Happy Easter and a special tea
Easter is arriving with perfect weather for the celebration — a good sign for spring. Nice to think we’ll be able to see the sunrise at all those sunrise services.
Remembrances at Easter usually go back to childhood and what happened on this special day. My parents and I went to church as we did at Christmas. They were the “two times a year” type people. Any church going in between was with my grandmother. Consequently, I thought of Easter as a time for a new dress, hat and shoes (patent leather). Little did I realize the true meaning of Easter and what it meant for the world.
How I wish I’d known more of Jesus’ words of love. While His words have been misinterpreted He gave us an important message — asking us simply to love one another — such a simple phrase and with all that’s going on around us right now — the most important phrase of our lifetime.
••• The Tea Party returns — the exquisite Tea Party sponsored by the Native Daughters of the Golden West, Zinfandel Parlor No. 337 right here in Lodi. If you have not experienced these teas you have no idea of the fun and delicious goodies you’re missing.
These women create an atmosphere of high tea including all attendees dressed in their finery with gorgeous hats. Money raised from the tea goes to the California Restoration Mission Project of the Native Daughters of the Golden West. The California Native Daughters has taken on this special project because of the continuing needs of California missions. Maintaining these missions so visitors can enjoy them is a constant challenge. Also, some of the missions are in disrepair and need to be restored.
Entertainment will be provided by Dakota Johnson who attends San Joaquin Delta College. He has been singing many years, winning talent contests in California and Nevada. His songs are of the 1950s and ’60s as well as western and modern. An extra treat will be his duet with his grandfather, John Umipeg.
The tea is on Saturday, April 21 at 11:30 a.m. at Vinewood Community Church. Tea attire and hats are encouraged. Tickets will not be sold at the door and must be purchased by April 14. Cost is $27. Make checks payable to NDGW Zinfandel Parlor No. 337 and send to Maria Serna, 801 W. Elm Street, Lodi, Ca 95240.
••• Enjoyed an article the other day that talked about the small town atmosphere of Galt. As I read, I thought about Lodi when I moved here in 1977. It truly was a small town for me and my family because we had come from San Leandro in the Bay Area. While San Leandro did retain more of a small town atmosphere than most Bay Area cities, it still was much larger than Lodi.
And truly Lodi was a small town with going to the grocery store a time to meet people you knew or had recently met. Vineyards still dominated the outskirts and the students at Tokay High had not yet taken on the sophistication of the students I left behind. Now, how many people do you know in the store? It has changed.
Guess that’s why I’ve enjoyed Galt. While its population is growing with the new houses being built along with some annexations, it still has that small town atmosphere. Even the Walmart is small town compared with what Lodi has today. I can walk in my neighborhood or go over to Raley’s in the evening without being afraid.
What I most enjoy are the many parks (just like Lodi), the well-kept houses in my neighborhood and a sense of community. Everyone says hello when I walk including most of the teens. Galt, for now, is still small town — which probably will change as more people arrive.
••• An Easter thought:
Some Special Delight
It is beyond a doubt that everyone should have time for some special delight, if only five minutes each day to seek out a lovely flower or cloud or a star or learn a verse or brighten another’s dull task. What is the use of such terrible diligence as many tire themselves out with, if they always postpone their exchange of smile with Beauty and Joy to cling to irksome duties and relations? Unless they admit these fair, fresh and eternal presences into their lives as they can, they must needs shut themselves out of heaven, and a gray dust settles on all existence. That the sky is brighter than the earth means little unless the earth itself is appreciated and enjoyed.
Helen Keller
Happy Easter and how thankful we are for the bright sunshine, even as we praise the rain we had, appreciating each moment of our existence.