So Easter is a challenge in a pandemic.  No gatherings of any kind, including easter egg hunts with the grandkids.  But I tried to make the best of it.  I have been preparing with getting some Easter candy.

And I found even better Easter candy.

And earlier this week I made some Cool Whip dyed Easter eggs.

So this morning I made Downton Abbey’s Hot Cross Buns.  Here they are after baking.

And here they are with the orange blossom water icing.  I am not very good with icing.

So here as my Easter breakfast.  Some of the dye got inside cracks in the shells. Tom had buns with yogurt and fruit.  The buns were really, really good.

Then we did the animal chores.  The chicks are a nice symbol of spring.

We had to catch Olivia and clean up her front feet.  There was something in them that was bothering her.   She was grumpy about it.

The rooster we were trying to save is not doing well, even with the rooster population improved.

Here is our egg production today.  Not keeping up with demand, that is for sure!

After the animal chores, I got two more fleeces skirted and evaluated today.  Soon I will get them posted for sale.

I am also cleaning and packaging our llama packs and gear.  I have sold them, but they live in Eastern Washington.  So we are waiting for a removal of the travel restrictions to get it delivered.  So I am getting it ready for when that might happen.  This is the training pack that had been particularly muddy.

Over lunch I caught up on my blogs.  I am sad to say that two of my favorite bloggers have COVID-19 in their homes.  This is so sad and scary.

https://disasterfilm.blogspot.com/2020/04/the-queens-message.html

http://newtofarmlife.blogspot.com/2020/04/dq25-setback.html

After lunch I made a sign.  There was a secret birthday surprise for a coworker/friend who is turning 60 today. So the plan was to drive by with a honk and a sign.

We got ready to head out, again with the hot rod.  On the way out I noticed some of our flowers are blooming.

I upgraded to sweatpants for this trip.  They had a tribute to John Prine on the Outlaw Country station.  Here is John Prine and Lee Ann Womack singing Storms Never Last..

This is Bonnie Raitt singing Angel From Montgomery, a song that he wrote.

After the birthday drive by, we took the scenic route home.  Here is Johnny Cash singing Paradise as we drive through Silvana.

And here is John Prine singing Knockin’ On Your Screen Door.

We drove on Pioneer Highway and went through Fir Island.  Surprisingly there are still Snow Geese hanging out.  Not sure why they are still here.

Mount Baker in all of her glory.

Here of the first of the tulips that we spied near Pleasant Ridge.

And there were more in the Skagit flats.  Although the county is trying to discourage people from visiting the tulip fields, there were a lot of people crowded around the tulip fields.  We just drove by with our windows shut.

We stopped by the grocery store for some last minute Easter supplies and even scored some TP while wearing masks and performing hand hygiene.  Then we headed home.  I made the Downton Abbey Pineapple Julep.  It has chopped fresh pineapple, Maraschino liqueur, raspberry syrup, Bols Genever gin, fresh squeezed orange juice, champagne and ice in it with a berry garnish.

It is basically a sweet punch, but it feels tropical with the pineapple.  I am sipping on this while I type.  Tom is making a ham and scalloped potatoes for dinner and a carrot cake for dessert.  I missed out on my usual carrot cake for my birthday so am happy to have some today.

So we will find something on to watch tonight as the sun sets.  It was a good Easter considering the sadnesses of the pandemic.  I do hope John and Paloma do well with this awful virus as well as the 1.7 million known to be infected with it that haven’t died per Johns Hopkins.  We know that there are many, many more people with it that have not been diagnosed due to lack of access to testing.  This is a horrible time we are living through, and we are going to learn of more people dying near and dear to our hearts as this progresses.  John Prine will not be the last.  But Tom and I need to try to keep our spirits up despite our isolation and fears.  So I think our relatively private Easter celebration helped.  I hope yours did as well.  Stay safe!