GOOD FRIDAY

Even in the depth of my Catholicism {which lasted until I was thirteen} I did not give Good Friday much thought. I remember the ceremony of the Stations of the Cross, but I don't remember any anguish about the crucifixion. I am sure I had some thought about it and I must have imagined what it was like; but largely, I remember, it was coming close to the end of fasting and abstinence for the big people and the cranking up for the Easter celebration. I was thirteen in 1948 and I think the Catholic population was giving up much serious fasting in Lent. I am not sure because I quit taking religion seriously, at least intellectually, when I was about thirteen. Emotionally, the indoctrination probably still lingers.

By Good Friday, the smiles were big, in my large Catholic family. Lent was about over. The Easter Bunny was coming in a few days and a big celebration was in the offing. The early Christian church, was quite sly, in using traditional pagan holidays, for which, to supplant with their own holidays. As far back as we can trace, folks have celebrated the change of seasons with gusto. The weather has been cooperating this year; Spring is definitely in the air.

There was a lot preparation for Easter when I was young. On Good Friday evening, the adults [those that didn't believe in the Easter Bunny] would gather at my Grandma's and make Easter eggs. We would wrap the raw egg in a cloth lined with onion skins and bits of colored cloth or paper, anything that would fade, felt worked the best. The egg would be tied up making sure that the onion skins and colored bits made good contact with the shell. Six or seven dozen of these little bundles would be placed in a large pot and simmered for several minutes. Unwrapping these gems was a privilege when we were old enough. We still use this method of egg coloring and it is still a thrill to see how they turn out. The resulting egg can be amazingly and exquisitely patterned and colored. 

Candy making was also a major activity. Our family made divinity eggs. We made divinity shaped into eggs and dipped in bitter chocolate. It was quite a skill to have it all turn out right. I remember, especially, the dropping of the hot syrup  in cold water to see if it would form the appropriate ball. If it was cooked to long it 'crackled' and the divinity would be hard or tough. If it balled up just right the divinity was soft but firm enough to form a good egg and it was tender when eaten. The resulting chocolate covered eggs were delicious. I think that art has been lost in the extended family.

The children, in my family of origin, believed in the Easter Bunny long after the neighbor kids gave it up. When we did discover the truth, the first thing we wanted to know was, "How did those Easter eggs get made?" The neighbor kids had boring dyed eggs, perhaps quite pretty, but nothing like the ones we had.

In the present day, Laughing Water Farm household, Elijah has been bouncing around like a coiled spring. He got up this Morning, shortly after six, and for the first two hours, was really energetic. His cousin Gregory [Noah's son] is flying in from California this afternoon. Elijah is just a little excited.

Gregory's birthday is April 19th but we are going to celebrate it tomorrow. Greg will be flying back to California before his birth date [he will be eleven]. Tomorrow we will have a combination Birthday/Easter party. We will invite the Easter Bunny to come tonight, rather than Saturday night. That means that Grandpa will be creating magical eggs tonight.

There is always a warm glow on the Earth this time of year. Love is very intense right now. Pause to feel it. That's it, just relax. Let the Love flow through.

Have a Great Easter everybody!

Love and Peace,  Gregg