An Arizona family Easter

By

Gerry Niskern

When our kids and their cousins were growing up here in the valley, they thought the Easter Bunny hid his eggs out on the desert. Grandpa usually scouted out a pristine site shaded by Palo Verde and Mesquite trees the week before.  The dozens of eggs that Grandma dyed were hidden before our extended family and grandkids arrived. The eggs snuggled among the gold desert poppies and blue lupine.

The tradition of dyeing eggs in bright colors and giving them to family and friends goes back centuries. The Egyptians and Persians practiced this tradition long before Christ was born In the Middle Ages it was forbidden to eat eggs during the 40 days of Lent. However, the hens kept laying and out of the resulting glut, the Easter egg tradition was born.

Different cultures have developed their own unique ways of decorating their Easter eggs. Our family always typically started out with wax crayons, delicate designs to follow and great expectations. After a few eggs are colored and the first container of colored dye hit the kitchen floor; the job became a little rushed and it was all downhill from there.

Actually, it didn’t matter, because the eggs my kids valued most were the ones they found on the desert that the giant Arizona Jackrabbit left among the desert flowers. .

For years we gathered North of Thunderbird Road in the area where the Moon Valley Country Club now stands. After the egg hunt, the older kids rode ride a small go-cart and the dads fired off toy rockets for the kids to chase and try to be first to find them.

When that area started to fill in with houses, we met for our picnic on the beautiful desert land just East of Scottsdale Road and Bell, that is of course where the North valley residents shop at The Great Indoors and surrounding stores.

Finally, we moved our picnic place among the smooth, round rocks of the Carefree area, right where the Boulders Resort sprawls over the desert.  Their Easter baskets full of chocolate ducks and jelly beans were forgotten as they scrambled over the round rocks hunting for the mysterious eggs hidden among the boulders.

If it was windy, they flew kits. Led by Grandma, arroyos were explored and unique rocks scrutinized for signs of gold. A feast of ham, potato salad and Grandma’s cream pies topped off the day.

So tell the kids to put on their running shoes and practice their wind sprints. The furry rabbit with the huge ears is coming. Remind the Grandpas it’s not fair to walk ahead of the pack showing the baby where the Easter eggs are hidden.

Just a word of caution, leave real early. You’ll have to drive outside of Phoenix a long, long way to find a pristine desert site for your Easter picnic.