Spring is sprung, here in Dublan. The sun has been bright and warm. The birds and the plants each are trying to show that it is spring. It is the time to bring forth new life and new beginnings. We are in the Semana Santa which for us is Easter week. This is the time when the Savior went through His terrible time in Gethsemani and the terrible pain and suffering of the crucifixtion . He finished His infinite atonement and His unspeakable suffering on the cross. After three days in the tomb came the glorious resurrection which we celebrate and remember at this beautiful time.

I remember when I was a small boy we looked forward to the coming of this wonderful celebration. I remember my mother telling us the story of the resurrection to explain the reason for using the symbols of new life to celebrate Easter. I remember one Easter which always started for us many days before the actual Easter Sunday, Mother gave us all a box of wonderous little fluffy baby chicks. She put an electric globe in the box for warmth and light and had us feed and water those tiny baby chicks. I was impressed with the symbol of starting a new life and even as a small child I began to appreciate the resurrection of our Savior. Every Easter, days before Easter Morning, we would begin to color eggs. Mother saw to it that each of us had a few colored eggs and gave each of us a half a dozen raw eggs in addition. Each one in the family would secretly hide those eggs in the most secure hiding places around the lot. Then the hunt began. We each tried to find each others eggs to see who could end up with the most eggs on Easter Morning. I remember our neighbor boys would join in the hunt for Easter eggs. Pedrito Science would come over when none of us were around and search diligently for eggs. When he found one of our raw eggs he would make a small hole in each end of the egg and suck out the raw contents and enjoy eating them. He then would replace the empty shell where he had found it.

For Easter we would all select the eggs with the strongest shell and color them with bold colors. We would have egg cracking contests to see who had the strongest eggs. We would wrap our hand completely around the egg revealing only the strongest point of our egg. This was to avoid having our egg cracked a little to one side of the point where the shell was more vulnerable and weak. When that egg got cracked on the strong point we would turn the other end to be cracked by the same winning egg so as to weaken that egg and be able to crack it with one of our strong uncracked eggs. This was a very competitive contest, not only among those of our family but with all comers at the Easter hike. I remember on occasion that some sly boy would have a wooden egg brightly colored in order to win the contest. That is why the winner of the contest was required to crack his winning egg and prove that it was real. All of this was done in fun and exagerated lamintation at the loosing of a good strong egg.

On the Easter Hike an important part of the program was the egg hunt. Those that hid the eggs did a very good job of hiding the eggs and making sure that there were plenty of eggs hidden so that all the children could find a number of eggs. The brothers and sisters in the family would help the smaller children find eggs for their basket.

We played many games on those Easter hikes. There was always a big high swing manned by two strong men to swing the young people higher and higher until they were forced to reveal their sweetheart.

The older men played horse shoes well out of danger of the crowd and the other games. We usually had foot races for all of the children beginning with the three year olds on up. The dinner was always a splendid affair. Roast beef, roast turkey, and fried chicken, with plenty of potato salad. There was Boston baked beans, potatoes, rich brown gravy. We usually had a choice between different kinds of pies and cakes to go with the rich ice cream. That icecream was actually made with plenty of rich cream because most of the farmers had dairy cows and plenty of milk to be separated for cream. The Relief Society was always given charge of these wonderful meals and everyone was willing to furnish what ever they were asked to bring.

The horses and wagons were kept well away from main play area and the dinner table so as to keep away the dust and the smell. These celebrations began at ten o'clock in the morning and lasted through the day well into the late afternoon.

Sunday morning we always had a beautiful well prepared Easter program in Sunday School. I especially remember participating as a small child and through my growing up years. I enjoyed singing the beautiful Easter songs and the beautiful talks on the meaning of Easter. Easter Sunday was the time for New Easter dresses especially for the little girls.

We carried these Easter traditions in our own family. Naoma would always dress our girls in beautiful dresses and carefully fix their hair in ringlets or what ever was best for each girl. Early Easter morning our children would wake up eager to find their Easter basket filled with colored eggs, candy and chocolate eggs and many times chocolate bunnies and little chocolate chicks. Kiko and Sam were born on April 6th and Karl was born on April 5th. Their birthday cakes were always decorated for Easter and generally in the shape of an Easter Bunny. We always told them that they were born on the Saviors Birthday which was also the date of His resurrection. We also explained that is why the church was organized on a Sunday the 6th of April, 1830. Easter has been a special time for our Family.

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!

We will be going on the Dublan Easter Hike down by the river next Saturday. We are carrying on our Easter Tradition even though it is not the same as when our family was still with us. We will be content with reliving our Easter Celebration with our family. We love you all and remind you that we are celebrating the Glorious Triumph and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.