One of my friends posted online the following question: So what's everyone cooking for Easter day ...any traditions passed down?It brought me back to days gone by when we would celebrate Easter at my Papa's and Baba's home.
My older sister and I always had Holy Week off for Spring Break. Many of you may know that Holy Week is the week between Palm Sunday and Easter and we would usually spend it over at their house.
I loved their home, it was a great place to be. My Papa had built many little extras into their home that made it unique and my Baba had filled every nook and cranny of it with knick-knacks. I used to love looking at all the little things she collected, until it came time to clean them!
We never were idle at Baba' s house. "Idle hands were the devil's playthings," she was apt to say. And she made sure that there were no idle hands on her watch. She would keep us busy, busy, busy. Being an adult now, I understand her logic. Keep them busy and they stay out of trouble.
Every morning we arose early, got dressed, and made our beds. No "PJ Days" at Baba's. We would come to the kitchen for breakfast and she would make us a "dippy" eggs (egg over medium) or we could choose cereal. My Baba had the infamous "Wall of Cereal;" what with 17 grandchildren who loved cereal, her pantry had to be well-stocked. Mostly with the various Chex cereals, plus Rice Krispies, Kix and Shredded Wheat. However, on occasion there may have been a box of Sugar Smacks or Honeycomb tucked away, but as for Lucky Charms...Never!
After breakfast, it was time to "ret-up," and you were never too young to do that. Whether it was drying dishes, sweeping the floor or dusting; if you could walk, you could "ret-up." Since everyone would be coming over for dinner on Sunday we had to begin dusting her house on Monday because it could take all week to clean each surface. Monday also meant it was time to begin preparing the feast that would break our Lenten fast.
Our Easter menu was decidedly ethnic. Slovak and Polish to be exact. It consisted of Honey Glazed Ham, Kielbasa, Hrudka (Easter Cheese), beets with horseradish, Pickled Beet Eggs, Easter Kolach Paska (sweet raisin bread), Nut and Poppy Seed rolls, and frosted soft cut-out cookies in the shape of lambs and bunnies sprinkled with coconut.
My love for cooking and baking was born at my Baba's elbow, watching her lovingly prepare all of our traditional holiday fare. She was a master baker, and I am pleased to say that I have followed in her footsteps. Many of my all-time favorite recipes' are those handed down to me from her. It brings to mind the verse in Titus 2:4-5 NLT :
These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God.My Baba did exactly that and I am forever blessed to have had my grandparents in my life for many years.
Every Holiday evokes warm delicious memories spent at their home and I give thanks to my Daddy God for them. I look forward to the joyful Reunion we will share since my Papa left this earth for his Heavenly home in 1995 and my Baba recently joined him in 2012 at the amazing age of 96! She was spry and active nearly to the very end.
I imagine that they are up there, together along with the other saints preparing for the Wedding Feast that is soon to be shared by all of us who call Jesus our Lord and Heaven our Home.
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