The sun rose

And for about 10 minutes we had proof of it. The rain then won out.

A time of light, of lightness

When I was a child Easter Sunday was a day of light and lightness, celebrated in my family as a religious feast but also as a formal acknowledgement of Spring's arrival. I loved the sudden shift to white vestments of the priest and the uncovering of the statues that had been shrouded in purple.

I loved the jelly beans and colored eggs we had made. We picked flowers from the garden, wrapped damp tissues around them and then a layer of tin foil, tying the bunch together with a lovely pale blue or green satin ribbon.

And then, long dresses to cover our bruised and knocked about knees and shins of weekday life, and an airy hat on the head, we posed for pictures in the garden.

Every year I had a new "plate hat" and I believe this one, from 1957, was my favorite.

It was a time of lightness, but oh, the heaviness of the burden of being good and keeping clothes tidy for a day.