Sunday, April 08, 2007

"This is my Father's world...

...o let me ne'er forget..."

All the Easter Sundays of my childhood were happy ones, filled with baskets of candy and dyed eggs, fluffy, brightly-colored baby chicks, patent-leather Mary Janes, frilly dresses made of pastel organdy or dotted swiss, hats with bows that tied under my chin, and, of course, Sunday School and church packed with other bright and shiny people. Of all those Easters, there’s one I remember best.

In the spring of 1947, when I was four, we lived in a tiny duplex in Springfield, Missouri. In the backyard was what I understand now must have been a chicken coop at one time, but I thought of it as my playhouse. It was about the size of an average bathroom. The top and all four sides were made of wire, and the entire structure was overgrown with leafy green vines.

I remember in particular the contentment I felt as I sat alone inside that green enclosure, leaning against one wire wall, my legs stretched out in front of me with my Easter basket in between them. Birds were singing, and sunbeams pierced through the leaves, brightening the cool, shady spot I’d chosen to enjoy what were two of my favorite things even that long ago: chocolate and solitude.

"This is my Father's world,
the birds their carols raise,
the morning light, the lily white,
declare their maker's praise."


Happy Easter!

8 comments:

  1. Nice story.
    Nice hymn.
    Nice picture.
    Happy Easter to you too!

    Schrems

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  2. I can't say it better than the above. Thanks for sharing that, it gave me such a smile!

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  3. Ditto to all of the above! Happy Easter to you and yours Velvet.

    Holly

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  4. Hope you had a wonderful Easter day with your family and pups. Thanks for sharing such a lovely, peaceful memory. Carmon

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  5. The Easter memories you shared are the ones that keep us going through the dark nights of the soul that come to us all at times in our lives. Thank you for sharing yours and how wonderful that each year the riotous and joyful blooms of spring can send you right back to the joyful and contened moment with your Easter basket!
    Easter blessings to you and yours!

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  6. What a great Easter memory. I miss the feeling of my childhood Easter mornings - a basket of chocolate, a new dress, shoes, hat, gloves...I was always trying to talk my mother into letting me have red patten leather maryjanes. It never worked, always white.

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  7. Happy Easter, Velvet. Your 'chicken coop' sounds like a lovely place to be! What a great memory.

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  8. I'd just like to ask Kat if she ever bought herself red patent leather shoes when she grew up?

    Thanks for sharing the memory, Velvet! I loved getting patent leather shoes, they made me feel grown-up somehow, even though I always managed to eventually scuff them up.

    what kind of flowers are those on the tree? do they have a scent?

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