Happy Easter

This is the first year in a long long time that I haven't either made at least a few Easter eggs or my traditional braided, cardamom-scented Easter bread. Instead, I got out this basket of eggs from previous years and have been enjoying their bright colors on the table - and maybe one day soon I'll have time to bake. Because we weren't in Montreal for the holiday, I also didn't see the beautiful loaves, with embedded hard-cooked eggs, in the windows of the Portugese bakeries. But here in Vermont, the daffodils are starting to bloom in the back yard and the days have been warm enough to suggest spring and lighter clothes. This week I got the perennial garden raked, and on one of the few mornings without wind my husband made a small bonfire for the year's brush and leaves and apple-tree-prunings. It felt wonderful to be outside and working, rake in hand and sun on my back, while slate-colored juncos hopped beneath the feeder and the cardinal couple chipped and called from the wild apple trees. Because of our strange traveling lifestyle, I haven't planned how much of a vegetable/annual flower garden to plant this year - not much, I don't think - but I know I won't be able to completely resist. A tomato or two, some zinnias, nasturtiums, fresh herbs -- enough to keep my hands in the earth and my spirit connected to the sources of life.

Comments

[Marja-Leena]

What lovely eggs, Beth - they look like you made them using the traditional Ukrainian method! I remember the first time I read your blog, you had a lovely picture and words about making Finnish coffee bread with cardamom. Sounds like you have had a wonderful Easter getting close to the earth. Best to you!

[Soen Joon Sn]

Happy spring!

[Martine]

Oops... Was I supposed to prune my apple trees? Is it too late? (I wish plants came with instructions...)

[beth]

No, you don't have to. But if you do want to (J. prunes our flowering crabapple trees for shape, and gets rid of all the upward-facing and rubbing branches) you need to do it in late winter/early spring. So you're off the hook for this year!