BS: Soooo... Easter

Subject: BS: Soooo... Easter
From: gnu
Date: 05 Apr 12 - 06:56 PM

Whaddayas do eh? Eggs? Church? Fancy feasts... ham?

Some of my relatives treat it like Xmas with presents for the younguns... mostly candies and clothes. Never did understand that. Is that a protestant custom?

Subject: RE: BS: Soooo... Easter
From: Wesley S
Date: 05 Apr 12 - 07:33 PM

"Is that a protestant custom?"

My guess is that it's a pagan custom adopted by the early Christians so that everyone was having feasts at the same time. That way it didn't look suspicious. Just like Christmas.

Subject: RE: BS: Soooo... Easter
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 05 Apr 12 - 07:40 PM

Easter Bilbys -- not actually from my neck of the woods, but cute.

Not being Christian, and just me and the teenager, lately... usually there's some token chocolate involved, and something tasty as a brunch.

Once upon a time in cohousing when the boy was in the "little kids" cohort, we'd be involved with the big egg hunt (of plastic eggs with treats inside). The problem we had here is Tucson is getting an early enough start that the candies wouldn't melt too badly before being found.

Mom used to do Easter baskets that my sister and I had to follow clues to find... I did for the boy that a few times, too. It was fun (for me as a kid) the years we had Easter at the cabin in the woods in upstate New York, following the clues indoors and out, sometimes in the snow.

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: BS: Soooo... Easter
From: Wesley S
Date: 05 Apr 12 - 08:00 PM

Three Buddhists arrive at the gates of heaven. St Peter wants to let them in but tells them: This place is run by the Christians - so in order to get in you at least have to know what Easter is all about.

The first Buddhist says "Oh I know all about Easter. That's when you get the whole family together and eat a big Turkey". St Peter says - "No - go to the end of the line and try again."

The second Buddhist says - ""Oh I know all about Easter. That's when you get the whole family together and eat a big turkey and exchange presents". St Peter says - "No - go to the end of the line and try again."

The third Buddhist says "Oh I know all about Easter. Easter is when Christ died on the cross for us. They laid his body in a tomb - and three days later he rose from the dead. Then he came out of his tomb, saw his shadow and we had six more weeks of winter".

Subject: RE: BS: Soooo... Easter
From: catspaw49
Date: 05 Apr 12 - 08:30 PM

Up until a few years ago, we'd sacrifice a virgin and go wild with a supply of Peyote and Maker's Mark Bourbon. Now I can't find a virgin or Peyote and MM has gotten real expensive so I have a Great Lakes beer (Burning River this year )and a ham sandwich............

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Soooo... Easter
From: Joe_F
Date: 05 Apr 12 - 09:03 PM

Loveliest of trees, the cherry now
Is hung with bloom along the bough
And stands about the woodland ride,
Wearing white for Eastertide.       -- Housman

Subject: RE: BS: Soooo... Easter
From: Crowhugger
Date: 05 Apr 12 - 10:00 PM

Rabbit stew.



















Just kidding
;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Soooo... Easter
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Apr 12 - 10:34 PM

////////Three Buddhists arrive at the gates of heaven. St Peter wants to let them in but tells them: This place is run by the Christians - so in order to get in you at least have to know what Easter is all about.

The first Buddhist says "Oh I know all about Easter. That's when you get the whole family together and eat a big Turkey". St Peter says - "No - go to the end of the line and try again."

The second Buddhist says - ""Oh I know all about Easter. That's when you get the whole family together and eat a big turkey and exchange presents". St Peter says - "No - go to the end of the line and try again."

The third Buddhist says "Oh I know all about Easter. Easter is when Christ died on the cross for us. They laid his body in a tomb - and three days later he rose from the dead. Then he came out of his tomb, saw his shadow and we had six more weeks of winter".///////

They sound like three Christians to me.

Subject: RE: BS: Soooo... Easter
From: gnu
Date: 05 Apr 12 - 10:45 PM

A beer and a ham sandwich sounds better than what I will be subjected to at the relatives'. Lord... dear Lord... hear my prayer... please befall me with illness on Easter Sunday so I don't have to go to Easter supper with my relatives.

Crowhugger... don't keep any lucky feet from that rabbit. >;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Soooo... Easter
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 06 Apr 12 - 04:26 AM

Joe F, my little neighbour aged 8 recited that verse of Housman to me last week, and made me die; she said ..."and stands about the Park and Ride..."

