“I think of the garden after the rain;
  And hope to my heart comes singing,
  At morn the cherry-blooms will be white,
  And the Easter bells be ringing!”
~ Edna Dean Proctor, poet, 1827-1923 “Easter Bells”

Rain on Easter? Cool, foggy or overcast skies maybe, but I don’t recall a wet Easter. This year the Easter Bunny may need an umbrella, however.

With severe weather conditions in other parts of the U.S., the “fluffy bearer of basket and eggs” may need a snowplow or storm cellar. An early spring storm brought heavy snow and winds to the Midwest, then continued east with the same intensity. Rough weather hit the Gulf Coast region as well, with baseball-sized hail, heavy rain, damaging winds and tornado warnings. With a wet tail and whiskers  possible in La Crescenta, the legendary rabbit will still arrive come Sunday.

The idea of a bunny hopping along with a basketful of colored eggs was one of childhood- delight. Did it matter that eggs don’t come from rabbits? I never  gave it a second thought.

With the arrival of spring, the Christian and Jewish holidays of hope, rebirth and deliverance are  celebrated – Easter and Passover. Over the centuries their traditions have become both interwoven and separated. Every time we partake in chocolate bunnies and eggs, or receive an Easter basket or a box of Passover chocolates, we connect with our ancestors.

For many years, early Christians continued to celebrate Passover. There came a time in history when they separated from their Jewish brothers. The teachings of the Old Testament are shared by both faiths. But long before the Bible was written, spring was celebrated and the egg was considered sacred.

An egg?

History is a messy combination of speculation and fact, especially when an egg gets thrown into the middle! Spring/Passover/Easter and the Egg 101: A Very Brief Overview –

– A chick hatching from its egg is a symbol of Easter: Christ’s resurrection.

– Rabbits symbolize the fertility of springtime in pagan tradition.

– The hare (rabbit) is an Easter symbol in Germany as it supposedly lays eggs and hides them. The truth? While hunting for Easter eggs, wild rabbits were seen scampering away, therefore thought to have left the eggs behind. The Easter Bunny is born!

– “Easter” is derived from Eostre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of the dawn.

– In 1307, King Edward I of England had 450 eggs boiled and covered in gold leaf.

– In France, children hunt for eggs in church gardens, fallen from church bells silent from Maundy Thursday.

– The Seder dinner, served on the first day of Passover, includes the eating of hard-boiled eggs as a symbol of hope and joy .

– Jesus’ Last Supper was a Passover meal…

Happy Easter    ~   Chag Pesach Sameach


An Alaskan low moves southward bringing 100% chance of rain and cooler temperatures on Saturday through Monday. Add an Easter bonnet or umbrella to your holiday attire. May we be blessed with rain!
Sue Kilpatrick is a
Crescenta Valley resident and
Official Skywarn Spotter for the
National Weather Service. Reach her at  suelkilpatrick@gmail.com.

  Sue Kilpatrick