The Cottage Smallholder


stumbling self sufficiency in a small space

Easter Claus

Easter snowEmily (nearly eleven) sat back in her chair and announced. “Christians – the ones that practise Christianity and go to church – consider Easter to be more important than Christmas.”

“Yes, I think that they do,” replied my friend Clare from the depths of the kitchen.

“The egg is a symbol of rebirth. I like Easter eggs but actually prefer Christmas as there is Santa Claus.”

For the first year ever D and I agreed not to buy each other Easter eggs. I must admit my heart dropped when he suggested the idea. There is nothing like breaking the shell and guzzling a really good egg. An indulgent, special treat that doesn’t pile on the pounds like a monster bar of Galaxy. Most chocolate manufacturers do not approach their moulds with cauldrons of molten chocolate. But some of them do with prices to match so I can see his point.

Before I left for town to buy the eggs for the rest of the family I asked him if he’d like a small non egg present for under five pounds.
“There’s nothing that I really want but please buy a small present for yourself if you see something when you are out.”
“Why don’t we pool our five pounds and buy a new milk jug?”
So I did. A perfect Denby stoneware example, reduced by ?10.

There is a sort of Easter Claus. He’s not helping the Easter Bunny to distribute eggs and chocolate. Rather he is in the promise of spring. The germination of seeds. The new born lambs. The first sign of a crop peeping up through the mud. This is a magical time of year packed with freshness and life. So many things that you can’t capture and put in a box with a cellophane front.

You need to be a bit older than Emily to appreciate them. What is the backdrop to Emily’s Easter Egg hunt becomes the hunt itself for me. Here the leaves of the willow are unfurling. There the almond blossom is heavy in the tree. The snow falling this afternoon had Miles and I standing at the window lost in the beauty of the swirling flakes in a Cambridge park where I used to play as a child. Driving home, through the slushy rain there was suddenly sunshine and a rainbow.

And this evening we dined in style with The Chicken Lady’s family. A long, leisurely, delicious meal. The start of a new friendship and time to chill and just relax. In their dining room we also were entertained by Blanche and Spartacus, a pair of snow white budgies that alternately canoodled and scrapped.
“We bought them because they had to be sold as a pair. Blanche had been bought separately and was returned after a lonely week as she pined for her mate.”

Happy Easter everyone.


  Leave a reply

8 Comments

  1. Fiona Nevile

    Hi Pat

    Happy Easter to you, Brian, Jingles and Cheeky.

    Thanks for dropping by.

    Hi Toffeeapple
    Hi Pat

    Happy Easter to you, Brian, Jingles and Cheeky.

    Thanks for dropping by.

    Hi Toffeeapple

    Happy Easter to you. Always appreciate your comments!

    Hi Jayne

    What a brilliant idea. Thanks for sharing.

    Hi Sam

    Happy Easter to you all.

    It’s great that your kids are getting into gardening.

    Of course the raspberry canes must have priority!!

    Hi Kate

    Your Thursday experience is a real result. Well done. The violets that you picked today must have seemed extra special.

    I love violets – one of my favourite flowers.

    Hi Louisa

    Our holiday has been pretty good so far.

    Thanks for the tip about chilling Easter eggs.

    I haven’t tried the cookie crumble Galaxy, must check that one out!

    Happy Easter, still one more day to go!

    Hi Veronica,

    Happy Easter. Thanks so much for your positive feedback.

    I enjoy your blog too!

    Happy Easter to you. Always appreciate your comments!

    Hi Jayne

    What a brilliant idea. Thanks for sharing.

    Hi Sam

    Happy Easter to you all.

    It’s great that your kids are getting into gardening.

    Of course the raspberry canes must have priority!!

    Hi Kate

    Your Thursday experience is a rwal result. Well done. The violets that you picked today must have seemed extra special.

    I love violets – one of my favourite flowers.

    Hi Louisa

    Our holiday has been pretty good so far.

    Thanks for the tip about chilling Easter eggs.

    I haven’t tried the cookie crumble Galaxy, must check that one out!

    Happy Easter, still one more day to go!

    Hi Veronica,

    Happy Easter. Thanks so much for your positive feedback.

    I enjoy your blog too!

  2. Veronica

    Happy Easter Fiona and Danny, and your post prompts me to thank you for your blog, which brings a ray of sunshine into the dullest day!

  3. Happy Easter Fiona and Danny. Sounds like you’ve had a perfick day. I’ve spent today pottering in the kitchen whilst hubby has been decorating the dining room. I must confess to breaking open my easter egg today and popping it in the fridge. There’s nothing better than cold egg chocolate as it cracks in your mouth. I’m also partial to the odd bar of galaxy too Fiona, have you tried the cookie crumble one?? xxx :o)

  4. Kate(uk)

    Happy Easter Fiona- the highlight of my Easter weekend was on Thursday when I managed to stop the council mower from mowing the verges around my garden which are overflowing with dark purple violets in full bloom. Violets are a real Easter flower, I always used to buy a bunch for my mother at Easter- when I was a child they were sold as cut flowers. She came round for lunch today and had some from my verge instead. They smell wonderful when the sun gets onto them- not much chance of that today though!

  5. happy easter fiona.
    we spent the day dodging the snow and hail showers whilst enjoying our sudden burst of energy. it’s as if with the coming of spring the winter blues have been shaken off, what ever the weather. our children delighted in getting muddy from head to toe helping me to “turn the foil” and pick out the weeds. W pointed out the new leaves on the honeysuckle and L helped plant out some seedlings. they are both very interested in gardening, much more than me when i was their age. now the great debate starts as to which vegetables to plant, unfortunately, space it at a premium and my bargain raspberry canes come first!!!

  6. i buy my grandkids fruit bushes for easter instead of eggs, as they get to see the bush come to life with spring as well as having a useful perpose,and they dont sit around eating all day, they go and plant the!

  7. Toffeeapple

    And a happy Easter to you and Danny. Thank you for sharing your life with us, I do appreciate it.

  8. Awwwwwwww so that is why we have the snow today!!! Easter Claus must have brought it!!! Happy Easter to you and yours Fiona!!!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

HTML tags are not allowed.

2,261,871 Spambots Blocked by Simple Comments


Copyright © 2006-2024 Cottage Smallholder      Our Privacy Policy      Advertise on Cottage Smallholder


Skip to toolbar
HG