April 4. Well, the elusive bunny has come and gone. Of course he left second hand baskets of goodies and toys. Gene got me a small plastic charm. Now the green dog swings with the purple Eiffel Tower on the strap of my handbag. The Easter Bunny brought Chey and Gene a 32 in. TV!

From the Sufi poet we learn "If you are wise you will not swim in (it) the ocean of love." I brought a quilt and 2 pillows to spend the night at Chey's and she told me that old quilt was her favorite one when she came to spend the night with me when she was a child. She'd seen the embroidery but had never read it until last night. She was amazed to discover I'd embroidered a love letter to John, my second and last husband, into the quilt. I'd done it during our brief engagement. Upon our separation he gave it back to me.

We have decided to watch "Easter Parade" and Judy Garland has never been more beautiful. What an outstanding array of talents she had. Then the family began to gather under the rotting box elder trees behind the house. I remember when those trees were saplings in my mother's yard. She released half her BIA land lease so I and my first husband had a place to build a house. Those trees were the end of her lot and the beginning of ours.

Chey and Gene live in the old house now and are hosting the pot luck dinner. Soon a spirit fire was lit to welcome the ancestors. The hunt for 54 colored eggs was soon over with 3 eggs missing. One was set aside for Brandon. The children ran and played together without serious incident. The table was spread with food, a prayer was offered and a spirit dish prepared. Then the elders were served and everyone filled their plates.

Nephew Amos stopped to share our meal. He was recently released from hospital having suffered 4 bullet wounds during a drive by shooting in Cass Lake. He will need additional surgery as his left lung is hardening. One third will be removed. The police issued him a bullet proof vest as two of the shooters remain at large. Other family members have received death threats and are being harassed by the drug dealer's goons.

Some of us went to the cemetery to clean Brandon's grave and put out clean silk flowers and cedar. I laid down near the stone and dozed as the familiar voices soothed and blessed me.

April 5. Cedar and I had a lovely day. I purchased 2 more bottles of cheap nail polish, purple and green. She spent some time painting the plant pots. Then she cleaned and rearranged our bird bath table. We went to the store where she selected a fresh pineapple. I cleaned and sliced it to her delight. We also went to the laundromat to wash my clothes. I hung them and when they were dried she helped me fold linen and roll socks. She also helped put things away. We brought in a load of wood, too. I spent much time looking for curtains in the garage storage. I let her light the ceramic fireplace and we roasted 4 brats. Justice and Geezis joined us for supper. Cedar colored in her notebook and went to sleep on my sofa.

Annie brought Morris B home to bless the eagle and begin removing feathers. Ron K and daughter Sadie came later. We added more wood and sat around talking until dusk. It was a wonderful way to end a beautiful day.

April 6. Today I've been cleaning the old chicken coop and carrying poop. I gave a good dose to the 4 rhubarb plants that have been working so hard for us. I dug some into the 4 barrel planters and all the small pots, too. I cleaned out one of the strawberry beds and put poop there, too. Well, I'm getting pretty tired of all this poop writing so I better find something else to do. I found something that needed mending. A beautiful tulip applique needed attention. My stitches are far inferior to the person who produced the piece. I spilled ink on it last summer and couldn't get it out. So I cut the piece and fit it back together with the stain concealed under a tulip.