Easter Stories

     We are getting ready for tomorrow, it's the last day of the ski season, oh & it's also Easter. Easter often seems to take me by surprise. We already celebrated the Spring Equinox, right? Right... well, sure! Lets keep celebrating spring & rebirth! Yay Spring! Rebirth of the world, & Rivers flowing!
      I'm often on the Salt River during Easter, living in the guide slums of 2nd camp, halfway down the day stretch, on a bumpy dusty dirt road known as Apache Highway One. Easter there is noted by the sudden appearance of dozens of Apache families picnicking and fishing on the beaches of 2nd camp, and by the colored egg shell confetti decorating the beach the next day. Generally just another beautiful work day in paradise, noted by slightly awkward beach landing at lunch, and next day trash mitigation.

Zip Line! Easter 2011

     It's been a couple years since I've worked the Salt though... lets see, last year we went to an awesome Easter party comprised mostly of River parents & little shredders (all dolled up in their Easter Dresses!) The egg hunt was fun & all, but the zip line seemed to be the main attraction! The year before that... um... oh yeah! Shist Camp in the Grand! One lovely lady on our trip had the wherewithal to bring plastic eggs & place them all around the dark cliff behind the kitchen before anyone else was up! (Again, I was totally out of the loop & didn't even know it was Easter!) What was important to me was that I had talked to Charlotte on the phone at Phantom Ranch the day before, & we all aced Crystal beautifully that day.

The Crystal Hole, Easter 2010

     This year, well. Like I said, pretty big day tomorrow, end of ski season. And I am excited to sport my original '80's hot pink Obermyer jacket & stretch pant gaper outfit! Easter though, right. So we dyed eggs after supper, and once Charlotte was in bed & the dishes done, I commenced to do what any parent does the night before Easter. I pulled out the package of cheep plastic, made in China toxic BPA (& who know what else) laden plastic eggs, and filled them with all natural nothing artificial bunny gummies, jelly beans and chocolates. As I piled the filled plastic eggs into Charlottes little white felt bunny shaped basket... I was suddenly overwhelmed with memories of Charlottes first Easter.
     I bought that basket in Sholo, AZ on Easter Sunday 2009. Charlotte was 12 months old & we were down on the Salt River together, Mommy getting back to work & back on her feet. It was a low water year on the Salt & business was slow. Three of us actually had that sunday off, so we all four piled into a car & made a run to town... the Sholo eddy. I was desperate to do Something for her for Easter, but the shelves were shopped pretty bare by that point, that little felt bunny basket was pretty much my choice of baskets.

Egg hunt! Salt River Canyon 2009

     A town run from the Salt (be it the Globe or Sholo eddy) always takes a whole day. There is nothing in the Canyon except what we bring with us, so shopping, laundry, showers, filling gas, water & propane... it's a long day. Our errands were not heavy & we made it back to camp by dusk, but dusk it was. We got right to work as soon as we got there though! Mommy hid eggs all over our little tent site & Charlotte went egg hunting by headlamp! I don't think I have ever seen such a happy Easter egg hunter! No other kids to compete with, just her, her little felt bunny basket, her head lamp, & a whole package of prize filled eggs all over our camp! Even after the hunt was over, she kept looking for treasure, & found fun little things like wild flowers & a tent stake. Watching her that evening was like watching pure Joy in motion.

No more eggs? I found a tent stake! Easter 2009 

     Easter may sneak up on me more often than not... but it is almost always profoundly blissful! And ridiculous as it may seem... I love that silly little felt basket, and I love that Charlottes first ever easter egg hunt was in the bottom of the Salt River Canyon, by head lamp light.