a golden easter

SPRING CAME EARLY this year. We all needed this, whether it was by design or if Mother Nature was sounding her alarms. The ephemeral quality of the warmth brought to us this time of year gives us the hope for a rebirth of our spirits and the dedication to embracing the miraculous transformation we have the privilege to watch unfold before us. The delicate flowers of spring bring hope to the forefront.
 

ANIMAL SPIRIT: If spring has an animal spirit, it's definitely the Easter bunny! This one may or may not have hung the tree above with eggs.

WHEN WE WERE KIDS, the anticipation of the Easter bunny leaving us a basket filled with saccharine-sweet confections was only outshone by Santa at Christmastime. In a lot of ways, the fresh nature of spring was always brighter, if not bolder, than the winter holiday. Easter baskets are now linked with the Easter holiday, while ancient religions determine our date with the new season of growth. Easter Sunday is always determined to be the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox. 

BUNNY TALES: These beautiful bunny chocolates made locally (in Atlanta) by Pastry Chef Jocelyn Gragg of Jardí Chocolates are some of the most delicately beautiful and delicious I've seen (or eaten). When you buy an "Easter Adoption Box" of them, the profits go to local House Rabbit Societies all across the country. Crossing the pond, you can find these bunny tails from Great Britain's Charbonnel et Walker, which are actually Pink Marc de Champagne Truffles (by appointment to Her Majesty, The Queen, no less). 

AS ADULTS, we develop a taste for a more sophisticated way of celebrating the season if there are no kids around. I've gathered a trio of delectable chocolate confections for this Easter spread. The most exciting find was the beautiful handmade chocolate bunnies. But the Pink Marc de Champagne Truffles, I'm calling bunny tails, just for fun, because the kid in me is still there. No Easter is complete without chocolate eggs. These are infused with a heady 60% dark chocolate combined with a blood orange/olive oil mix.
 

EGG COMPLEXITY: These molded small batch eggs are from local Atlanta XOCOLATL Chocolate and are made of dark chocolate, blood orange, olive oil and packaged in a jar with crystallized ginger.

WHILE EASTER BASKETS of the ancient religions were based on the cycle of growth in spring. Farmers gathered seedlings of their new crops in baskets for blessings for a successful year. Modern Christian baskets symbolized the end of Lenten fasting, when we feast on a large Easter meal. That feast had its beginnings with that meal being brought to the church in large baskets for blessings by the priests.

SYMBOLS OF ABUNDANCE: These marbelized eggs were combined with papier mâché eggs gilded with gold foil for my Easter tree.

GOLDEN EGGS: Gold-leafing is a surprisingly simple process, but it takes a bit of time and patience as any craft does. The reward is worth it. I used papier
mâché eggs as a base.

GOLDEN DAFFODILS: My father loved spring more than any season. These delicate yellow daffodils are a happy reminder of him.

My Easter tree is usually only adorned with eggs. Some are marbelized and some are gilded with gold foil to celebrate the rebirth and renewal of the season. Eggs are the ultimate symbol of that. And bunnies are a symbol of fertility and hope for the continued tradition of celebrating Mother Earth's miraculous yearly rebirth.

©2017 DARRYL MOLAND | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

collecting, photography and styling by Darryl Moland

CatMan Tree

Last night I saw the CatMan Tree had bloomed again. In itsbranches were nestledcats of every type and color. I watched in awed silence as the CatMan gently placed his children upon the earth in a tribute he makes the night of May 5th only once every fifty years.

—Odette Colón

IT'S NOT OFTEN (maybe once every 50 years)—like today on my 50th birthday—that you feel like a kid all over again. It's also not often you're immortalized in a fairytale. The beautiful card my children's book illustrator friend Odette designed for my birthday is shown in the photo, replete with a tall tale and original artwork! My birthday so far has been amazing. It started a couple of days ago at work (since I'm taking today through the weekend off—deservedly so!). My coworkers threw me an incredible party this past Wednesday at work with a big cake and lots of food and gave me a gift card for an iPad! So I'll be able to blog from anywhere now! I can't thank them enough—I certainly feel the love!

I LOOK FORWARD to an impromptu dinner tonight with a small group composed of a friend, a relative and my new love at a restaurant called Top Flr here in Atlanta. Tomorrow night it's a Kylie Minogue concert with Jon and and a friend. 

My good friend Peggy Dana modified
Princess Beatrice's fascinator with the
addition of the number 5 for the
best (virtual) birthday hat ever! 
(That's me on my 49th birthday).

AGE IS ONLY a number (I'll keep telling myself that). Fifty is the new forty, right? All I know is that even though my life hasn't been a fairytale, I've been pretty damn fortunate to see the things I've seen, to live the way I have, and to continue to live, grow and learn. My friends and my family have been there for me to help make it all possible. It's not what you have, but how much you are loved. That is all you can take with you when it's time to move to the next realm of existence. 

I KNOW—my mother told me (without speaking) when I was holding her hand at her death in 2005 (and in one experience shortly after) that life goes on—and it is beautiful and full of love. It's all about how you look at it and how wide you open your eyes to receive all the secrets of the universe.

ON THIS upcoming mother's day, I send all my wishes and love to my mother (the roses in the photo above are from her rose bush I carry with me wherever I go—and it is blooming profusely this year!). I thank her (and my father) for my life every day. They taught me how to love—and truly, that is the best gift anyone can give. And you know what? You'll find that while you're being taught, you're actually teaching. My mother told me so. 

©2011 DARRYL MOLAND, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Collecting and styling by Darryl Moland
CatMan Tree illustration by Odette Colón
Fifty Fascinator Photoshopped by Peggy Dana