One of the many temptations of spring is to head off into the Wald (bush) on long walks. It takes a bit of discipline to wait, but in the end the temptation gets too much. Every afternoon we head off for a couple of hours or more.
But the locals have a peculiar habit, one among many. Given that it is Easter, they like to festoon any bit of bush with eggs. It might be a straggly thing in a can:
Or some elaborate job:
Usually the eggs are painted:
Eggs and … rabbits. I could never quite figure out the connection; whether the rabbits are supposed to lay eggs, but who’s to point to a slight inconsistency?
Probably makes more sense to put a rabbit on a bicycle:
At least the Moravian sheep is mercifully spared of bunnies and chook eggs:
30 March, 2012 at 7:03 pm
So many questions. But here’s two:
Are these real eggs, or egg-shaped decorations?
How do they attach the string to the egg?
30 March, 2012 at 8:40 pm
Tradition has it that they are real eggs, yolks blown out, string attached – all a delicate operation, as you can imagine. Some still other, but others are plastic eggs. To me, eggs don’t usually grow on trees, but that’s probably just a ‘cultural thing’.
31 March, 2012 at 4:48 am
I like this tradition. I might give it a go next year.
I was trimming the rhododendron bush at the top of our path on Wednesday, – because we were beginning to have to do a sideways shuffle to get past it – and I discovered an old nest where some eggs had grown. So eggs growing on trees (or in bushes) is not so odd. What is really odd is celebrating Easter with eggs in autumn – down here in the Antipodes, of course.
31 March, 2012 at 4:52 am
I like this tradition. I might try it next year.
I was trimming the rhododendron bush at the top of our path on Wednesday – because we were beginning to have to do a sideways shuffle to walk past it – and found a nest where some eggs had once grown. So it’s not that odd to have eggs growing in trees. What is odd is celebrating Easter with eggs in Autumn – in these Antipodean parts of the world.
31 March, 2012 at 12:46 pm
Ah Deane, you cosmopolitan snag … But are you getting blog commenting tourettes?
31 March, 2012 at 7:23 pm
Egg painting sounds like it might occupy small children. I’m compiling a list. I especially like the Roumanian method of egg painting with successive levels of dye and wax, and home-knitted jumpers. Brilliant. I wonder what that waxing instrument is.
After I wrote this out the first time, your blog asked me to log in, my screen disappeared, and the comment didn’t show up. So I rewrote it. Then both showed up. What are you gonna do.
Lenin’s head would make a good painted egg.
31 March, 2012 at 11:51 pm
Gorbachev was already half-way there.