Simple Easter Joys

 He has Risen from the dead and he is Lord of All.

That is the joy of Easter.  

Over all the years I've dated and been married to Al, his mom has hosted Easter.  Besides hiding eggs, the large golden egg, making rabbit sugar cookies, roasted asparagus (when available), she always fills a different jar with jelly beans and we need to guess how many in the jar.  I finally won this year!  Well, Anna and I tied, so we both won.  

I wasn't going to color eggs, but I felt nostalgic.  When I was young, my dad always colored eggs with different "food" related things.  I remember saying "can't we just buy those tablets like everyone else?"  We did do that too, but some years my dad did this.  We had a beautiful handmade basket my great grandpa Ritchie made.  It had a dark patina and all the curly pieces of black ash that he shaved and wove into a family heirloom.  My eldest brother has it now.  Anyway, every Easter, this heirloom basket was filled with beautiful eggs.  So, I did this.

This is what my dad used the most, red onion skins.  He also did yellow onion ones.  I only had red.  

This one is turmeric.  Made a wonderful deep yellow.  I also did parsley, green onion tops, basil (some not so fresh herbs) that made a very light green/grey.  I did some dried cherries that made a lighter red color.  I know red cabbage makes things blue.  My dad did use cabbage.  I wish I would have had some.  How you do this is add water to a pan, your "food" related item and some vinegar (it helps color stick to shells) and boil eggs right in the pan.  After like 6 minutes or so in boiling "dye" water, take off the heat, let the eggs sit in the colored water for like 20 minutes.  The longer the darker the color.   Anyway, I dyed a dozen eggs and this made me so happy....it's really the little things.

We had wonderful family time at my MIL house.  We each brought a dish or 2 to pass.  I didn't get permission to share photos of my grands, but they were cute as ever!  

This morning, April 1, I did get Al with an "April Fools" I was happy he forgot what day it was.  I will be on the "alert" for a return of that .... ahahaa

April already - this month will be very busy with birthdays, wedding anniversary and a wedding.

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.