I use a lot of eggs. I eat them in various forms and often bake, so I like to keep plenty on hand. But getting eggs consistently and at a decent price for the past few months has been unreliable. To curb this, I started buying eggs from a woman in my town who raises chickens. A few weeks ago, I contacted her, then stopped by after school to purchase a carton. When I got home, I opened the carton and to my surprise, I saw eighteen beautiful light green colored eggs. I paused – I’d never seen eggs that color. But they were lovely, colors like Martha Stewart would have created for her Easter decor. I did a quick Google search and discovered that light green eggs simply come from a specific breed of chicken. As I thought about those brilliant eggs, I considered how colors make our lives more interesting. I’ve purchased boring white eggs my entire life, with an occasional carton of brown ones, but to buy pastel green eggs was a delight.

Ages ago, the Dutch added a different color to their standard vegetable palette. They did this with carrots, which used to be yellow and purple. The Dutch wanted to show their support for William of Orange. To do this, they modified carrots by continually selecting seeds from darker yellow ones to plant until they eventually were able to grow orange ones. This political move added orange carrots to our grocery stores and salad bars today.

Another splash of color the Dutch added occurred after the end of World War II. Again, they added orange, their national color, this time to their landscape. After the war ended, returning to everyday life was a slow process, even after the Germans left the Dutch cities. The entire countryside had endured the Hungry Winter, and food was still not readily available. During this desperate time, many families were separated, killed, or lost from one another. But to add a bit of celebration to their victory over Germany, the Dutch began planting orange marigolds wherever possible. And as these small orange flowers poked through the hardened, wartorn soil, their color brought hope that things would eventually improve. 

Color is a simple idea, but it can add meaning and joy to our lives. Pay attention to the colors around you. Let them put a smile on your face and hope in your hearts.

Take a look at my historical novel, Catalyntje Trico: A Life in New Amsterdam. It’s the incredible true story about an inspiring and stong woman who lived 400 years ago. 😀 You can buy a signed copy on this website or order a copy from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or IngramSpark.