Fri - 18 Apr/14

Happy Easter Everyone!

OK - Being in "Home Mode" training - today will be a day of rest. 

It will be a dull day, weather wise, as well, (grin) with scattered thunderstorms as the prediction. I don't know where they were scattered yesterday - we didn't get a drop.

Not to bore you with the usual - yadda, yadda, yadda....I'll bore you with something else: Easter Facts.

Good Friday is the celebration of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ by the Romans.

In the Christian faith, Easter has come to mean the celebration of the resurrection of Christ three days after His crucifixion. It is the oldest Christian holiday and the most important day of the church year because of the significance of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the events upon which Christianity is based. Easter Sunday is preceded by the season of Lent, a 40-day period of fasting and repentance culminating in Holy Week and followed by a 50-day Easter season that stretches from Easter to Pentecost.

Since I know you are thoroughly steeped in the Christian Easter Tradition I will do with the less obvious meanings of Easter.

The origins of Easter; however, are rooted in European (Norse; Anglo-Saxon) traditions. The name Easter comes from a pagan figure called Eastre (or Eostre) who was celebrated as the goddess of spring by the Saxons of Northern Europe.

The goddess Eastre’s earthly symbol was the rabbit, which was also a known symbol of fertility. You do know that "Multiply like Rabbits" doesn't refer to a math skill, eh? (grin).

With Eastre’s sacred animal being a "cute wittle wabbit" and "What's Up, Doc?" actually refers to the obvious symbol of fertility (the egg) which is also a symbol of fertile purity.

Bet you thought Cadbury's originated the "Rabbit/Egg" thing?

This makes the Easter Egg hunt a symbolical representation of rebirth and renewal. (Bet you didn't know that either!)....and I thought is was just a fun thing for kids to do. Of course, this also makes Elmer Fudd the high priest of the Easter Bunny and his hunt for the "Wascally Wabbit" is just symbolism to the Nth degree.

Ooops! Sorry! I was beginning to slip "down the rabbit hole". (Obvious
allusion to Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. To go "down the rabbit hole" is to enter a period of chaos or confusion. - my usual state!)

Today, (actually on Sunday - another stupid grin) Easter is an almost completely commercialized holiday, with all the focus on Easter eggs and the Easter Bunny - both being remnants of goddess worship.

Speaking of Easter Bunny remnants - I hope you take precautions so you don't go into "Choc Shock". This is the opposite of "Insulin Shock" (Hypoglycemia - to little blood sugar). It occurs when one over indulges in found Easter Treats. Remember: Don't gobble up everything you find on Easter Sunday Morning...."Live to Eat another day!"

Wahoo! Thunder, lightning and rain - they finally got it right! Short-lived; but, at least it happened. This makes it easier (like we needed an excuse) to stay in PJ's all day.

Okay - Being in "Home Mode" training - I had a little too much free time today.

But; did you know?

Hot cross buns were among the earliest Easter treats, made by European monks and given to the poor during Lent. Pretzels were originally associated with Easter. The twists of a pretzel were thought to resemble arms crossed in prayer.

Today:

- Easter is the highest grossing candy sales time of the year in the USA with over $2 Billion in sales.

- 90 Million chocolate bunnies are produced each year. (Over 75% eat the ears first!)

- 700 Million Marshmallow Peeps are sold each year. (5 million are made per day in preparation for the sales rush. In 1953 it took 27 hours to create a "Peep" - today, just 6 minutes)

- 16 Billion Jelly Beans are sold at Easter. (Placed end-to-end they would circle the globe nearly 3 times. 70% eat them one at a time with Cherry, at 20%,  being their favourite flavour)

I'm on a roll!

Speaking of that - The White House Easter Egg Roll, on the South Lawn on Easter Monday, has been a tradition since 1878 (President Rutherford B. Hayes). It was not until 1974 when the most famous event of modern Easter Egg Rolls, the egg-rolling race, was introduced with spoons borrowed from the White House kitchen.

The event will open its South Lawn for children ages 13 years and younger and their families. The lottery for tickets opens today and ends on Sunday. Tickets are free of charge and cannot be sold.

The 2014 souvenir eggs come in four bold colors - pink, orange, blue, green – and include the stamped signatures of the President and First Lady.  The commemorative purple “Bo and Sunny” (the "First Dogs") egg is included only in the 2014 5-pack Collector’s Egg Set. (Set = $31.99 or Individual = $8.99). The set (and past sets) are sold (available online) by The National Park Foundation.

FYI - The White House is a National Park. The National Park Foundation is the official Charity of the National Parks.

Otherwise, it was the usual "Home Mode" day. Charlotte crocheted baby bonnets and I occupied my time on the computer. All while watching (or listening) to the TV.

Since we can't immerse ourselves too deeply in "Home Mode" training, I'm sure we will be "out and about" tomorrow.