On the home-made natural dyes - have you tried black rice? I've found that stuff stains purple, everything I cook it in. It's a lovely colour. If you want it redder, add something acidic (like vinegar) to the liquid. You could cook the rice (it takes about three times as long to cook) then drain off the liquid and just use that. That way you can still eat the rice, AND colour whatever you want to. I believe black rice (aka royal rice) is Japanese in origin but the Thais claim it as their own.
Our Easter - we had a Good Friday service which was begun in the car park and then we wound our way into the building, a sort of understated series of reflections rather than a traditional "stations of the cross". Then afterwards we had hot cross buns with tea and coffee on the church veranda which overlooks the ocean.
Today (Easter Sunday) was a combined churches sunrise service held on our church's lawn. That way the chairs were on the grass and not on the sand. Most people arrived by walking along the beach. We snuck in the back way because I had to bring the annual candle and sneak it in. I make the candle every year from wax melted down from previous years plus a candle donated from every church family (or friend passing through). Then I decorate the candle (currently using glass paint to decorate it) and it is installed on Easter Sunday every year, to be lit every Sunday during church until we make the new one the following year.
This morning's service was lovely, although it was a bit cool. We could see a person swimming laps of the beach with other people walking their dogs, even though it was still dark when we assembled. There would have been about 150 people there, the chairs were put out for people to sit on.
After the service the hot cross buns were brought out and people mingled for another hour or so. We have some tourists in town so we chatted to them also. Then we had our own smaller, more impromptu service to instal the candle and have communion. Very brief, nothing formal planned. Because it was unplanned, there was no bread for communion - we used hot cross buns! Unusual...
I had trouble with the candle when it came to painting it - I couldn't find my stash of glass paint, so by 3 pm yesterday I headed out to the shops (about 40 minutes away by car) to buy more. I got busy painting as soon as I got home but this stuff takes time to dry. As a result, this morning I smudged it a little and so I just went back down to the church to repaint the bits that got smudged. A lady form church this morning said she had glass paint I could have borrowed, so I did - and because she had a couple of colours I hadn't been able to get, I've been able to add a bit more detail that I wanted. It was lovely painting out on the church veranda, there are some visitors currently in residence there so we always check in with people when we drop in during the week. They were cooking their lunch so I painted outside so the turps wouldn't bother them. It didn't take me long.
There is a village fair in town this morning, our monthly one that coincides with our monthly artists in residence public day. I had a look as I went past, it's lovely to know so many people and be able to chat and relax with them. It's still fairly early here (just after 1 pm) so I'm going to go visit our neighbouring artists and see what they're up to.
This afternoon and this evening the kids are coming round - difficult child 1 & daughter in law, and easy child 2/difficult child 2 and SIL2. We're having a roast chicken dinner at mother in law's place, with more hot cross buns afterwards (the church over-ordered and sent us home with some).
Down at the fair just now I bumped into our resident opera singer who is organising a family concert in a fortnight. While I'm out seeing the local galleries, I'll drop in a cheque for the upcoming concert.
The morning was chill (but probably not by your standards) but right now it's absolutely beautiful mild autumn weather, 19C (66 F). Even though it rained this morning (but thankfully not on our outdoor service) the sun is warm and bright. That is the pattern for our weather at the moment, which is lovely - no need to water the gardens. We've got it so good because we're so close to the coast. Inland it's drier and people are still having to water gardens. But all those floods in Queensland a few weeks ago are flowing down stream to fill the Darling and the Murray, so Aussie farmers are very happy. There won't be much of the flood left by the time it reaches the mouth of the Murray! But the centre of Australia is partly underwater and mostly in flower - Lake Eyre is in flood again, a very rare occurrence. And down south with easy child & SIL1 - Lake George north of Canberra has water in it again! So even though we're coming in to cooler, more dormant weather here in Australia, we still have new growth and new life associated with our Easter.
Enjoy your day. I am so glad that this year we once again coincide with Passover and Orthodox Easter.
Marg
Plus I used every pot in the house and the electricity went down around clean-up time. 
