m-lewis's Diaryland Diary

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-

I don't have too much time today to write. That's because I am committed to making, from scratch, Braided Greek Easter Bread.

Dwain found a recipe on the Internet. I don't know if it was sent to him or if he was just looking up Easter dinner ideas. But the Braided Easter Bread is what he found. And he was just so excited about making this bread he couldn't contain himself.

My face must not have registered the same excitement when he told me about it. All I could think was, company's coming to our house for lunch on Sunday, and I've got Saturday, only Saturday, to get the house clean. I've got to located the "good" white tablecloth my mother gave me before she died, and see if it is still "good." I can't remember where I put it. I've got silver to polish. I've got to check our water goblets for spots. I've got to see if we have any flowers, that weren't destroyed in the killing freeze we had last night, for me to cut and use as an Easter centerpiece. If not, maybe, if my father's blooming dogwood trees weren't hurt too bad by the freeze, he'd cut some branches for me to use instead.

What Dwain really meant when he showed me the bread recipe was: I really, really, really want to make this bread, but since I don't work well with flour, would you please, please, please make this bread.... for me? Please?

I was less than enthusiastic. This bread will take hours to put together. It has to be braided a special way. And for some reason it requires colored Easter eggs to be nestled into the braids before baking. The recipe he presented me did not have a picture so I had no idea what the bread was supposed to look like. And I wondered if the colored eggs were supposed to be boiled before baking or if baking cooked the eggs.

So, I did what any good wife would do, I researched recipes until I found a picture. Not only did I find a great picture of what the bread was supposed to look like, I found out the reason this bread was so special.

The Easter eggs used in the bread, traditionally dyed red, represent the blood of Christ. If I have time to make two, I'll give one to Clara Faye, my sweet neighbor, who lives across the street.

That's all it took to change my attitude. Now, I'm a woman with a mission. This may become a new Easter tradition at our house. I no longer really care if my house looks beautiful -- although I will at least make a stab at it.

Now, I can't wait to get started.

To all my friends, may the spirit of Easter fill your hearts with joy.

He arose. He arose. Hallelujah! Christ arose.

11:29 a.m. - 2007-04-07

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

previous - next