HAPPY EARTH DAY…AND EASTER

 

This is weird for me–I actually really dislike words that begin with “e” (seriously–they make me a tad queasy,) and here I am, wishing you two of them!!! Oh well.

So, today is Earth Day, a relatively new “holiday” in the scheme of the world, founded awhile back by a Senator with the great name of Gaylord Nelson. Upon researching it, just to wish you a happy one–I know, I’m nuts–I discovered that it actually began forty-one years ago! Who knew???

There can’t possibly be another person who recycles as much as I do–I recycle even the smallest pieces of paper, like gum wrappers. And I know most of the rules because I buy books about how to do it. I even go through the waste basket on Mr. X’s side of the bed to make sure he didn’t sneak any viable recyclables in there! (And, trust me, he has. Tsk tsk tsk.)

I’ll be spending Earth Day at an event that’s showcasing leaders of green living, in the hopes that I can pick-up some great tips to pass on to you, so please look for that next week. If we all do our part, just maybe this planet will begin to fare better. So, in honor of today, let’s all do a little more for the planet than we usually do, and hopefully that will have some, even tiny, beneficial impact.

Now, on to Easter, which I see as really a celebration of Spring, with bunnies and candy and colorful baskets full of goodies. My best Easters have all been in Rhode Island, with the Hazel family. We always have great food, my favorite children, and lots of laughter. So, for those of you who don’t have a big, close family like that, or just won’t be able to be with them this year, I have a couple of suggestions to do with pals, as a couple, or even alone. Here they are:

1) Of course, many restaurant PR people have sent me their clients’ special Easter menus, but I’m not passing them on because I don’t know how they’ll turn-out without having tried them first, so I have no specific recommendations. I can tell you that, if you don’t mind spending the big bucks, I think it would be lovely to sit along the water someplace, perhaps in Marina Del Rey, to have a peaceful Easter brunch.

2) My favorite thing to do is to go to a house party, with a lawn, of course, for an Easter e-word hunt. (I told you I hate words that begin with “e.” I wasn’t lying.) The only problem is that someone has to do the hiding. I’ve been the one doing the e-word hiding with my precious kid friends in Rhode Island, and I put little clues in the plastic ones. It was great fun for all of us, although I’d really rather be the one finding them, (which I’m sure comes as no surprise to those of you who know my “I won’t grow up” Peter Pan policy.)

[Sidebar on #2 above: one year, I was a guest at the hunt at the Playboy Mansion. I, of course, found the most e-words, by far. But when it came time to award the prizes, Hef let families put all their e-words in one basket, so to speak, and totally ignored me! And I was even young, skinny, and cute back then! Turns out, the prizes were major, like TVs, and he wanted to give them to his personal friends rather than a stranger who was there at one of his pals’ invitation. Shame on him.]

3) The loveliest thing to do, in my opinion, is to either host, or go to, a garden afternoon tea. I actually like this idea best with just lady friends, no men and no children, but whatever floats your boat. It’s actually easy enough to do, especially if you don’t make it too fancy. And, when there are a group of people around, I always feel like some form of Jell-O must be served. I’m not kidding. My friends think that sounds nuts, until they see what I come up with, like Jell-O easter e-words or whole easter bunny. (You need molds for both.) So simple, yet so impressive.

4) Have a picnic. Have each person bring a dish and go to a neighborhood park. Good friends, good food, and good air. Bring some chocolate bunnies and you’re all set.

5) If you have to stay in, and want a simple way to entertain people, especially a small group, this is what I did one year when my parents were visiting, and I invited just a few friends over: I ordered a party-size sub sandwich, made a giant salad, and baked a batch of cookies, and we all colored e-words, which trust me, my parents had never done before in their lives. Just the process of being artistic, in such an easy way, in a group, made the get-together so special and fun. I swear–I think I just talked myself into this one for Sunday! Thanks, Karen.

No matter how you spend it, try to have some colorful fun. This day is only once a year, so push yourself to do something to celebrate it.

And from all of us at ItsNotAboutMe.TV, we wish you a great Earth Day and very Hoppy Easter!