Easter Weekend

Holiday traditions abound at Linderhof and long before we had Daughter Sarah, I colored eggs on Good Friday -- after the Tenebrae service at church.     Then, when Daughter Sarah came, we both colored eggs after church on Friday.      Even though Sarah lost interest in egg coloring in high school, I continued to color Easter eggs.    You can't have Easter without colored eggs!!!

I still color eggs.    The old fashioned way -- no Easter egg coloring kits but rather food coloring and vinegar and boiling water.    Always done as my mother did -- in coffee cups.
  

And the colors are the primary colors that you get with food coloring.      Once done . . .

They're put into the French wire egg holder to dry.

And today, all of those dozen cookies not withstanding . . .

I baked some more.     To eat with Saturday's tea and for gifts for neighborhood children and the children of dear friends.

The centerpiece, a beautiful hydrangea, a gift from a dear friend.     What a pretty plant and we will be planting it in the garden later.    We simply adore hydrangeas and she couldn't have gotten us a better gift!

The Asiatic pheasant is perfect for Easter tea.    It's soft blue color reflects the pastels that we associate with Easter.

After painting many bunnies and chicks, I turned to eggs in pastel colors that mimic the German Easter eggs hanging on the tree in the dining room.    In fact, I used those eggs for inspiration when I painted these.

They make a perfect nosh for Easter Saturday tea.

The rest of the cookies . . .

Are bagged.   A cushion of edible grass and three cookies in a cello bag tied with a ribbon.    A small Easter favor for favorite children.

Each bag is different . . . for each child is different.

They're to bring an Easter smile to the little ones on Easter Saturday before they get the real goodies Sunday morning!