Easter Egg Hunt

Lined up, beaming, ready for the race. Marguerite, Romy, Colette, our little ladies of Provence. Hoping for chocolate in every pot, branch groove, lavender plant...

Easter eggs

We snuck out to hide all the chocolate eggs on Easter. Low, medium, high. To match them. In the olive branches, the mouth of the stone fountain, high on stone walls, in the lavender patches, among the daisies, in the middle of the lilac bushes, the cherry and apricot tree branches, in the garden urns. Lined them up, handed each a mini basket made in Lourmarin: small, medium, large. Then they were off. Panting and screeching with the first find. Romy couldn’t believe it. Probably her first registered Easter Egg Hunt, the ones before just random chocolate. Wished we had hid higher and harder for Miss Marguerite. We forgot how long her legs have become. Colette was determined and wanted to keep things fair. Kept redistributing the bounty. Romy just perpetually thrilled. One egg would have been enough. Eye popping when they just kept coming. “Are they growing in the garden?”

Easter 2016.

It has become a spring tradition – Provincetown with Stephen and John and a bevy of favorite friends/family.

Colette was talking about it for weeks in advance: “Are we going to Provincetown today?” “Is it today?” until finally it was the day. We loaded into the car and, apart from some attempted whistling (round ‘o’ mouth and little wisps of air – her newest obsessive pursuit), she didn’t make a peep for 5 (!) hours. Muted by her anticipation of Cape Cod fun.

Little Romy, sitting next to her was not herself. She couldn’t get comfortable – was squirming and whimpering. She was hot and looked exhausted, but couldn’t fall asleep. Poor baby – by the time we arrived and attempted to get through one night with her, Xavier announced that he was taking her home. I agreed – he was right. Those two got on a tiny plane and flew back to Boston to take the train to NYC. We were worried about Romy, but also about little baby Lars (~2 months) possibly getting sick, who was part of the crew that weekend. It turned out Romy had pneumonia and she and Xavier spent a weekend bonding. So hard to see a little girl like that – not talking, still with sickness.

Colette and I stayed on and enjoyed the Easter festivities, which included egg dying (naturally), lots of luscious food, a walk in the Beech Forrest, a papier-mâché rabbit - named “Needy” by Colette, story-telling and song-singing, baby holding, yahtzee, beach rock hunting, fire gazing and soaking in a really beautiful place.

Lars is the dreamiest baby. Watchful and content.


Madame Colette and her 'doudous' (tucked in like scarves into her jacket) heading back from a beach hop.


A cardinal signaling the color to come. These birds have a special spot in my heart - they were my grandma's favorite.


Baby love.


Two fine looks.


I did a bit of egg research this year and fell upon a Ukrainian easter egg method using hot beeswax and a stylus tool called a "kystka." The dyes that came with the kit were vivid - including gorgeous onyx shade. The dyes took very quickly.




Colette whistling away.










Masks are a recurring theme here. Colette looking betwitching.


Fires and the beach.