Easter- Memories of Easter as a very young girl started with shopping for that pretty Easter dress, affirmation that spring was here and I couldn’t wait to wear the dress. Palm Sunday was a memorable day at church always and bringing home that palm was a big deal for some reason. My mom was one of the ladies that set up the after service coffee and cookies, and I got to help this also was a big deal to me, we would get to church early and stay late. Grace Episcopal Church itself was a great memory, a whole other story!
Coloring Easter eggs, making baskets to put them in was great fun and was part of the anticipation of Easter. We had the ‘traditional’ Easter egg hunt at the Traverse City Golf & Country Club, which was at the top of the hill from where I lived. The eggs were hidden on the greens near the club and in the woods down the hill. I was a great hunter! You had to be fast, there were a lot of kids! I had a slight advantage as I played in those woods and knew every crook, nook and cranny in there. However I wasn’t allowed in the woods when it came time to hide the eggs, banished until the hunt was over.
There was a great big Easter Rabbit in town during Easter time but I really didn’t visit him....I swear one night (around Easter) I saw him standing in my bedroom doorway. Talk about a heart attack! Freaked me right out! Musta been dreaming....but I stilllllll remember!
Easter morning and I couldn’t hunt for my basket!!! The birds were singing and it was time to get ready for church. I was anxious for the day to begin. We finally got to wear those new dresses, my sister mom and I. My brother (wayyy older than me...sorry bro) had moved out by then and I didn’t pay attention to what dad was wearing, it wasn’t a dress. Easter services were always beautiful, very ceremonial services and I actually loved them. Every one would linger after service, it looked like soooo many people. Everything is larger when you are a child. I remember it just always seemed like a great spring morning. There were a lot of children and of course we would play, and run if we could get away with it. I was secretly in love with one of the boys at the church....but of course never said a word...you heard it first, right here! His name stays with me ; ) Had to throw that one in.
We would get home and the basket search was on! Found in short order and sorted, as a voice from the kitchen sang out “Don’t eat all that candy now you will spoil your dinner.” Sound familiar? Big dressed table in the dining room, and the special dishes were ready. My grandparents and uncle would join us, sometimes my brother was there. I loved the holiday meals, even washing the dishes after because they were the ‘special dishes’. Mom would always get this great Easter cake that looked like a big round bunny and little bunny cupcakes all covered in coconut and was great tasting, I couldn’t wait to have that! After the meal, the Easter dress was traded in for play clothes and probably all sugared up, off I went to play with all the kids in our very noisy neighborhood. It was always a great day, spring had officially arrived.
Looked for Easter photos, not much. One is Dad with brother Duane and sister Kim, before my time I suspect somewhere around 1954. The other is me on 17th Street, see the gloves in hand? What ever happened to that fashion? Notice the hill behind me? Great stuff for sledding...the hill kept going beyond the photogragher.
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