Subject: RE: BS: Soooo... Easter
From: Penny S.
Date: 06 Apr 12 - 07:10 AM

I was thinking this morning that we, as children, used to have new clothes for church on Easter Day. We were Congregationalist. But it was, I think, that we needed new clothes, being larger than the year before, and Easter was a good date for it. I doubt it's pagan. didn't some people get their new summer frocks for Whitsun?

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: Soooo... Easter
From: Stringsinger
Date: 06 Apr 12 - 10:56 AM

Easter is from the goddess Astarte (Greek) or Ôstara (a goddess in Germanic paganism) as well as Old English goddess Eostre or Estre the month of April) feasts were held in Eostre's honor among the pagan Anglo-Saxons, but had died out replaced by the Christian "Paschal month" (a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus), co-opted by Christianity as is done mostly by this religion from other gods and events.

The roots are pagan having to do with fertility rites, hence eggs and rabbits and a goddess of fertility. Estres is the time of the month for fertility in women.

Happy fertility everyone.

Subject: RE: BS: Soooo... Easter
From: wysiwyg
Date: 06 Apr 12 - 11:17 AM

If you're pressed for time, start this video at about 4:04 in, to see the Easter I'M looking forward to, today. (The interview is great also.) We hope to do this one SOON at our Saturday Night Service.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lN4hQVT7JZk

(Which I'll be hearing in my head Sunday AM during the fancy service, in my silly (honoring-Mom) Easter bonnet.)

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Soooo... Easter
From: open mike
Date: 06 Apr 12 - 12:31 PM

I have often decorated eggs in the Ukranian tradition...folks say that is what keeps the world going around, so I feel I must!!

Here is a post from 2008..
Ukranian Eggs

Subject: RE: BS: Soooo... Easter
From: Amos
Date: 06 Apr 12 - 12:38 PM

I am delighted that it is springtime in SOuthern California, one of its very best times of year. I am glad life is still resurging and greens are growing and kids borning and flowers popping up.

Aside from that, it has no grand merit for me, Easter.


A

Subject: RE: BS: Soooo... Easter
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 06 Apr 12 - 12:43 PM

Rabbit stew...

Actually, for many years that was exactly what Curmudgeon and I would eat for Easter dinner, not that we actually celebrated Easter, being non-churchgoers. (Sue, don't tell Mom!!! About not celebrating Easter, I mean...)

My preference has always been ham, but Tom has to avoid it because of the high sodium content. Couldn't afford lobster... And now rabbit has pretty well priced itself out of the market, too.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: Soooo... Easter
From: Allan C.
Date: 07 Apr 12 - 06:01 AM

One year when I was quite young, but old enough to be growing suspicious of the whole Easter bunny thing, my father set me back a bit. He borrowed some of Mom's liquid clay, (used for pouring molds,) and using three fingers together, created rabbit tracks on the wood flooring leading from the front door. I was a believer once again!

Subject: RE: BS: Soooo... Easter
From: Will Fly
Date: 07 Apr 12 - 06:35 AM

Memories of Easter as a young boy included walking up the Lancashire moors to Rivington Pike where there was a fair every Easter. (The tower on the top is an 18th century hunting lodge). We used to paint eggs in the morning and then roll them down the Pike, and then have candy floss (cotton candy to you over there) before walking home again. No cars for us in those days - this would be the early 1950s.

As for rabbits, well... we lived on them in the years after the war (WW2) because they were cheap and plentiful. My mother would joint them and bake them in breadcrumbs and herbs - delicious. Then along came the outbreak of myxomatosis - spread deliberately by farmers - and rabbits went out of fashion quickly. Silly, really, because the disease makes no difference to the eating but - there you go. Meat was expensive - beef was the usual meat for Sunday dinner - and a chicken was an expensive rarity.

Rabbits are back on the menu now, and I can get 'em for the price of a pint of beer as many friends go shooting regularly in the fields near me.

Subject: RE: BS: Soooo... Easter
From: Musket
Date: 07 Apr 12 - 12:03 PM

Duck with all the trimmings.

Not for Easter, but because Sunday is a day we always like to cook, and the local farm shop prepared us a brace of small wild ducks. We make a sweet & spicy sauce, serve with berries, roast potatoes, parsnips and carrots (in goose fat of course) and my home made mushy peas.

A few bottles of a Kelham Island brew whilst preparing it, a decent couple of bottles of Californian Pinot Noir at the table and apple crumble with custard to follow, then coffee, bought some Kenyan beans the other day I haven't tried yet.

