Easter morning

It is a glorious Easter morning here—completely unexpected and quite unusual for Wisconsin. There is frost on the grass, but the woodland daffodils are blooming in great golden clusters, the sun is shining through the turkeys’ open tails surrounding them in a golden halo, and—am I imagining—there may be a faint greenish mist beginning to envelop the woods. I can see the watercress growing in the spring down the hill in thick clumps of green. A few days of warm weather and spring will burst through.

To my relief and delight my old friend, the limping turkey, appeared on Friday, displaying his full regalia, his head a vibrant red, white, and blue, and accompanied by three hens. I had not seen him in several weeks, and had been trying not to worry, but my happiest visions were realized.

Last night we put on winter jackets and built a fire on the terrace for the first evening this year, confusing the birds by our presence. They flitted on the branches above our head chattering loudly at our intrusion. As we watched, the deer came down the hill to browse, their coats suddenly turned—overnight, it seems—from the dull gray of winter to a rich, shining golden brown. Their white and black tails flickered as they ate, making them easier to count. The dogs lay with us watching, too—Auggie as far away from the fire as possible—but the terrace does not count as being outside, and as soon as we got cold and came in, they were at the kitchen door so we could let them out properly to run on the driveway. You explain it to them.

We will have asparagus quiche for breakfast and homemade hot cross buns, and our neighbors will join us later for champagne. It will be a lovely, lazy day, I hope, with, perhaps, both walks and naps.

A joyous Easter!

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Be of good cheer.

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And now for your gratuitous dog photo archive:

He’s not the Easter Bunny, but he’s got the vibe.

We need an ear roof.

The fence was intended to keep him out, but at four months old, he simply made a standing jump. Now he’s a big lumbering goofball, but he can still make spectacular jumps without a running start.

Four month old Auggie doing his bunny impression. I love the stage when their ears are too big for their heads.