I get off at 5 am that morning. I am going to make and deliver a big pan of chicken dressing to my sisters house that morning for her big meal, go home and sleep the rest of the day away. I may even make and deliver it the day before,before I go to work so I do not have to deal with it the day of. No other plans.

I will be ringing handbells in church all morning. The choirs have a lovely potluck brunch between services. After church, our sons and my brother will come for brunch (and maybe birthday cake?) We seem to have developed a traditional holiday brunch of croissants, eggs, fruit salad, coffee, oj/mimosas. And we are good with that!

I've been invited to my aunt's home where some of her family will gather. There will be ham and one of my favorite sides - scalloped potatoes. I'm still not committed to going, will probably make up my mind Sunday morning. She lives some distance away.

bpath, altho I'm not a regular attendee of my church I always loved the sound of the bell choir. Sadly, the lost their director and no one else has stepped up so it's been awhile. Of course then there was the pandemic.

On Easter am having the 3 of my children who live locally with their spouses for dinner. One little grandson will also be here. I am cooking a ham and a couple sides plus making dinner rolls. The girls are all bringing something too.

This Sunday I will be riding. Next Sunday DD and family hope to get together for Russian Easter. We were hoping for warm weather so we could dine outdoors. We're staying flexible just in case they don't get back from their road trip in time. DS said he will probably be working. It's really difficult for us to get the whole family at once for anything, due to the men's jobs, both of which are not 5 day/ 9-5 gigs.

We had a Maundy Thursday service tonight. One of the kids and his family are coming for Easter. Gonna bake a nice ham and sweet potatoes and play some games [or just sit on the couch and watch everyone play on their phones]

The Triduum began tonight. It was a beautiful Mass. Tomorrow another service them the climax of Easter Vigil Saturday night. My adult offspring will all be here. We will do all the traditional holiday things, EAT, color eggs, EAT lots and lots of cards.EAT..it's too cold to dig my daughter some plants. arg!!

We'll be celebrating with "slunch" on Saturday; a dinner type meal, served at 3:00 to accomodate our RN daughter. Baked ham, funeral potatoes (which we call Schwartzies potatoes) a green spring veg medley, a layered shrimp cocktail salad, pickle plate and biscuits. Angel food cake with lemon curd and whipped cream and thumbprint "nest cookies" for dessert. White sangria and devilled eggs and cucumber bites stuffed with crab salad for before.

My daughter works the evening shift and my son is going to the in-laws for for Easter lunch. So my daughter and her 2 are having dinner at 1 with us. Her girls are staying and then my son & family are coming over later for dessert and Easter egg hunt. We did the kids Easter party at the shrine last weekend. The kids had a blast.

Sunrise service for us. We are in Austin, so no friends to host. Boys will all be here, surprisingly. We will break Easter eggs like the Greek Orthodox do. It's a very competitive sport in a house filled with boys.

No more egg hunting until I become a Nonna. Might still be a bunny trail though.

I'm doing Easter dinner. I've invited everyone but have only heard back from 4, so it might be 6, it might be 12. I've decided to just relax, not be so "martha" about the table and everything else and let it all just happen. I'll have enough food as I always over prepare, I have something to serve for each course so we won't be missing any essentials, I'll do buffet, and am not sure if the weather will be nice enough for some to sit outside if they wish, so after people get here, if I need to add a leaf to the table or get more chairs on the deck, they can help me! It's going to be a "no sweat" Easter. I'm getting too old for that. My family is super casual, they don't really give a rat's tail whether the napkins coordinate with the flower arrangement. So rather than work myself into the usual holiday dither over stuff that only matters to me, I'm letting that go. That's my Easter egg for myself.

Saturday we will head to DD house and attend a play at the community theater in which the grandchildren are starring. Easter Sunday we'll have an early lunch of kielbasa, homemade pierogi, sliced beets, sliced eggs, cucumber salad and more, before the kids have to leave for their Sunday show. It'll be more laid back than in previous years.

orchidrain, that Polish feast sounds fabulous! If you would share your pierogi recipe, I'd appreciate it. Somewhere along the line, I had my grandmother's but have since lost it.

:(

For Passover, tonight we are going to my daugher's in laws . We (DH and I) are the least observant of most of our families who observe at all). So we will be having the full seder and dinner. It is typically a very late night as sundown is pretty late to start with. The grandkids will be there so they might be a bit looser with the timing.

I don't know the menu, but there will be tons of food, probably turkey and brisket would be my guess. And lots of matzoh.

Weather is supposed to be good on Sunday, so I'll probably be in the gardens most of the day. I still got a couple dozen more staves to cut down before the willows get too green and I'm running out of time. Maybe I'll make some soup or something in the crockpot.

