Do you mind looking at my Easter photos, such as they are? At some point I think I will try to catch you up on what's been going on with wedding planning, gardening, some Ask Auntie Leila (remember that??) and more wedding planning, but for now, I can't bear to let these thoughts go.
{Can you tell that I'm not a young, energetic blogger?? No anticipation here! At some point, I'm sure I'll remember something that happened a few weeks ago and fill you in.}
At Easter time, very often, the quince blossoms are all I have in the yard to show for spring! But they are beautiful enough to justify what is, the rest of the year, a very homely (and large) bush.
It just makes me happy to have friends over for a holiday!
Easter Pro-Tip (a bit late, file for next year):
Tissue paper is a great substitute for that diabolical and self-propagating substance known as Easter grass. If you aren't distracted and incapable of forethought, like me, you could even have a stash of bright green tissue paper in advance of the need.
I think she was saying Ow.
Also, not in focus… but all I really have of us.
Yes, I did this to myself on Holy Thursday in a flurry of baking. In that hasty way I have, I just shoved that ten pounds of flour right off the island. Needless to say, after Bridget and I laughed, and I took the photo, the kitchen got the deep cleaning that was, ahem, not scheduled.
Jamie says
Thank you for sharing your Resurrection Sunday photos. Dumping the flour bin on the floor is just the type of messes I make. Ha Ha. Yes I remember the Auntie Leila posting and I eagerly await more.
Pippajo says
Better ten pounds of flour than a quart of oil, eh? I'm impressed that you had a good laugh at the spill; something like that during a flurry of baking would have sent me to bed in tears and NO ONE would have had baked goods for Easter!
I also hate, loathe, despise and abominate Easter grass! I simply refused to continue using it several years ago. I forget what I used as a substitute (one year when Easter was on the late side I used real grass–did not go over well) but I know it was never something as clever as tissue paper! Now, thanks to the environmentally fixated, there is paper grass and we use that. It's doesn't fly all over the place and scurry to far-flung corners of the house to be discovered almost daily for the next four months like the other stuff.
Everything and everyone looks lovely as usual!
priest's wife says
…hm…one post a week…maybe the weddings are coming up soon??? Please take lots of crafting/food/wedding pictures to share when you can.
Margo says
I love those quince branches! Just beautiful. Your sideboard collection is beautiful, too, and inspiring.
We just somehow skipped baskets when we were looking for eggs this year – I think the kids grabbed plastic bags. Photogenic, huh?
hope says
The quince is lovely! The flour-oh dear…that looks like a disaster! Thanks for sharing the highs and lows of your Easter.
momco3 says
That's the only problem of being the photographer… you never have kphotos of the kids with you! The quince is lovely.
Marie says
Your lovely photos of your family reading books by the kitchen fire always inspires my 5 sons to sit around and read, so thanks for posting them.
Don't forget to give us tip #3 for destruction-proofing your family. We are all eagerly waiting!
shwell says
I skipped the easter grass too this year.
I used some white linen napkins that I thrifted somewhere and are a little too fragile for everyday use. I think I also have some with flowers that I might put away for next year in the Lent/Easter storage box. They looked very pretty. I guess you could also sew your own with some appropriate Easterish fabric if you started thinking about it early enough.
Elise says
“At some point, I'm sure I'll remember something that happened a few weeks ago and fill you in.” That is so *me* right now! 🙂
Yes, yes. We will contentedly wait for your stories. Especially with something as beautiful as those quince blossoms to tide us over! I'd say they're welcome to look like a boring bush the rest of the year, if only they'll share that beauty with you in the spring.
Family is the best happy. Thank you for sharing yours! And thank you for being a place to share ours.
justamouse says
Quince and friends and family and spilled flour (oy!)-that's an Easter to remember. Great tip about the tissue paper, I'll have to tuck some upstairs in the attic in the Easter boxes for next year.
And I totally understand the flour. I would ahve done that too, though not the photographic evidence part. And it would have made me laugh, too, just because I'm used to stuff like that by now. I really TRY to be careful, I do. But my elbows and shoulders ahve minds of their own.
Roxie says
I love your post! Thank you for a glimpse of your Easter joy! We grow real grass in our baskets. Not for everyone maybe, but we love it.
Hannah says
I love love love the branches of flowers (not sure what they're called)–gorgeous! The several ways you used them throughout your home is nice, especially that first photo with the really long branches–so neat! Thanks for sharing and for hosting the link-up. It looks like you had a lovely Easter!
nt12many says
Beautiful, happy feasting pictures! I grew up with a Quince tree…one of the few in our area of New Mexico…but a bush? Perfect blossoming branches for your home.
I have nominated you for a Versatile Blogger award, Leila. Details (and the button) are on my blog ” target=”_blank”>http://www.generationalwomanhood.wordpress.com. I hope to send many folks your way. Blessings!
Jill
Wild Optimist says
I really enjoyed your photos and the story they told. The quince bush is truly lovely- so lucky to have that bloom for Easter! I got the warm fuzzies looking at your Easter Day pix, thank you! And I can relate to the “real.” Thank you for sharing your week!
