Eastertime

When I was a young boy growing up on our farm in Brogue, PA we were never short for eggs on Easter! We had plenty of chickens, and plenty of eggs from the chickens to collect for Easter activities. My mother would spend all afternoon boiling the eggs and then she and I, together, would dye and decorate them. I was an only child, and my father was always busy with work on the farm, so it was just my mother and I for activities like this.

Once the eggs were dyed my mother would gather them into a basket and, the night before Easter she would hide them around the house and the farm while I was asleep.

We would get up before dawn on Easter morning and head to the sunrise service at Horn Field, where all the churches in the area gathered for the sermon.

Following the service, we would return home and I would go on a hunt for all those eggs my mother had hidden. There were always surprises in store for me on my hunt, including a basket from the Easter Bunny with lots of goodies in it. The basket was full of peanut butter cups - which are still my favorite today.

Later in the afternoon, all of the family would come over for a ham dinner. There'd be more candy form all my uncles and aunts. Sometimes, I think I got more candy for Easter than I did on Halloween!

I found out the truth about the Easter bunny when I was 12 years old. I've no idea how I believed the tale for so long. I guess my parents would very good secret-keepers. My own children found out early. My elder child found out when he was 6 years old, and promptly told his younger sister, who was only 4.

Whether you believe in the Easter bunny or not, and whatever your religious beliefs... Easter can be a fun time with family and friends... so, Happy Easter!