Then have farting competitions with the dog whilst watching a recording of the new food program on The BBC.

No Easter eggs though. Green & Blacks make nice chocolate, but we buy the bars and have a couple of pieces at night, regardless of the holiday excuse or not. The Cadburys of this world just don't cut it like they used to, getting more like the American chocolate I used to moan about when working in Chicago many years ago.

Monday? Again, the game theme from the local farm shop. Rabbit, a couple of leek out of the garden, (last of winter stock) made into a pie, with mash, cabbage and peas.

Tuesday, Wednesday dieting.... Thursday off to South Africa for a few weeks. Life is good at present.

Subject: RE: BS: Soooo... Easter
From: GUEST,CS
Date: 07 Apr 12 - 01:33 PM

I'm pretty religiously and spiritually ambiguous though tend towards paganism with a very small p, in that the more nature based, minimalistic and spontaneous rites and rituals instinctively appeal. Tomorrow I'll bake bread as it seems a good day to be doing so and maybe sow some seeds too.

I was looking up associations to Eostre on YouTube as I have a fondness for the sharing nature of the neo-Pagan community there - a plethora of spring flower bedecked altars to be seen as ever. Yet it was this musical offering which struck a chord, not sure why though, nothing terribly exceptional about it, I just liked it. Maybe I've spent too many nights about the campfire with small p pagans:

River - Eostre's Dance

Subject: RE: BS: Soooo... Easter
From: gnu
Date: 07 Apr 12 - 02:53 PM

Well! A snowstorm! Perhaps I shant have to be stricken with illness!

Subject: RE: BS: Soooo... Easter
From: ChanteyLass
Date: 07 Apr 12 - 09:50 PM

I learned to make Pysanky at workshop for teachers. I never got very good at it. I usually did an acorn and oak leaf design because it did not have to be symmetrical.

I had rabbit and duck for dinner at an Italian restaurant I went to Tuesday night with a group of friends from the YMCA. I'm not kidding. It's under entrees on the menu. http://www.dcarlotrattoria.net/dinner/index.html Needless to say I will not tell my grands what I ate! Also I was the only person who ordered this entree. In our group I am known as the adventurous eater.

I spent Friday night at a Seder at the home of some friends. On Easter I will go to the home of my son's mother-in-law for brunch after they go to church.

Subject: RE: BS: Soooo... Easter
From: LilyFestre
Date: 07 Apr 12 - 11:25 PM

Easter in this house usually involves a picnic...a day to be out in the world to celebrate..not stuck in a hot stuffy house working in the kitchen all day.

This year things are a bit different as my nana who is currently living in a nursing home will be joining us. The day is to be warm and sunny but she gets cold so easily so we are going to have the traditional Easter dinner complete with ham and all the fixings.

I am contemplating going to church. We shall see what the morning brings. If I don't get to church, I'm going to sit under a tree and share the Easter story with Jeremiah.

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Soooo... Easter
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 08 Apr 12 - 07:39 AM

As it's Easter Day, I wish everyone a Happy and Peaceful Easter. May you enjoy it in the way you choose, and be blessed! Eliza xxx

Subject: RE: BS: Soooo... Easter
From: GUEST,CS
Date: 08 Apr 12 - 08:13 AM

Thanks for Psyanky, I gotta have a go at doing these they're so gorgeous (though stones too would work just as well): http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2e/Pysanky2011.JPG

Reading earlier about the Easter pre-dawn morning rite involving the congregation gradually filing in and illuminating a dark church, candle by candle. And it sounded so magical that I'll have to find out if our local church does that. Or maybe I could do something similar at home.

Subject: RE: BS: Soooo... Easter
From: gnu
Date: 08 Apr 12 - 09:15 AM

SNOW!

Subject: RE: BS: Soooo... Easter
From: GUEST,Woodsie
Date: 08 Apr 12 - 09:26 AM

"My guess is that it's a pagan custom adopted by the early Christians so that everyone was having feasts at the same time. That way it didn't look suspicious. Just like Christmas."

The whole pagan thing is a Victorian invention. Easter is linked to the Jewish Passover. Ant so called pagan celebrations were more likely around the spring Equilux - Easter is Christian

Subject: RE: BS: Soooo... Easter
From: Ebbie
Date: 08 Apr 12 - 11:33 AM

I hear you, gnu! Is it snowing?

