Ducks and Chicks and Geese . . . and Our Easter Table

When the children were little, we celebrated almost every holiday with cut-out sugar cookies. Not surprisingly Big, Middle, and Little have outgrown the thrill of mixing and rolling, cutting and baking, and decorating, although they still seem pretty excited with the eating. Me? I still like the whole process, and this year I thought why not put some homemade cookies in our Easter baskets rather than lots of tiny bites of foil-wrapped chocolate?'

I have a hodgepodge collection of cookie cutters that I've accumulated over the years. I've found them in fancy cooking stores, antiques shops, and thrift stores. And I'm always on the lookout for something a bit unusual.

I've experimented with several different cookie dough recipes, but my current favorite is this one from Williams Sonoma. It has a tiny bit of cardamom, which adds a slight lemon flavor. Also, cookies made with this dough seem to hold their shape really well.

My baking secret is this old rolling pin. Carved from a single piece of poplar wood and boasting only one handle, this rolling pin was made around 1880 for my great grandmother who gave it to her daughter, my Nannie. I suppose it has rolled out hundreds of biscuits and yeasty angel rolls. If our house were on fire, I would do my best to save it.

Rolling and cutting somehow seems therapeutic after a day in the office.

Sugar and butter and vanilla scent the air in a way that soothes the soul.

Chicks and bunnies and geese line up in an orderly way that daily demands seldom do.

And then there's frosting!

My obsession with robin's egg blue continues. I sprinkled these little eggs with cocoa in hopes of getting an edible speckle or two.

I decided to put them on my Nannie's ironstone cake stand on the sideboard.

I hope there are some left for Easter Day! Actually, to be sure everyone had a few cookies of his or her own, I put a goose, a chick and two eggs in a cellophane treat bag for each place setting.

Here's a preview of our Easter table, featuring, of course, blue and white.

I bet I'm not the only one who hears the overture to Downton Abbey in her head when she sets the table.

The Mister stopped on his way home from work Friday night to pick up flowers for me at Trader Joe's. He did a great job!

He texted me six still pictures and two videos of the flowers on offer. Two more phone calls and one face time call were all that was needed for me to place my order. (Seriously, he's gooder'n ary angel.)

A fun little tradition that the Mister and I started years ago is adding these vintage Easter cards to everyone's place setting. The illustrations are so dear, if a bit treacly.

We take turns trying to decipher the handwriting. All of the cards are postmarked 1911 or 1912.  Miss Ella Powers sent a short note to Mrs Ray Bowles, saying Dear Friend, I hope you are feeling better and will have a nice Easter.

EHR wrote to Ma and Pa, saying My belt is all right and looks fine. The hat came this morning and looks fine. I am having a fine time. With love, EHR.  Well, good to know everything's fine. I, for one, would love to see the hat.

My favorite reads, Friend Orrie, I hope you enjoy Easter as well as a year ago. Just think where we were a year ago. They are very busy here now preparing for the show. Sincerely yours, MOS  

Rather mysterious, I think.

Even more mysterious is God's great love for us. I pray that you celebrate that love with joy this Easter!

He is risen, indeed!