This year we celebrated Easter with our friends, country style! Every year Mrs. Clint likes to organize an egg hunt on her farm and dozens of kids come for the fun. We were blessed to have been invited too. Jada was very excited about the kid’s activities, and I was excited to get to talk to some people and maybe gather some wisdom!

After church we all went home and changed into play clothes, loaded into the van, and drove the long drive through the countryside to the farm. I was glad that my husband got to come with me this time. He’s never met Mrs. Clint or any of the other people who were coming, except for Addy and her husband. (I wondered what they would think of the tattoo covered skater in their presence.) I hoped he might learn some farming tips from the men.

When we got there they were grilling hamburgers and hot dogs, and lots of chips and drinks were set out on the table. I brought a container of sweet tea to add. I noticed that all of the other drinks, sweet tea and lemonade, were brought in gallon sized glass jars. Mine was the only drink in a plastic (Hawaiian punch) container. I thought that was funny; city girl!

There were lots of people there, and lots of kids. A couple of baby goats frolicked around the farm house as little boys chased them. I thought I was the only woman there in pants, until I saw another lady my age also in jeans. I didn’t feel so bad then.

Before we ate, Mrs. Clint gathered all of the children around her to give instructions for the activities. After each rule she gave, she was answered with a chorus of “Yes, Ma’am”, from all the kids. All that is, except for my Jada, who hasn’t really grown up saying “Yes, Ma’am” anytime other than when she’s being scolded. And after each time she addressed the group of children with a question, Mrs. Clint was surrounded by obedient little children raising their hands with the answer, except, again, for Jada, who blurted it out without waiting her turn.

I covered my face, embarrassed at her lack of manners. The parents politely laughed.

It’s impressive how respectful country children are raised to be. At least to adults, anyways.

Mrs. Clint warned the children of dangerous things around the farm, and let them know they would not get to participate in the activities if they were found playing in or around the forbidden areas. Then somebody prayed, and we all got some food.

The kids ate first, then ran off to play while the adults sat around the tables outdoors and talked and ate. In the middle of a nice conversation I was having about how I ended up here in the country, a baby goat jumped up on the table and ran across it, knocking drinks over and tossing plates onto the ground! Mrs. Clint chased after it, shooing it away.

After lunch (or “dinner” to them) the kids were called to the edge of a huge hay field for the egg hunt. Mrs. Clint let the littlest children go first, then the next age group, then the oldest. As soon as the kids were given permission, they all raced as fast as they could into that field looking for the plastic eggs that were hidden in the tall grasses. 400 eggs were out there in the grass, so every kid had an over-flowing basket by the time it was over.

Titus had a great time once he figured out what the purpose of the hunt was.

Jada took off ahead of the group in search of the little treasured eggs. She had an older “buddy” helping her.

Boy, was trudging back and forth across that field a work out! Me and my husband were huffing and puffing by the time we got back to the house. I thought for sure the kids would be worn out after that, but Mrs. Clint had plans.

Next, all of the children sat down around Mrs. Clint for an Easter Story, the real story of Easter. I truly appreciated not one mention of the “Easter Bunny”. We are very against celebrating silly fictional, commercial characters during religious holidays. We value the true meaning of the season, so it was nice to hear Mrs. Clint telling the children all about Jesus and the Resurrection.

Then it was on to the bug hunt. Mrs. Clint gave each child a butterfly net and a bug catcher, and off they went through the woods on an adventure. While they were gone I sat around the picnic tables talking to the other couples and watching Titus play in the sand box with other boys his age, and splash in a low barrel of water.

(Don’t eat the sand, buddy)

I talked for a long time to another young couple who do organic farming. I met them at the Corn Frolic last year, so it was nice to see them again. We talked about what all we are doing on our homesteads. I felt like part of the group as they were all asking how each other’s livestock was doing, and somebody asked me how my goats were.

This other couple, Melinda and Ian, have what sounds like an awesome farm! I think they are the same age as me and my husband, but are SO much further ahead of us. They have a few gardens, tons of chickens, goats, a milk cow, and beehives. They sell at a local farmer’s market and raise everything organically. They had even brought some fresh homemade icecream to share with all of us, made with fresh milk, eggs and sweetened with fresh honey. It was really good!

They were kind enough to invite us out to their farm sometime. I know we could learn a lot from them. I hope to be able to visit them one day soon! They also grow heirloom veggies, and save their seeds, so they could probably give me some good pointers on starting seeds indoors.

The children eventually came running back to the house from their bug hunting adventure. Jada was so excited! She ran up to me to show me what she had captured. I was surprised when she showed me the huge dragonfly in her container! What a great find!

Mrs. Clint had all of the kids sit down around the table to dye eggs next. She brought out a galvanized metal tub full of fresh brown chicken eggs, and gave a half a dozen to each child to color. The brown eggs did dye, it just took a little longer for them to sit in the color. This was the first time Jada had dyed eggs; she had lots of fun.

When the activities were finished, the children all ran around and played for a long time. Eventually they all ended up on the hay bales, climbing up them, and jumping from one to the other.

They had a ton of fun! On the way home Jada said, “Mommy, I wish every day was Easter!”