Miss K and I have had a week of being spoilt by my mother who has come to visit. Raw food cafes, long walks in the park or to toddler-friendly playgrounds, shopping for craft materials or new dresses for Miss K; I am full of gratitude, thanks mum!
Unfortunately my mother won’t be here during Easter, but she has been helping me get ready for it. Yesterday she went to get some smoked Polish sausages for the Easter basket and I finished the little felt Easter hares.
Easter hares – felt
A hare is a different creature to a rabbit, especially socially. As I understand, they are largely solitary animals, but will warn other hares of danger by hitting their foot to the ground. A female hare can conceive a second litter of babies, while pregnant with the first. They are rather extraordinary and fill me with a feeling of awe.
I got the pattern for the hare from the book The Nature Corner, by M. van Leewen and J. Moeskops (Floris books, 1990). In their book they write
“Traditionally hares belong to Easter because of their selfless way of life: it is said that when a hare is being hunted and grows tired, another hare will take over and run out in front of the hunters.” (p34)
So there seem to be many different stories of the hare at Easter, and although we have no hares in Australia and the bilby has become an Easter icon here as well as the more popular, American Easter bunny, hares have a place in my heart from the traditions of my childhood.
Easter hares – felt hares
Even though spring is not the thing here, we have some amazing flowers in bloom at the moment as you can see from the pics. The darker one is called a Banksia and the lighter a King Protea. They are two of my favourites. They are so beautiful I thought I would include a few extra photos:
King Protea and Basnksia flower arrangement
Banksia flower
How are your Easter preparations going?
Mrs Winter Creates 