Daily Courage

I’m a sucker for traditions. I’ve always been nostalgic and find great joy in warm memories. For our family, Easter is filled with both. Over the years its become “our” holiday, meaning we usually host. This year, everyone brought a dish and that made all the difference in the world. That will be a new tradition!

My mother always baked an Easter lamb cake. When she passed away, the mold came to me. Its a joy to bake it year after year. I made two so there was plenty to go around, and two heads to argue over. I’ve learned to grease and flour the mold well, and to go a little light on the wet ingredients so the cake holds together. After trial and error, I have happily settled on the seven-minute boiled icing from The Joy of Cooking Cookbook.

This Easter we enjoyed a dramatic presentation. My father teaches the three youngest nieces their weekly religion lessons. He found a wonderful script based on two modern day TV journalists interviewing Mary Magdelene Easter Sunday after the Resurrection. I think the girls have launched another tradition.

Whatever your traditions are, whatever you observe and believe, I hope you will always have the courage to be creative when celebrating. Whether its baking a cake, performing a play–complete with homemade props, or setting a special table, make being creative a tradition.

The glory of Easter Sunday lies ahead, but before we get to it, there is a quiet Friday pondering the meaning of the celebration. Blessed with a large extended family, it means over 30 people at our house on Sunday. It’s not exactly intimate, which is why I’ll need to some quiet time between now and then. I love the feeling this shot gives and and how tempted I am to sit right down in one of these chairs and enjoy a quiet corner of the room. Layering  several tablecloth adds color variation and warmth to s small round table. In fact, I think I’ll set a couple of tables dressed like these and put then in some of the main rooms of the house to encourage small,quality conversations among our guests on Sunday. 

Whatever you celebrate at this springtime season, we wish you calm, relaxation, and quiet time with those you love.

(Photo courtesy of April Cornell)

It’s sure fun to be in popular company! News of a new quilt book from Freddy Moran and Gwen Marston sparked a great response. Neither of them are wired, so I will print out the nice comments and send them off. It’s sure to make them smile.  Speaking of smiles, here is something to chuckle over from Freddy and Gwen. Someone gave Gwen this fabric, and the two of them used it in one of their new quilts. We giggled trying to come up with captions for the images. (Disclaimer: these were taken with my phone camera. A far cry from the professional work of Gregory Case.)

We decided this must be the Booby Hatch. Have any other funny ideas?

Don’t know about you, but I am battling a little Spring Fever. It’s Good Friday and I am trying to  finish up in the office so I can observe the rest of the day in contemplation of this important day. The work of author Teena Flanner comes to mind just prior to this weekend holiday. Teena’s work has been featured in many magazines, and we have always admired her wonderful paper mache figures. 

Teena uses vintage chocolate molds to form her figures. This bunny is a beauty, and I love this glittered egg.

Teena’s book has many wonderful ideas for other holidays too. If you like these you will love it.

Happy Easter!

Toodles…