Spring and Easter

Spring is a late-comer in our part of the world this year and I for one am quite happy with the development.  Temperatures have been cooler and until the past couple days we have still had minus zero temperatures, factoring in wind chills.  However our area has been free of severe flooding or violent weather experienced elsewhere so the only complaint we could possibly have is …. The flowers last longer!

The photograph included was taken at 6 a.m. this morning. Hamilton is located on the shores of Lake Ontario and we are subject to heavy fog whenever air temperature changes quickly, so looks like we are in for warmer weather. Don’t you just love foggy mornings when objects are surrounded in soft veils of  silence and subdued light;  like finding a surprise around every corner.

‘Surprises’ reminds me of Easter egg hunts. When my children were younger I worked very hard to hide Easter goodies in many, many places and as they got older, in more difficult to find places. One Easter a friend arrived with a pot of poster paints and he proceeded to paint ‘bunny’ footprints all over the hardwood floors. Wherever I concealed a treat a trail led right to the hiding place. There were pink prints, yellow and green for ‘Mr. Rabbit’ had hopped on the flowers as he went from home to home. It took me forever to wash the prints away and they had to be removed a few at a time after the children were asleep. When I started to wash them away I was met with a wail from my five year old twins “the bunny prints mom, you can’t take away the bunny prints”.  So a new Easter tradition was added to our family. 

Unfortunately the children are now adults and the grand children are beyond the hunt stage so it is now all about a huge Easter dinner, and a bunny for my 47 year old eldest son.  Easter wouldn't be Easter for him without his favourite chocolate bunny!   After two ham  dinners this year I am ready for long walks in the cooler than usual spring air …. Walk away the calories!

Another sign of spring which I so enjoy is the arrival of ‘pussy willows’. I don’t know the correct name, I’ve just always called the catkins which appear on willows ‘pussy willows’. And for your enjoyment here are some I collected from this year’s bounty.
Enjoy.

Back to painting tomorrow; today must be dedicated to filing my income tax!  Horrid chore!