Church and family dinner.....all our old favorites and talk and laugh.

Just two of us so it will be quiet. We were planning on going for a nice drive to the mountains, but there is a devastating fire there right now. Probably make a pretty good Easter dinner and kick around the house.

My daughter's childhood friend is having us for dinner along with her husband's family. This works out so well because her mother is deceased and I've known her since she was a baby. Plus my family doesn't live close by. Kids, dogs, and good food.

should be fun. I'm making a cheesecake.

Annie...here is the recipe I use:

Dough:

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup warm water

1 tbsp. oil or melted butter

Mix all together and knead a little until it's smooth, soft and elastic. Cover and let

rest for at least 1/2 hour.

2 lbs. potatoes cooked

8 oz. farmers cheese

salt and pepper to taste.

Mas potatoes and cheese while warm. I roll tbsp. portions into balls for easy stuffing.

Roll out dough to your liking...should give you enough for about 30 pierogi. I use a

regular glass for cutting dough..about 3 inches in diameter. Place potato mixture in

center and close up pinching as you go.

Bring water to a boil...place a few in and stir. Don't let them settle to the bottom. They

should be ready once they float to the top.

You can pan fry in butter and onion.

I've also made some that are cabbage and mushroom filling. So Good! Also, I've been

frying some in garlic and olive oil, just to mix things up.

I hope the instructions are understandable, if not I will happily explain better.

yum, home made pierogi!

My plans are kinda "meh", to be honest. My sister will accompany me to church, first time in over a year due to covid and her medical issues. No special meal planned but maybe we'll do something simple and spontaneous, just with in-town family. Usually dear daughter & grand-dog would visit for Easter weekend, but our house is torn up with a porch remodeling and we will all have a more pleasant time if we delay the family gathering another 2 or 3 weeks.

Our son & DIL are moving beginning this weekend, only about 2 hours away. :-( And with them go the 2 of the grandchildren. We will be assisting them somewhat. Sunday, we'll have lunch at their new place. Don't have a clue what I'm supposed to bring yet.

This will be a new beginning for hubs & me. No more close family in the same town.

At least the kids aren't moving across the continent. LOL

Just got in from a 1.5 hour walk; I met a number of new dogs I hadn't see before :-D

I found a bone-in ham on sale yesterday at WM. Yay! Not sure if I'm cooking it today or tomorrow, but that's all I have planned so far.

Oh, and am going to caramelize a bunch of onions today, just to use up and have on hand for burgers, meatloaf, etc. I wonder if it freezes.....

Onions done. I think I'll have a burger for dinner. Yum.

Orchidrain, I would love the recipe for cabbage, mushroom filling if you have a few minutes to share.

jtc....I don't really measure but I'll say 1/2 of a cabbage and a container of mushrooms chopped

finely. Salt, pepper, garlic and saute in butter. Let cool and spoon into pierogi discs. This is one

of my favorites lately. You can use your imagination on different fillings. Now that I'm typing, I'm

thinking of adding cheese along with it next time.

I’ve been unable to do much shopping or any decorating for Easter this year, as I broke my right foot 2 weeks ago and am hobbling around in a cast boot up to my knee. I’m unable to drive with this darn thing, so DH and our daughter are doing any needed shopping and driving, although I did attempt a quick shopping trip at our local Walmart Supercenter last week that has those riding shopping carts, Anyhoo, so we’ll be celebrating Easter at our good friends’ home and all they want me/us to bring this year is a tossed salad and wine. I can definitely manage that much!

Wishing you all a Happy Easter and a Happy Passover!

I'll be alone, and so my menu won't change.

Bon Appétit has some good ideas that I would otherwise consider. In the past I have made Matzoh Ball Soup and latkes, which I might still make.

Cárdenas Market had confetti filled eggs, and I would want to stay far away from those - I remember them from Carnival in Vera Cruz, and the confetti got in my eyes, which was especially bad, since I wore contact lens back then.

I never celebrate Easter or Passover, but I like Passover menus better. I celebrate solstices but not equinoxes.

Neither DH nor I are particularly religious - once the kids outgrew Easter baskets we more or less stopped treating Easter as a Holy Day - Holiday but still planned a nice dinner for the family. It really petered out while they were away in college. I always sent them a box of treats (usually Cadbury eggs and jelly beans) and a silly card.

This year we're going to my grand daughter's 3rd birthday party complete with a Cookie Monster cake. She'll probably drag out the Cookie Monster costume she wore on Halloween which should be interesting since most of the neighbors are doing Easter egg hunts on their front lawns. It will be a small group, just the immediate family, 3 grandparents, and a sibling or two.