Tess says
What beautiful images! It looks like you all had a lot of fun, despite the flour mishap! I'm so excited to be participating in PHFR after reading about it for months. 🙂
Colette says
I have a quince bush too that is gorgeous when blooming but something of a monster the rest of the time.
Tissue paper! I need to remember this- I stopped using Easter grass years ago and feel my baskets are missing something. See, this is why I visit this blog, there's always something I pick up!
PNG says
Lovely photos! Thanks for sharing….love the blossoms and branches in the vase.:)
Laura says
I adore your little blue bunnies, but of course, we're kind of bunny people here 🙂
dweej {house unseen} says
The color of yellow in your kitchen looks just like our bedroom- so happy and warm!
Your photos are always so lovely…
CC Jen says
Tissue paper! You are a wise woman 🙂 I must remember that.
Sarah says
I love your sideboard with the quince blossoms. It looks like it was a beautiful weekend. Even, if it was commenced with a flour spill.
busana muslim trendy says
This really is wonderful article ! I simply love’d it !
Lisa Schmidt says
Leila, the picture of the sideboard and quince blossoms look like something out of a Pottery Barn magazine. How simple and elegant! Lovely. Given I'm still picking up green Easter grass around the house, I will be using your tissue paper idea next year. Thank you for that tip!
Sue says
I just love the photos of your handsome and beautiful grown children gathered together. They just make me feel happy. I've been thinking a lot about kids approaching high school age and subsequently being closer to the age for flying away over the ocean to college in the US. It makes me a bit quivery inside, but your photos make me feel so much better! (Yes, I know I still have four more years before the first one graduates high school, but all moms know how quickly time flies!)
Vieve says
Lovely, everything! Sorry about the flour! Tissue it is, from this day foward! Please expound on that awesome stove in your fireplace!!! I would like to do that!
_Leila says
Vieve, I blogged about the stove here: http://thelawlerfamily.blogspot.com/2008/09/in-which-william-gets-bitten-by-rabid.html” target=”_blank”> ” target=”_blank”> http://thelawlerfamily.blogspot.com/2008/09/in-which-william-gets-bitten-by-rabid.html on our other blog. You can also check out the Oct and Dec 2008 archives, because shortly after we installed it, we got hit by a really bad ice storm in these parts (on Dec 12, 2008), and it sure came in handy!
Vieve says
Thank you! I'll look a little later…have to get everything lined up to present to husband! I just love it!
Jula says
I haven't bought Easter Grass for the past few years and the baskets do look rather barren without it. So this year I “splurged” and bought the paper grass (as Pippajo mentions above).. It made the baskets look much prettier I think than not having anything. I'm debating whether I should save it and use it again next year. I can't just throw it away. This is why my house is a mess. Maybe I'll just throw it in the compost.
Amie says
LOVE those flowering branches! And haven't I seen one of your dinner guests on tv?! : ) Looks like good times with interesting people!
Woman of the House says
The quince is so lovely! Gorgeous color. Looks like everyone had a great time! I also ended up using tissue in the Easter basket. The grass got lost in our move . . .
Bethany says
Ok, am I crazy or is that David Asman of Fox Business? I think I must be crazy since no one else has noticed. Just wondering.
_Leila says
Bethany, David is an old friend of ours! From the very early days before any of us were married!
Bethany says
Cool!
Castlerock patios says
They just make me satisfied. I've been considering a lot about children nearing secondary university age and consequently being nearer to the age for traveling away over the sea to higher education in the US.
Christina A says
Oh, the flour spill! Did your container break from the impact? If not, please tell me where I can get such capacious, hardy bins. I still just keep entire 50lb bags of flour on a low shelf in my kitchen and drag my kitchen scale and mixing bowl over to that cabinet until they get down to a more manageable 25ish pounds. Then I pull out a low drawer under the mixer and rest the bag there while I whisk to aerate and then scoop into the scale. Makes it so much easier to reach down into that tall bag!
Leila says
Christina, the container is fine — still in use after about 25 years! I got mine at Bed, Bath, and Beyond where it was a special at the time. Maybe they have them still? If you had a coupon it would be worth it. They are something like this one: https://www.amazon.com/Tiger-Chef-Storage-Polycarbonate-Containers/dp/B00RZV9UPS/ref=sr_1_9?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1526906436&sr=1-9&keywords=square+food+storage+containers+with+lids
But the sides are perfectly straight. The Rubbermaid ones that I see on Amazon don’t seem to come with lids, which is annoying.
I like the square shape bc it’s very space-saving (round containers are TERRIBLE — AVOID!) However, that said, my 50 lb bag of flour is in the pantry in 5 gallon buckets that I pick up at my grocery store. Can’t beat free!!
Christina A says
Wow, sounds like that container is a real workhorse. Can’t seem to find those containers on BB&B’s website. I live in the Inland Northwest and can’t believe you’ve had BB&B in the Northeast for that long! I don’t even think we had them in the big towns hereabouts when I got married 15ish years ago, and my little college town just got one 5 years ago. I rarely go there, but I like the idea of seeing these gargantuan containers in person instead of ordering online (the whole spatial reasoning thing is not my forte). That’s wonderful that your grocery just gives those 5 gallon buckets away; I have never thought to ask, so now I’ll have to get up the gumption to do it!