Subject: RE: BS: Soooo... Easter
From: gnu
Date: 08 Apr 12 - 01:44 PM

Not much now but it was enough (8" and now mixed with rain) to stop Mum from going for supper at YKW's. Of course, I have to stay home to look after Mum. >;-D

Subject: RE: BS: Soooo... Easter
From: Ebbie
Date: 09 Apr 12 - 11:09 AM

Ah, you poor guy.

Subject: RE: BS: Soooo... Easter
From: gnu
Date: 09 Apr 12 - 02:08 PM

I had to go over and pick up two "plates". I took a bite of the ham, the spuds, the green beans, and the the turnip. I parboiled the ham, made toast and fried eggs, ate the eggs on toast and threw the rest out. I couldn't get the maraschino cherry juice flavour out of the ham.

Subject: RE: BS: Soooo... Easter
From: Don Firth
Date: 09 Apr 12 - 05:03 PM

My wife, Barbara, went to church. She sings in the choir (soprano). I considered going, but my natural lethargy took over and I stayed home and practiced on the guitar a bit.

At around 2:00 p.m. guests started arriving. Bernice and Mary (sisters) arrived bearing dishes (or d'oeuvres and Bernice's signature sweet potato salad—like regular potato salad, but made with sweet potatoes; delicious!). Bernice is a home health care worker, and Mary works in a medical lab.

Then Paul D., who is a member of our monthly writers' group (we gather and read our latest literary magnum opus to each other for mutual suggestion and critique) arrived. He brought a couple of interesting bottles of wine. Paul D. is between jobs right now, having resigned from a stultifying job as a hospital receptionist and is looking for another job. Not a good time for job hunting, but Paul is a versatile and talented guy, so it shouldn't be too long.

Barbara drove down to nearby retirement home and picked up Rita B., who is into her nineties, but she's sharp and still truckin'. Rita was in the WACs during WW II and was a code-breaker! Fascinating!

Then Barbara adjourned to the kitchen and proceeded to broil a very nice slab of salmon and get the rest of the meal organized, joined by Bernice, who assisted.

Nora, a long-time friend of Barbara's arrived bearing a baked ham. Barbara and Nora worked together for the City of Seattle as writers before Barbara moved to a job at the Seattle Public Library.

Then our upstairs neighbors, Paul K. (an active actor and singer, and when he has time, plays ice hockey and pilots small airplanes [but not at the same time.]—teaches people to fly, I think), and Rebecca (artist with frequent commissions and gallery shows, and guard at the Seattle Art Museum) arrived. As we sat around in the living room, scarfin' down the cheese, crackers, dip, and a couple of things I couldn't put a name to, Paul K. mixed up spritzers for everybody made from various combinations of a couple of juices including mango, and some kind of carbonated water. Yum!

Then, Nancy Q. arrived (Nancy on the left, then Bob Nelson and Jerry Middaugh). She was one of Seattle's pre-eminent folk singers during the Sixties (coffeehouses, concerts, a children's television program) and is currently into Early Music. She sings with a couple of groups, including the Seattle Medieval Women's Choir.

The ten of us gathered around the dining room table (we'd put in two extra leafs (leaves?) and chowed down. Salmon, baked ham, sweet potato salad, a rice and bean combination of some sort that I couldn't put a name to, a couple of other veggies, plus a couple types of olives and other finger food. And the wine that Paul D. had brought.

Dessert was baklava, which Barbara had spent much of Saturday making from scratch. I've had genuine Greek baklava made by a genuine Greek, and this was just as good, if not better! I ate at least three pieces!   

Then, we adjourned to the living room where we all sat round burpin' and scratchin' and drinking coffee. Two kinds of coffee: Ethiopian and I can't remember what the other one was. Plus a bowl full of chocolate covered almonds sitting on the coffee table.

The phone rang and it was my sister Pat (National Figure Skating Champion in the mid-1950s, and placed seventh in World's in Vienna, followed by a European tour of exhibition skating before she retired from completion, taught figure skating for a couple of years, then married and raised a family). She'd had dinner with daughter Heidi and family, and called to see if we were still going. She arrived a bit later and joined in the living room burpin' and scratchin' ritual.

Along about 8:30 everybody started waddling toward the door, and then Barbara and I flipped on our fairly new large flat-panel television set and watched the second episode of Masterpiece Classic's "Great Expectations."

We overslept this morning, but what the heck!

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Soooo... Easter
From: gnu
Date: 09 Apr 12 - 06:17 PM

Don... wonderful! Made me feel all warn and fuzzy to read that. Thanks.