Happy Easter to All!
He is risen, Alleluia! He is risen indeed!
Yes, today is a day for celebrating. We are so blessed. It has been a very hectic time since we came back from our awesome trip but all very rewarding. Here just a few photos with as few words as I can manage.
Monday March 27 - first day home. We feel the 13 hours time difference. Either that or our age. Many loads of washing clothing because our suitcases arrived soaking wet from the rain. But they would have to be washed anyway but got done just a bit quicker, ha-ha. We "survey" the house and find that we have not missed much of our amaryllis blooms.
The coming days we are marveling about our redbud tree getting prettier and prettier. The weather is also good enough for us to do our walks and managing at least 10000 steps most days.
Friday March 31 I can see a special bird on our feeder from the bedroom which we have never had. I tip-toe into the sunroom and actually manage to take this photo which makes me very happy. We had bought this feeder only a short time before we had left and it was a great purchase. We have never had that many different birds visiting us and sticking longer around.
Friday is also the day when we quite often go out for dinner with some friends from our community. It had been a while since we were gone for a month. So of course we had a lively conversation.
As soon as we were home I sat when ever possible at my computer and worked on the church newsletter. I was very happy that I managed to get it out on time at the end of the week. If you are interested, HERE is the link.
On Saturday we also finally saw the "over the river" boys and their parents again. Caleb was supposed to have a soccer game and we had planned to watch it, but it was cancelled because of the weather. So we changed the plans and the 7 of us went out for a brunch. Lots to talk about again.
Monday April 3 - We all had watched the new Mormon temple being built close to us and after several years it was finally finished. Everyone was eager to see the inside and some of our friends had already been (part of the Friday discussion). So James and I went on Monday to the open house shortly after 9 am so not to miss it. All I can say is that I don't understand it, even after all the attempted explanations. I am very happy to worship where we do.
HOLY WEEK had started on Sunday with Palm Sunday. James was layreader at the 8 am service. Since we were still not sleeping very well we did not stay for the later service, even though we would have loved to see our church friends again.
It happened to be spring break for our three boys. No school. Sarah had found a very nice outdoors camp for them and for once all three could register for the same camp. But they needed to be picked up at 2:30 pm so James and I had volunteered for Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Monday we brought them to our house because we wanted them to choose something from the items we had brought home from the trip. The weather was so nice that they played with the soccer ball from the garage.
I can't quite remember what we did Tuesday and I will report about Thursday later.
My plans/flowers needed some attention and this was a result I photographed on Tuesday. I cut one amaryllis because the planter was getting crowded.
Because it is Holy Week we went to evening services Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday's service was as always at 10 am. Since James and I had to go to church anyway we went in time for the service. After we had parked I saw this crow. A white one? Never had seen one before.
A minute later the friend (or partner) arrived. I think I will use this photo for the church newsletter front page.
Since I was finished with the newsletter James and I were busy with another job we had volunteered for. I had reported last year HERE about a private Seder Meal. Father Lee (our priest) had asked me before we left for our trip whether I would be able and willing to take care of the details for a church Seder Meal, and it was scheduled for this Wednesday. There had been a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board. So James and I with help of others layed one gigantic table for 37 and Elijah (the empty chair).
It was as moving to us this time just like the other two times and I am so happy how it went. It was only a bit strenuous because it was the first time in the church and we didn't know what there was in the kitchen for us to use. We had to be inventive but it all worked out wonderfully and Lee lead us through the service so easily. Everybody was excited. And besides, it was a great potluck.
The Seder plate: a roasted lamb bone, a roasted egg, greens (parsley), bitter herbs (horseradish), and charoset (a mixture of apples, nuts and spices).
Thursday morning - James and I were just being a bit lazy in the morning, feeling relieved that something important had turned out well. So, taking pleasure in my gorgeous flowers.
Yes, Thursday. We picked the boys up from camp as before at 2:30pm and went straight to Miss Julie. She had arranged for us to use the art room at her place and was looking forward to coloring Easter eggs once again with the boys. At the Seder Meal there had to be a hard boiled egg at every place setting but most did not eat it. So I had planned those 'leftovers' to be used for this.
Last year I had borrowed Sarah's one "eggmazing egg decorator" and also had taken the boys to her. After that Easter the decorators were on sale and I bought three of them. Now there has not so much sharing to be done. The down-side: we were done very fast. But it was fun.
When staff was coming by and wondering what we were doing, Julie would say that she was borrowing grandsons.
We had a bit more time so we could go to her room because the boys wanted to know all about the pictures she had painted. She had also two photo albums which they were studying sitting on the floor. We all had fun.
At 7 pm was the service with the stripping of the altar. Holy Week is so special.
Good Friday - fish and ships for lunch
But no hot cross buns. Just could not get my act together to bake some. Somehow the cold and dreery weather paralized my mojo. James was layreader at the 6 pm Stations of the Cross service which always takes place outside in the Memorial Garden. We wondered how that would work with the forecasted rain.
Because of the rain, priest and layreader did not robe. We were holding umbrellas and the booklets and surprisingly we were still a pretty big group.
Saturday when I woke up I brought up the hot cross buns and that I regretted not having baked any. James laughed and said it was ok and then that he could just drive to Wegman's and get some. Well, they are not that easy to buy in the USA. I did call Panera (was told they have not had any for ages), Publix (sold out a week ago) and then Wegman's. Yeah, I was told they had just baked 80. So before breakfast we just had a quick drive and got some. The buns were still warm and they had not put any icing on. When the young man said 'icing' I was a bit taken back because traditionally it should only be flour with a little water to make the cross. So we bought 2 of the trays, one with and one without crosses.
And here is breakfast!
Lunch was 'real' shepherd's pie (with lamb) leftover from the Seder meal (my contribution to the potluck) which we could not have on Good Friday.
And since we still had leftover hot cross buns and leftover hard boiled eggs we asked a friend couple from the neighborhood whether they would like to come for tea. They came at 3 pm and we had a very nice time chatting, enjoying tea and coffee etc etc. John is an artist and we could admire some of his paintings recently. I thought he would have fun with this project too and he did. They would not have had any proper Easter eggs in their house Easter Sunday so it had been a good idea.
James said it was his very first egg he had done like this. Pretty from all angles, right?
