. Called the Pink Moon by eastern native Americans after the early flowering of pink phlox, this April moon will be the first full moon since the first day of spring. Hence, Easter on April 8.
Last weekend I finally gathered up all of our winter/overlooked Christmas decorations and threw them in the basement. The house looks a lot less cluttered (if you don't count the basement) so I may forgo the Easter accessories and focus entirely on family Easter baskets to add some color to the space.
In our household, plastic Easter grass has been banned for the last 20 years. We've moved three times in that period, so I don't know why I'm still finding it -- often lurking with the dead Christmas tree needles. ... Really, the stuff is indestructible. No vacuum cleaner I have ever owned will go anywhere near it. They all pucker up and spit it out ....
Consequently, we grow our own Easter grass. I buy some fast-sprouting seed and soil, put them in lined baskets covered with plastic wrap, and set them by a sunny window. On Easter morning I tuck in some pansies and whatever other annual I can find in the stores, a few wrapped eggs and bunnies, plus maybe a gift card or an Andrew Jackson. Voila! Any grass or soil that gets spilled is indistinguishable from other household dirt, which even my surly Bissell will digest. Then after the holiday, the annuals can be planted and the grass can be used to patch holes in the yard.
Thinking about these home-made Easter baskets with their home-grown, no-doubt-environmentally-correct bed of Easter grass with its rosy recycling future gives me a pleasant feeling of self-righteousness that is as much fun to savor as a solid dark Godiva rabbit. Ok, almost as much fun .....
Personally, I think there are too many holidays with an emphasis on candy. St. Valentine's Day, Easter, Halloween. Sure, all holidays are occasions to overeat, but this isn't exactly helping a fat, broke populace. I can't seem to go into our local candy mansion without dropping 30 bucks and gaining 5 pounds. That works out to $6 per pound ....
Ah, but the part in between is so sublime. It was years before my kids realized chocolate Easter bunnies actually had ears instead of stumps with teeth marks .... Good thing a little chocolate is healthy for you (as if I ever had any doubt). The best strategy for me is to limit myself to a single daily portion, like Lindors by Lindt or Dove Promises or Hershey minis or kisses (none of which are compensating me for this recommendation, Ok?). Then no matter how extraordinarily great it tastes, I know I can have another one tomorrow. And the day after, and the day after that .....
Gotta go buy some dirt. And grass seed. And chocolate bunnies. With big, long ears ......
***Pink Moon reference from farmersalmanac.com
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I loved this! It was SOOOOOO me, I felt like I was the one who wrote it. Right on down to the daily fix of the chocolate of choice. Only thing in there that was foreign, but amazing, was the real grass. I'm going to do that this year I think. Great idea. And, guess what...today, just a few minutes ago, I started to put the last winter/Christmas thing into the garage. Stumbled across it and had my hands on it, but put it down to do something else that distracted me so it has yet to be moved. Wonderful piece! Happy Easter to you!
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