Friday, April 6, 2012

Almost Easter

"Easter"
Margaret E. Sangster, Harper's Young People March 20,1894



When Easter comes, the violets lift
Their shyly hooded faces
Where late the frozen snows adrift
Heaped high the woodland spaces.
When Easter comes the sunbeams dance
On green leaves all aquiver,
And grasses rally, spear and lance
By rippling brook and river.

When Easter comes the lilies haste
What time the bells are ringing
To bring their perfumes, pure and chaste
From hallowed censers swinging
Shine dim church aisles on Easter day
Beneath their scented whiteness,
And happy children kneel and pray
Among the lilies brightness.


When Easter comes, a merry train
the robin, wren and starling,
With song and wing are here again
And many another darling
The bluebird and the oriole,
the martin and the swallow.
"Away", they chant,"with grief and dole
Here's spring, and summer'll follow!" 


When Easter comes, when Easter comes
Then winter's spell is over!
Erelong we'll hear the elfin drums
Where bees are deep in clover
After we catch the swaying lilt
Of winds among the daisies 
And see the rosecups sweetness spilt
Among the garden mazes.


When Easter comes, ah! happy day
E'en tears like dewdrops glisten
And songs climb up the heavenward way
While angels bend to listen
For love and life and joy untold
Are in the age-long story
That spells itself on harps of gold
And thrills with endless glory. 

TODAY'S SEEDS OF WISDOM

  • JUST BLOOMED TODAY
  • GARDEN UPDATE
  • FAUNA
  • GARDEN GIGGLE
  • GARDEN GAMES~COFFEE FILTER FLOWERS
  • GARDEN GOODIES~SHARE OUR GARDEN RECIPE #005 CHOCOLATE COVERED EASTER EGGS
  • FEEDBACK
JUST BLOOMED TODAY
Stocks, Pansies, Alyssum & Violas
 GARDEN UPDATE
Easter is right around the corner so I have a blog chock-full of great ideas today!

First, I wanted to update you on our quark cheese. Everything went swimmingly so far and we are on day two, so we should be able to taste it for the first time tomorrow. It was remarkably easy to do.

I was sooo tempted to plant my tomatoes again, but resisted and was quite glad when I heard it is supposed to get cold, rainy and maybe snow this week! Isn't it April already??Spring, where are you? We're ready for shorts!

April is National Poetry Month so each quote will be poetry. Don't miss our GARDEN GAMES section today where we will be offering a fun Spring craft you can easily do with your kids; plus, a KILLER Easter egg recipe from Aunt Ruth in the GARDEN GOODIES section. Enjoy! 
 GARDEN GIGGLE


FAUNA

GARDEN GAMES~ COFFEE FILTER FLOWERS
This version is made for anyone age 2+ and up. There are a lot of paper rose crafts made from coffee filters, but this one is easy for little hands and attention spans!
Materials:
  • coffee filter (either shape will work but for this demo I used the cone shaped kind)
  • washable markers (watercolor markers will not work, must be washable markers)
  • squirt bottle with water
  • green pipecleaners (1 needed for each flower)
  Instructions:
If using a cone shaped coffee filter tear one side so that filter will be flat. If using regular coffee filter, simply flatten.


Scribble the filter with the washable markers. You can do circles or just scribble. Mix colors next to each other. No need to be perfect.

Use a squirt bottle filled with water to spray the coffee filter 2 or 3 times. This should be done outside, as it will drip. Use a horizontal surface with protection underneath, like a paper towel. Do not use newspaper as it will bleed thru. Watch the colors swim together!


Let dry. This will happen pretty quickly in the sun.


Once dry, roll up and scrunch so it resembles a flower. Pinch the bottom end into a point and wrap green pipecleaner around end, leaving a tail for the stem. Plant your flower in a small vase, terra cotta pot or paper cup...add a bit of green tissue paper or Easter egg grass to fill in the pot. Or attach the flower to a card to bring some cheer!
 

GARDEN GOODIES~ SHARE OUR GARDEN RECIPE #006 CHOCOLATE COVERED EASTER EGGS

These are wonderful chocolate covered eggs with a rich filling. You choose the flavor by what kind of pudding you buy.They can be decorated with marshmellow flowers, sprinkles, little sugar flowers....the sky's the limit!

You will need:
1/2 c margarine
(1) LARGE (5 1/4 oz) pkg Cooked Pudding and Pie Filling ( not the instant kind)- You choose the flavor!
1/2 c whole milk
(1) lb powdered sugar, then sift
(1) tsp vanilla
(1) chopped nuts
Chocolate Candi-Quick chocolate coating
wax paper and cookie sheet

Instructions
Filling:
Melt 1/2 c margarine in a large saucepan. Blend in (1) box large cooked pudding and pie filling mix. Stir in 1/2 cup whole milk, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add 1 lb of sifted powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla and 1 cup chopped nuts.

Chill 30 minutes or overnight in fridge. Shape into oval eggs about 2 Tablespoons big (should make about a dozen). Put on waxed paper on a cookie sheet, and refrigerate 30 minutes more.

Coating:
Microwave the Candi-Quick according to the box directions. Coat the eggs in the chocolate and then add your embellishments! Chill until chocolate is set. Happy Eatings!


FEEDBACK
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