Precious little remained for us to find as we sifted through what remained of our house and barns following the wildfires that ripped through our ranch/vineyard/home on early morning of October 9th, 2017.

When I moved to the ranch that had been Ken's family gathering spot for several generations, we became custodians not only of this beautiful land, but also Siebert family heirlooms.

The large upper barns, had served as a poultry barn in the 1920's, and housed a family of barn owls every year in a nest box that Ken built, and had stored hay for the 100+ sheep that Grandpa Henry once ran on this and several hundred acres of neighboring land. For us, it was also where we stored decorations for Christmas, and Easter, and St. Patrick's Day, and Halloween and Fourth of July and Thanksgiving.

Holidays have always been big in my family. My mom and grandma and aunts all have amazing decorations on their tables and fireplace mantles and front porches. Celebrating the special days to remind us that every day is worth celebrating. And any excuse to gather the family around the big dining room table is one to grab and hold on to. You never know if you'll all be able to gather next time.

So it is with great joy that I place this ceramic egg on my Easter table today. It is one of very few things that I found intact in the ruins of our house and barns.

Sending love to my mom, who gave this to us, and thanks to my mother-in-law, who is bringing an Easter feast up from her lovely Berkeley kitchen to share with us around the table in the little rustic shelter that Ken and I are calling home these days.

Celebrate life. Hug those you love. Celebrate hope and signs of new life all around you. Happy Easter. Chag Pesach semeach.