The Harwards and the Easter Egg

When I first began this family history blog, I intended to go family by family in an orderly way. Somehow, I have gotten off track, because stories pop into my mind that I want to relate, and I know if I put them off I will surely forget. I promise to get back on, but Mom has requested I write about some of our family Easter traditions. The only problem is that I don't remember very many.

During my childhood, our family lived in various parts of Idaho. Some of the places were too far to travel to the Sevier valley for the big family Easter/Spring outings hosted by my Uncle Warren and Aunt Mary Lou Harward. It wasn't until we lived in Preston, Idaho that we could make the trip within four or five hours. These were the days before my father, Gaylord Harward, was back into the turkey growing business so as his children, we were not completely accustomed with everything about turkeys--yet.

Unknown child, Gaylord Harward, Braxton Crane, Kendrick Harward,

Edith Harward, DeAnn Harward Ward and Shanna Harward Pearson

The Harward tradition at Easter was for everyone to gather at my Uncle Warren's home and find a suitable seat on his flat-bed trailer filled with bails of straw. We began the day with a family prayer which I believe saved some of us as I don't remember anyone ever getting injured.

My Uncle Warren is adventurous to put it gently. He pulled the trailer full of all his beloved family members up the rocky canyon near his home with his small tractor. At times the trip seemed pretty precarious as he plowed through creeks swollen with Spring runoff. I always thought the only safe place was in the bucket of the tractor. But we had to take turns riding there.

Once in the canyon, we all shakily jumped off the trailer and dusted the straw off our clothing. My Aunt Mary Lou always prepared an Easter egg hunt for the little ones, and the older cousins couldn't help but tag along. Then we had a great picnic. The best part of the whole day was rolling colored Easter eggs down the hills. It never turned out to be a one-time roll, because most of the family rolled the heavy-duty double yolked turkey eggs.

It was on our first trip to Richfield for an Easter outing that I came into contact with a double-yolked turkey egg. I had never seen anything like them before. In fact it was difficult for the small children to grasp one without dropping it. We found out that these eggs were not viable and would never have hatched since there is no such thing as twin turkeys. [I would have never guessed.]

Well back to the rolling or maybe I should say rolling and throwing. Once the eggs were rolled down the hill landing unscathed, someone at the bottom of the hill would throw them back to the top where the process went on for a LONG time.

The outing wasn't all fun and games because the Harwards are a very spiritual family. The real meaning of Easter was always talked about which rounded out our day well.

Once my grandparents passed away, the outing didn't appeal as much to me. Our family then began to do other things to build our own traditions, but those days with the extended family members were memorable and treasured.

Have a Happy Easter next Sunday and don't forget to build your family memories!