Trina Machacek
I was trolling — no I was scrolling. Yes, yes scrolling. I was scrolling Facebook a few days ago and came across a picture from many Easters ago. Actually, if truth were to be told, last Easter I even looked for these artful creations.
They are sugar shell egg shaped and have little flowers on and around them. One end is left open to a hollow space inside. As a little kid you could peek in and see magic. Usually, a bunny in a meadow with green grass, little yellow or purple flowers.
And some even had sky painted on the top of the inside of the sugar egg that was about five inches long. Give or take a bunny. They really were amazing when you think about them. I don’t know who they were made by, or who took the time to decorate the, what I assume, were millions of them each Easter.
I mean it’s not like going in and seeing the piles of Easter Peeps of bunnies and rabbits and eggs of an array of colors and now even flavors we see now. At Easter and now at Halloween and Christmas. Maybe even turkeys at Thanksgiving.
Just as a note, you are either on the, “Yes I love Peeps,” or “Ewe, they are gross,” side of that debate. If you think they are weird you should try toasting the little marshmallow critters. That’s an interesting pastime. Wipe off those sticky lips and let’s move on.
Would you believe the Germans first made the sugar eggs in the 1800s? They were, and in my head still are, a magical idyllic scene of frosting flowers and edible goodness. There in is the rub. Of all the cute and cool little things we get over our growing up an even into our grown-up years, how many don’t get eaten? And why?
I remember getting the eggs more than once, but I don’t EVER remember eating one. For that matter I really don’t remember eating a chocolate bunny until I was married. Oh, I remember finding out the ears were hollow. Man did I feel robbed.
There was something about those eggs. Too pretty to eat? Too hard to eat? More than that. What happened to the eggs that didn’t get eaten? I imagine mothers around the world let them sit on dressers until they got all gross and dusty and then one day they just magically disappeared.
Like the half-eaten stinky tuna sandwich your brother slid under his bed a week ago. Or the skirt that your mother said was too small. Meaning it was too short to wear anymore. Things along life sometimes just ceased to exist. Moms are good at that.
As a kid most anything edible will be eaten when it is given. There is a time though, maybe around 12 years old or so, that those objects aren’t seen in the “yummy” light any longer. There is a slight turn of life where things become keeper things.
My sister-in-law says most things happened to her when she was 12, or that is how she timelines events in life. I too think that things, big and memorable happen at about 12. Except those danged eggs.
I don’t really ever remember eating them. Or breaking one. Or throwing one away. I will have to ask my friendly neurologist why we seem to put a virtual post in the path of life to mark when things happen.
Like how long, knee skinning the day was when you learned to ride a bike? The first time you got to drive with your friends, dragging main street, after dark!
The fastest time you ever ran the 100 yards, yes YARDS NOT METERS, dash. It’s those thousand points of life that we all have and should take time to pull forward and enjoy much more often than we do.
As a last one, one that I would bet my ever-present nickel on. How about your first time you – got to sit at the grown-up Thanksgiving table. HAHA you just knew I was going to say your first kiss, didn’t you? Okay, remember that too.
All the firsts you have experienced — so far. Oh, yes, we are not done. Firsts may be fewer as we grow – uh mature. But they are still out there waiting to be experienced. I know if I ever find one of those sugar Easter eggs again, I will enjoy the sight of it – then I’m going to eat it!
Trina Machacek lives in Diamond Valley north of Eureka. Email itybytrina@yahoo.com.