APRIL 2021

As I have told you before I choose a word each month to be my motto for the month ahead.  For the month of April my word is "Rejoice." Rejoice means to be happy, to feel or show great joy or delight!  This is my goal for the month of April. What better month to rejoice than the month in which we celebrate Easter and Jesus Christ' resurrection. We have many reasons to rejoice and to be happy. 

I have put a picture of the mantle in my living room above. My forsythia bush was damaged by a frost and didn't have many blooms this year, but thank goodness for silks which look much like the real thing. I filled an ironstone pitcher with branches (simple yet pretty I think) and then placed a bunny holding a forsythia ball beside it.  This pop of bright color adds happiness to the room and makes me smile.   This is the season to bring out your spring decorations. Spring colors throughout your home will help you to stay positive and think on rejoicing.

"April is the kindest month. April gets you out of your head and out working in the garden."

-Marty Rubin

"Spring adds new life and new beauty to all that is."

-Jessica Harrelson

"Spring work is going on with joyful enthusiasm."

-John Muir

"The first blooms of spring always make my heart sing."

- S. Brown

The picture above is part of my candy table. Springtime and chocolate seem to go hand-in-hand. Cadbury produced the first modern chocolate Easter egg in 1875. Thank you Cadbury. I love to give candy to my children and grandchildren, and when they come in my door  they eventually end up at the candy table. Every season seems to have candy associated with the theme and it's fun to fill the glass candy dishes with sweet treats for the festivities. And my friends and neighbors enjoy the candy table as well. 

I enjoy collecting pretty candy containers and displaying candy and other items in them. They can be used to hold cotton balls or  swabs in the bath, decorative soaps and all manner of items. 

A - A New Month.

P - Push Yourself.

   R - Rejuvenate. . .   

I -  Inspire Others

L - Laugh Lots!!!!!

It is a new month and hopefully we are filled with rejoicing and happiness as we forge ahead. The world around us may be trying to bring our spirits down, but with God's help we will overcome and keep on keeping on.  Some verses of hope and encouragement I want you to think on are following:

"The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end: they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

Lamentations 3: 22-23 (ESV)

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

Deuteronomy 31: 6 (NIV)

You may e-mail me at sandykwright@yahoo.com since my gmail address is not working properly.

I want to share with you a story about baby chicks and why I love them so. My Grandmother Blake lived on a farm, and when I was a child I loved to go to Grandmother's. One of my earliest memories was of her "brooding house" she called it.  She had a small building in her back yard and in the spring she had eggs in incubators and would hatch out hundreds of baby chicks.  One of my favorite things was going to the brooding house when the chicks had been hatched and hearing all the little peeps coming from hundreds of baby chickens and holding the tiny yellow balls of fluff in my hands.  I had to be very careful and gentle with them always.  They were beautiful and this is a spring memory.  

Why do we associate spring and Easter with chicks and eggs.  Eggs are a symbol of life, renewal and rebirth. These are a symbol of Jesus resurrection. The hard shell of the egg represents the tomb and the emerging chick represents Jesus whose resurrection conquered death. Easter eggs and baby chicks symbolize new life. 

I will share with you my Mother's recipe for stuffed eggs. It is very simple, but I love these.

Hard boil a dozen eggs.

Let them cool.

Peel off shells and discard shells.

Cut eggs into two sections (halves) longways.

Remove yellow yoke and set white part aside.

Mash egg yoke with a fork until crumbled

Into this yellow mixture add salt and pepper to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon each)

Add Miracle Whip Salad Dressing until the mixture is a consistency you like.

Spoon egg yoke mixture into egg whites and then sprinkle paprika on top of each yellow section of the egg.

Refrigerate.