Happy Easter: Ostern, Pesach, Eosturmonath, Great Day and Great Night and I hope you have a blessed and holy Passover!
The Jewish celebration of Passover, The Feast of the Unleavened Bread was practiced by ancient Israelites at the beginning of their New Year, the Spring Equinox.
The Christian Easter, depends on Passover for not only much of its symbolic meaning, but for its dating on the calendar.
The Christian celebration is linked with the observance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ three days after his entombment. Falling on the first Sunday after the first full moon and the multicultural belief in the meaning of rebirth and the promise in the seasonal cycle therefore of life everlasting.
Connected of course to the earliest nature based celebration to welcome in Spring. It is common to see wild hares or rabbits which ushered in our conception of the association with bunnies or the bunny rabbit bringing in a new cycle of birth and rebirth year after year symbolized by the laying hens and their ongoing cycles of laying eggs.
What may appear as diverse rites of Spring reveal themselves as sharing common cultural beliefs in life, death, resurrection and rebirth.
As the night begins her retreat, and the dawn of the new light and life, begin their ascent and resurrection, the balance shifts within each of us.
It becomes a time of renewal, and rebirth and a time to lay down the old, and begin life anew.
We set out our baskets of eggs and we celebrate this happy occasion, just as nature celebrates her own time of new growth.
In the wild forest, the hens sense the spring time change and begin to lay their colorful eggs.
Perhaps our own ancestors went out to hunt them, perhaps bringing them back in their nests, or in baskets imitating them.
Our nest-like baskets of decorated eggs and the Eoster Egg Hunt, remind us of this lovely revitalization of nature and our common sharing in the joys, goodness and abundance of life.
The symbol of the egg banishes the past and starts afresh. It is a symbol of purification and it is a symbol of rebirth. As we crack our eggs, we peel back the white of the melting snow, and we release and free the golden sun within.
Easter blessings to all of you, in all countries, with all customs and cultures. And happiest days of rebirth and re-awakenings for a new and blessed season.
CHICKENS, CHICKENS, CHICKENS! FREE PATTERNS AND TUTORIALS!
Steel Scraps: Chicken Pincushions with Thread Caddy Nests
Nests!
Monkeyroom: Tutorial
Weathervane wall quilt, free pattern by Debbie Busby at All People Quilt
Rise and Shine wall hanging, free pattern by Wendy Sheppard at Ivory Spring
Mr. Rooster, free pattern by Caroll at West Michigan Quilter
Cat's Rooster, free pattern by Jennifer Ofenstein at Sew Hooked
Jaunty Rooster, free pattern by Julie Lynch for Benartex
Birds of a Feather wall quilt by Cynthia Scott at Janome
Redwork Chicken Embroidery Pattern by Cheryl C. Fall for About.com
Rise and Shine Placemat Tutorial by Vicki Welsh
Rooster Quilt Block, free pattern at How Stuff Works
Hen and Flowers wall hanging, free pattern at All People Quilt
Cocks Crow in the Morn, free pattern by Kaaren Johnston at The Painted Quilt with blessings and gratitude.
Michele Bilyeu Creates With Heart and Hands sharing an imaginative, magical, and healing journey from Alaska to Oregon and back again. Creating, designing, sewing, quilting, and wildcrafting from my heart and with my hands.
