The Easter season always has been one of my favorite times of the year. I look forward to it not only because Easter is the most holy day on the Christian calendar, but because the Easter season (which ends on May 11th this year) ushers in the beginning of spring and all of the things I love about this time of year --- longer, brighter days, as well as the promise of warmer weather.

As a child I believed in Santa Claus, but gave little credence to the Easter Bunny or the Tooth Fairy. The concept of a giant rabbit hopping around the world with baskets of eggs and candy did not seem feasible. After all, Santa had the sleigh and reindeer to help HIM out! And the floaty Tooth Fairy beaming in while I slept did not seem very plausible either...though I always imagined her outfit was pretty cute and somehow I thought she had a wand too.

In last week's newsletter I did a little trip down my memory lane of skiing. I am continuing that theme this week since when I think of St. Patrick's Day I think of the Ravinos. They were a band of skiers who used to perform aerial jumps off a slope called First Step in Vail on St. Paddy's Day in the late '70s and early '80s. Now one must remember that this was before short skis, freestyle championships, snowboards or anything we connect with the wild side of skiing today. The Ravinos would perform inverted aerial jumps off a cliff on Vail Mountain on long skis. Those of us in the crowd watching these feats would plunk ourselves down on the snow below, have picnics and drink green beer. As green beer was drunk "non-Ravino," folks would climb up the cliff and try their hand at aerials. (For the record, I never jumped.)