Easter in Brooklyn

My Mom asked me on the phone last night, so what are you doing for Easter? Hmm...I thought. I had absolutely no idea. But it got me thinking. What does Easter in Brooklyn look like? So with that in mind, I began my day, camera in hand. Herewith I present to you my Brooklyn Easter:

The day began with finishing a sock that I've been knitting over the last week: The Pom Pom Peds from the Purl Bee. I kid you not, I am actually a believer in the pom pom ped. I'm one of those odd people whose shoes are constantly eating their socks. To keep the sock from getting sucked down into the netherbelly of a sneaker, I actually need a pom pom. So I decided to fashion my own last week. One down, one more to go!

 The garden is alive with pops of color. These strange little flowers (mutant tulips? exotic daffodils? ecstatic crocus?) were positively lunging toward the sunlight today.

 

And these red buds are growing atop our apple tree. Or is it our cherry tree? We planted them both at the same time and there is some debate about which we planted where. Once the trees bears fruit (someday, provided that a neighbor unbeknowst to us also has a cherry and/or apple tree so that the local bees can crosspolinate the buds enabling the trees to bear fruit), we'll know for sure. Until then, we'll just enjoy these buds, which smell divine.

On the way to meet Nicole, I stumbled upon this Easter egg blue Chevy truck.

And on the sidewalk just behind it was this sign beckoning me to go to something called the Holy Crab. In this old-school Italian Williamsburg neighborhood, my two honest guesses regarding this event are either a Catholic luncheon or hipster brunch. It really could go either way.

The daffodils in the market were grouped together just so, all shapes and sizes singing in the same choir.

And the rose was bubbly and sweet, as was the lovely conversation.

On the walk home I photographed a tree I've been eying for the last week, very impressed by how many "needles" it seems to have packed into one little nuggety bulb. These needles, by the way, will eventually turn into those long spirally leaves that turn neon yellow in the fall and twirl to the ground like dancers.

 

I came home and upgraded my tomato plants into bigger pots...er...plastic cups.

This one is named Aunt Ruby. It's going to be a big hearty plant that produces green heirloom tomatoes. Needless to say, I have already developed fond feelings for Aunt Ruby.

 

What I love best about tomatoes is that at this young stage, they already smell like tomatoes. They are so good at delivering on their promise. I consider them trustworthy friends.

 

But if we can go back to the sock for just a minute. I thought I'd share with you my favorite part of Easter day, which was sitting in the sun, making the pom pom.

 

For those who have never made one before, it really couldn't be easier. Just cut out two cardstock circles, and then cut out a circle within each of those to make a donut. The only cardstock I had in the recycling bin was a box that held butter; I swear to you, I did not realize until I'd cut out the circles that I had in fact cut out the words "salted butt."

 

You wind yarn around and around the donut, then snip along the sides of the cardstock, putting your scissors right between the two donuts as you cut the strands. The yarn poofs out in a very satisfying way as you snip.

 

Then you have a sip of iced coffee.

 

And finally, you tie a piece of string between the two donuts, pull tight and knot it off. Remove the donuts and trim the pom pom until it's a nice fluffy round shape. When it's all done, put it on your sock!

 

And if you're anything like me, take the time to appreciate both your knitting success and your excellent pedicure. 

And that is a Brooklyn Easter.