Happy Easter!

The Easter Bunny arrived last night, bringing baskets to hide and jelly beans to scatter in baskets and candy dishes.


Jim and Kate had to search for theirs in the morning, (you are never too old to have a basket!) as did the grandchildren when they stopped by in the afternoon.
It was so much fun watching them all hunt for the little baskets filled with treats.


Libby found her basket first, and the look on little Ethan's face, was priceless!
He was so dismayed at not being able to find his!

Because Katie is here with us this Easter, we had no one to send us our Buffalo Easter treats of Niagara Candy chocolate rabbits, Merckens foil eggs, & Peeps. (also look at the peep show - it is unbelievable!)
But we did find some rather pleasant substitutes, so all was not lost.

Calls came in from our son in North Carolina and our daughter in Brooklyn, New York. It was so good t hear their voices.
We found out that Jonathan has found a new job, so we are pleased and happy for him and his girlfriend Stephanie, as they begin their lives together in a new city.
Our day was calm and easy-going, filled with family visits and laughter food and a bit of baking, too.

But my special Easter present actually came yesterday and during the week.

My sister sent us a lovely card, bringing some of the Florida sunshine with it.
And two dear friends sent us Easter greetings via snail mail, which were totally unexpected, and such a nice surprise.

Our friends, Maria and Frank, sent a fun Hoops and Yoyo card along with a gift. Their squeaky, high-pitched voices drive our Border Collie crazy, so there is an added element of fun for the dog, too!


And my dear blogging friend, Natalie Jo, sent me a darling kitty card with a special kitty fabric inside, too!
She said the card reminded her of me after she read the piece on Sugar Mice so she had to have it for me!
I am humbled by the generosity of others.
It is nice to think there are people out there who care so much about us and are thinking of us.
The true blessings of Easter are the friends and family we cherish and hold dear.

Blessing to you all,
Maggie

A Bit about Easter

The umbrella, mentioned in a former post
Purchased in Witney, Oxfordshire, England

Three vintage, wooden, darling harbingers of Spring from Germany,
purchased from friends, Stephen & Gerry's Antique Shop, in Williamsville, New York

A German paper mache candy container rabbit and cart

My spring cleaning is almost complete, so I have done a bit of decorating for the season.
Here are some of the little things I set out at Easter and Springtime.
Some of them have been with me for decades, and have mad the journey with me across the Atlantic. Others are 'new' finds from England.
And some are actually and really new.

A Bunny Tray from my sister, Deborah, and a black-faced lamb from my daughter

I grew up in an area of New York State, with people predominantly from Germany, Poland, Italy.
So the customs I have are sourced from those influences.

Antique salt and pepper chicks I have had for at least 20 years Reproduction paper mache rabbit candy container, from Germany Vintage chick egg cups from England


New milk glass container on the left, purchased in Bourton-on-Water in the Cotswolds
Vintage white ceramic vase purchased at a car boot recently
Antiqu milk glass container on the right, purchased at an estate sale in Buffalo, New York

Easter would not have been the same without a bunch of Pussy Willows and Butter Lambs on the table. Chocolate foil eggs and trays with chocolate rabbits adorned the table when it was not being used for dinner. And, Mom always had some fresh stems of Forsythia in a vase.

We had white eggs from local hens, and coloured them each year. The Easter bunny hid baskets filled with chocolates and jelly beans and we searched wildly for them as soon as we were awake Easter morning.

Vintage and new paper mache ggs from Germany

When I had children of my own, I found an egg farm that supplied me with pullets - the tiniest of eggs from hens just beginning to lay them.

They were so small they fit nicely in the hands of my young children, and were easy to cover completely, with egg dye in a teacup.

Reproduction chicks, vintage egg; large vintage egg; two ceramic bunnies from Target

We attended church on Easter morning, too. I can still smell the flowers, and hear the hymns if I just close my eyes and listen.

A different type flower child pyramide from Germany Purchased on ebay in Germany

As an adult, I added new traditions to the old - most came from the Poles in our area.
A visit to an historic indoor farmers' market, The Broadway Market, (click on the name to g directly to the market, and also take a look at Hometown Girl for more images from it.) each Easter, resulted in a return home with bags brimming with freshly baked rye bread, butter lambs, Polish sausage, Easter ham, and some treats.

Two cabinets found in an antique shop in Evesham, England filled with Easter & springtime treasures

Television featured the annual egg hunt at the White House and the Easter Parades being held around the country. Later in the day, the movie, Easter Parade was shown, and was watched as we eagerly awaited our holiday meal.

Times are different now, but memories remain. Spring is a time of change, and hope, and renewal. It is when all things breath again and com to life after a long, dreary winter.
I hope these images add a little cheer to your day, too.

xxx
Maggie

Vintage German Pyramide with Flower Children
I traded an antique doll for this and have not seen one like it before or since.
It is one of my favourite things. It traditionally would have small candles in the little cups.

Sugar Mice!

We visited lovely Witney, in Oxfordshire, on Saturday.
We were headed to Witney Warehouse to collect a vintage parasol, (or umbrella) that we had seen there the week before. You can just about see the darling little thing in this photograph of the shop's front window:
I will take more pictures of it later, to share with you, once I am finished with spring cleaning and decorating!
After collecting our little item, we took a stroll along the high street and visited some shops.
One was a bakery called Huffins. I was immediately drawn to a tray containing the sweetest little mice!

All set out in pink and white, with wee tails made of string, these tiny creatures captivated me right away!
I asked my husband if they were traditional, (they looked it!) and if he had had them as a child, and his answer was affirmative to both questions.

Of course, we had to have two of them for our grandchildren, Libby and Ethan. They were packed away in a white bakery bag and off we went, heading home, with our two Whitney purchases.
I only wish I had taken some photographs of Libby and Ethan demolishing them on Sunday!
It was a sight to see as Ethan held the tail in his right hand while keeping a firm grip on the doomed mouse with his left!
It was nice to see the children partaking in a bit of English tradition.

I don't know if Sugar Mice are just available at Easter time, or if they are for any time of year, but this was the first time I have seen them.
You might want to try your hand at making some for your children. Here are links for recipes for making them.
Sugar Mice from Foody. Sugar Mice from The Sugar Boy.

Although I didn't get a sugar mouse for our all-grown-up daughter, Katie, that didn't stop the little kid in her from putting in an appearance . . .


Have a great week my friends!
xxx
Maggie