I used to make Ukrainian eggs with my grandma every year at Easter. We would gather round the kitchen table, and she would go up to attic where she stored all the intricate tools, waxes, candles, and dyes that we used to make our beautiful creations. Our stylus tools in hand, we would add beeswax to the cup of our tools, let the wax melt over a candle flame, and then begin to decorate each egg with care. We created intricate patterns and designs that wouldn’t be revealed for many hours. Draw…dip in yellow. Draw…dip in orange. Draw…dip in red. Draw…dip in green. You get the point. Finally, after hours had passed and we’d dipped into the final black dye making our creations complete, we would hold the egg next to the candle flame until the all wax melted away, and then tenderly we would wipe all the wax off with a paper towel. We were left with a small masterpiece that would last a lifetime if cared for properly, but more importantly I was left with wonderful memories of the day I had spent with my grandma. Now the time has passed, and so has my grandma. But, I have wonderful Ukrainian eggs adorning my house at Easter that each reminds me of her in a different way. Each egg holds a different memory of a different year. Some years she would share with me stories of our ancestors in Italy coming to America. Sometimes she would tell me tales of her years studying math at the university. Other times she would share silly stories of my mom, aunts, and uncles mischievous adolescent adventures. She would share Easter recipes, and we would talk about gardening and how to dye lady’s lace flowers different colors. Every once in a while we would spend our time together at her kitchen table in silence. Just enjoying being there together creating something beautiful. That for me is the most beautiful and poignant memory of all. Just being with her…because I would do anything to just be with her again.
-
Index
- My Grandma Made Christmas Special
- Fred and Ginger: A match made in ballroom heaven
- Classic Screen Tests: What could have been
- Nostalgic Toys
- Top Ten Doris Day Comedies
- Some things really are black and white
- From Tree to Table
- My mother’s butterfly
- Mad Ads from Mad Men Days
- Golden Dresses of the Golden Era
- Real beauty amidst a flood of tears
- My Lorax princess teaches me to “Let It Grow!”
- Everyday’s a Doris Day
- Ukrainian eggs around my Grandma’s table
Recent Comments
Eric on My Grandma Made Christmas… Rose on My Grandma Made Christmas… Irene mcfadden on My Grandma Made Christmas… Aurora on Ukrainian eggs around my Grand… Nicholas Keeton on Nostalgic Toys Categories
Can you see that all of these experiences with her, have made you the person you are today —- attentive to detail —– appreciative of life’s simple pleasures, and just loving your family. You are so blessed to have had these times with such a uniquely wonderful person.
Hi! Didn’t know of you when I saw you followed one of my blogs, “How Sweet it Was.” So then I came here and hit PAY DIRT! Love this. So nice to meet up with another nostalgia fan.
Thanks,
Aurora