Oh I could write a sonnet about your Easter bonnet

And of the girl I'm taking

to the Easter parade

When I was little, my Mom used to sing that when she was getting ready on Easter morning.

We dressed up, Easter bonnets included, and had brunch at my Grandmom's where I'd get my picture taken outside every year, weather permitting.

The first photo is my first Easter, April 11, 1977 - I was four weeks old

People always arrived bearing pots of tulips, hydrangeas, and daffodils wrapped in bright crinkly paper. Strawberries and quiche were both always on the table. In the afternoon, we went to Aunt Jake's bearing more flowers and had an egg hunt in her awesome garden. Ham, devilled eggs, and very sweet iced tea were always on the menu.

As the years went on, I stopped dressing up. My Grandmom eventually stopped hosting Easter brunch and we stopped going to Aunt Jake's for dinner.

All traditions change at some point. I have fond memories of the old traditions, but we must make room for new. This is our second year spending Easter at the shore, and I plan to do that for eternity...or until it's time to change tradition again.

Easter Sunday 2016

I might spend the day differently, but I still always buy a hydrangea and plant it. My table always has strawberries on it. And this year my Easter bonnet will be a baseball hat to shield my face from the sun on the beach.

Have a wonderful weekend! What are your plans?