Hard-boiled eggs - red, green, blue, yellow, purple and orange food-color tablets - thin wire holders for hot-water, color-transfer egg-dunking - cardboard egg cartons - color combination experiments - wax crayons for "secret" messages - decals - singing "Here Comes Peter Cottontail" (and you can hear it at: http://www4.ncsu.edu... and http://www.brownielo... ) at the top of my lungs until someone asks me to stop... again - straw baskets with green plastic grass and hidden candy treasures all wrapped up in crinkly, colored cellophane - too much chocolate - not enough chocolate - snow - dogwood and redbud blossoms - the thrill of seeing a rabbit in my backyard on Easter Sunday morning - visits to relatives' homes - neighborhood, park and family egg hunts - jellybeans - stiff shirts with scratchy collars, clip-on bow ties, pressed pants, thin socks, cheap but shiny new black hard shoes - brushed hair, clean hands, fingernails and ears that stick out more than usual from a very recent close haircut - no running, no playing, no jumping, no shouting - long church services, sometimes starting at sunrise, outside and shivering - singing my favorite; "The Old Rugged Cross" (hear it at: http://www.cyberhymn... ) off-key and too loud but with strong feelings and good intentions - radio and television sermons - newspaper articles with color pictures - changing clothes... finally - bright and clear but cold and windy days - tulips - school prayers and projects - rain - finding that one, last, long lost egg... two months too late... with a push mower.
Realizing the true meaning of the holiday... later.
Happy Easter, everyone!
Steve
In our family's situation when I was very young, I wonder if it had anything to do with being poor and Baptist at the same time?
Yet another most appropriate and humorous memory, el - thanks so much!
Steve