It does make me a little sad when I think about the fact that she's never had a kids birthday party nor attended one - thanks to Covid.

My kids never out grew Easter baskets. I still fix them a basket. You never out grow chocolate.

I am in our church choir and we sang several songs in our Maundy Thursday service last night, including me singing one verse of Beautiful Savior as a solo. We will do one piece tonight at our Community Easter Service.

On Sunday, DH and I will go to sunrise service, which we never miss. DS and his wife and boys will join us at 10 for the regular Sunday service and then we will have lunch at our house. Since there’s not many of us this year, DIL suggested a casual menu. I’ll do ham and cheese sliders (hey, ham is ham, right?) and deviled eggs and she’ll bring a cold salad and dessert. Works for me.

littlebug, that's one of my favorite hymns, maybe because I've always loved the beauty of the natural world that the lyrics reference. Nice selection for the Thursday service.

We will still be here in Florida, so just the two of us. I will make deviled eggs, filet mignon, glazed carrots, peas peas. Cherry cheese pie for dessert.

Will be spending all weekend working in my garden.

I ordered groceries delivered and got a spiral ham, stuff to make potato salad and dirty rice, plus a pie. I have not been feeling great, still pretty weak from having to spend so much time reclining and recovering from my leg surgery. Not much of an appetite. My leg is doing very well so that's good. Our friend is coming over Sunday to help out. Between her and my husband and I hopefully we can get the meal done. 😊

Happy Easter 🐣🐣🐣

Enjoy hearjng about everyone’s plans.

We will be having between 13 to 15. I am with Annie this year, usually I spend a lot of time on my table and have a fabulous appetizer spread but cutting back. We are starting later this year, so half of our group are eating brunch or lunch with others before coming to our place for dinner. Will still have appetizers, but keeping it lighter with fewer choices. Hoping people will save room for the main meal. Our plan is:

Appetizers - Deviled eggs, vegetable spread with toasted baguette rounds and baby carrots.

Main - Ham (spiral, honey glazed), cream corn, strawberry spinach salad, cheesy potatoes (similar to funeral potaoes), Watergate Salad and rolls.

Dessert - Pound cake and/or cheesecake with strawberries and whipped cream. Will be serving both desserts.

Will make a nice table, but it will be thrown together today rather than the usual much thought-out table design, planned weeks ahead of Easter.

Happy Easter and Passover to all.

I agree with Annie and Jill. Holidays are about family, friends, food and fun. Not to make an impression.

It will be just Wes and I, and the dogs.

Wes is a Grumbly Gus and makes fun of me making colored eggs. If I dont make them - he looks sad and dejected. I’ve got them boiled, ready for coloring, now. :)

I’m making an unusual but special dinner for our celebration…

Colored eggs on a special egg plate display. Some of them will be deviled later.

German potatoe salad, I’m cooking the bacon right now.

Steamed asparagus with my Mom’s Hollandaise sauce.

And a meatloaf!

It’s a ground bison meatloaf which uses diced mushrooms and ground walnuts as the filler instead of milk-soaked bread.

There is a buffalo ranch between us and Grand Forks. I understand they sell their meats mostly to eastern U.S. restaurants, but if a person calls ahead they will open their small retail counter and fill your order. It’s very convenient for the one or two times a year we splurge on bison meat.

and Hot Cross buns!

Happy Easter everyone!

Just the two of us, but if our summer neighbor makes it down from Boston we might invite her if she has no other plans. Her family celebrated the beginning of Passover yesterday. I bought a 6 lb. prime rib roast on sale @5.99/lb. One of the smallest they had - it looks very nice. DH is going to cook it on the Big Green Egg, which will free up the oven for my favorite side of cauliflower gratin using swiss cheese in the sauce with gingered crumbs on top. Not as heavy as potatoes. Also going to make glazed carrots garnished with parsley and a springtime favorite - asparagus mimosa. I'll probaby make some deviled eggs, since I have to boil eggs to garnish the asparagus anyway. We like a sauce for the prime rib made from sour cream mixed with whole grain mustard and horseradish. We're not dessert eaters, but I did buy some very fresh hot cross buns yesterday and we have are enjoying them for breakfast.

Potting waterlilies, and probably going to look at a horse someone wants to give me.

Uh-oh…..one more, Mailyn? 😃 I know you would be so happy to have him/her, and that will be one lucky horse!

I am a sucker for old, broken down senior horses. When someone offers me one, it is hard to turn away from it.

Just another Sunday for me. Made a pot of spaghetti yesterday so I'm good for a few days. Finally unboxed my art supplies so I can start painting again. Oh..and I'll get my nap in later.