Trout Republic

Looks like this year is really on a roll of late and time is flying by like a goose headed North in the Spring migration. And for those of you not familiar with geese, that’s fast.

It seems like we get done with one Holiday or special time and another is sprung upon us. Of course, we all know that most of the Holidays are probably an invention of the retailers out there looking to turn a buck on decorations and such. And no small part of that is The Plan to keep us all distracted while the wheelers and dealers deal us out of our money. Regardless of the reason for having so many holidays, we all line up like pigs at a trough to get the bounty that each special day presents.

So, get ready, Ol’ Dutch wants to give you the heads up that Easter is around the corner, like literally this weekend.

Of course, most people celebrate Easter for the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the tomb, so they dress up and head off to church even if that is not normally a part of their Sunday routine. Nothing like a little fire insurance that they think they’re getting by attending church once a year. And heck, I guess once is double of nothing – unless you’re a mathematician and a stickler for accuracy.

I can remember how our home church attendance would swell on Easter Sunday with people all duded out in their best clothes. All the kids were wound up like a nine-day clock and out of control from sugar ingestion of the candy they got that morning in some funky straw basket.

Solemnly they sat until the preacher got Christ out of the tomb for the year and then off they’d go to the lake or golf course enjoying life. One thing that did happen ever so slowly over time was the tendency of people to drop any attempt at dressing up for such a celebration.

When I was a kid — which Trixie said was long before fire was invented — everyone got new clothes to wear to church. The women all had their hair done special, the men got out the “good” suit and they all came into the building in a fine display of Americana family picturesque perfection.

There was even a song written about such doins, called “Easter Parade.” Written by Irving Berlin in 1933, it became very popular and such stars as Bing Crosby, Judy Garland and Fred Astaire covered it in records and a movie.

Sing along with me to the tune of “Easter Parade” of course.

In your easter bonnet, with all the frills upon it,

You'll be the grandest lady in the easter parade.

I'll be all in clover and when they look you over,

I'll be the proudest fellow in the easter parade.

On the avenue, fifth avenue, the photographers will snap us,

And you'll find that you're in the rotogravure.

Oh, I could write a sonnet about your easter bonnet,

And of the girl I'm taking to the easter parade.

So, I guess people used to stroll up and down the street showing off the first non-winter hat they purchased and for some reason they decided to call that hat a bonnet. Who knows, right?

As I was saying, over time people began to dress more shabbily on Easter and soon you had blue jeans-wearing dads, women in culottes and kids in their school rags and tennis shoes. People stopped doing the traditional things and now no one even dyes Easter Eggs, with a whole generation of kids missing out on that vinegar-laden concoction that emanates from the dye we used.

Plastic eggs and plastic bunnies have taken the place of chocolate ones all in the name of convenience, less mess and slowing down Johnny’s sugar fit tantrums. What fun is that?

The Grands will want Ol’ Dutch and Miss Trixie to make the drive over to attend church with them on Easter Sunday. And, of course, they usually get whatever they want out of Grandpa and Trisis so we will probably wind our way over there, bonnet-less and blue jeans clad and hopefully be inspired to keep the faith for one more year.

Kevin Kirkpatrick and his Yorkie, Cooper, fish, hunt, ATV or hike daily. His email is [email protected]. Additional news can be found at www.troutrepublic.com.