Peter Cottontail, hoppin' down the bunny trail

I remember being very young and staying with my Grandma for a little while. I guess I was 3 or 4. I haven't a clue where my Mom was. I have a vivid memory of my Grandma "calling" the Easter Bunny. Not because I was bad, but to let him know that I was at her house. I hid ever so timidly and watched as my Grandma whispered into her black rotary phone. I was amazed that my Grandma knew the Easter Bunny's phone number!! My Mom came to get me and as we left, I found a boiled egg in a flowerpot by the steps!! The Easter Bunny had come!

The tradition carried over at home. As Easter neared, I'd find boiled eggs in the planters by the front porch. These were colored eggs though. I guess Grandma didn't want to bother with that!! Usually they'd still be warm as if he had just left it. As I got a little older, my best friend and I came up with the idea that maybe if we left a carrot out, it would lure the Easter Bunny to leave a surprise. I think maybe I grew some carrots just for this very purpose. Sometimes we'd make a 'nest' out of grass and leave the carrot in it. We'd watch out the window for a while, then we'd move on to playing and forget, but only temporarily! As soon as we'd remember to go check - sure enough that Easter Bunny had come through!! Sometimes I'd leave a carrot out before leaving for school but I wouldn't tell my Mom about it to see if the Easter Bunny was real. shhhhhh!! And I'd still find a candy or an egg when I got home, so that meant something, right?? It seems I can recall a few times that the Bunny left candy I didn't like - coconut or something with nuts. It was always something my MOM liked, so I guess the joke was on us!!

And now it's our turn. Last year Valerie had a ball with it. I'd hide a treat by the front door and talk her into going check the mail. Val would be so excited, so I'd pretend to look waaaaay down the street and see the Easter Bunny hopping around the corner. Val would yell as loud as she could, "Thank you Easter Bunny!!" He's only come once so far this year. I, er the Easter Bunny, needs to do a little Easter shopping!!