What do backyards, bunnies, eggs, and Spring all have in common?

They are the ingredients of a good old-fashioned Easter egg hunt. From the White House lawn to our own yards, this tradition has been enjoyed by generation after generation. The amazing thing is how this simple hide-and-seek game thrills all ages - from grandparents and parents who get to be "The Bunny" stashing the eggs, to toddlers and teens who scurry around making the finds. And there's nothing like one special "golden" egg to raise the competitive stakes.

When I was young we hunted hard-boiled eggs that had been dyed with food coloring. Plastic eggs filled with candy or coins were yet to come. Because I had an older sister and brother, I was usually left with only token finds. They made sure I had a few eggs in my basket so that tears and disappointment didn't dampen the occasion.

Nary an Easter came or went without a hunt. As we grew up, we found the eggs in increasingly obscure locations until there was a new generation to move us into "The Bunny" league.

The weather had to be really cold, rainy or even snowy to drive an Easter egg hunt indoors. I will always remember one of those rare instances. My mom coaxed my dad into wearing a pair of big rabbit ears and a cotton tail to keep the fun alive. When weather caused an inside hunt for a friend of mine, "The Bunny" would make flour bunny tracks on the carpet to herald the hunt (a vacuum sweeper later picking up the footprints with ease).

Yards are now adorned with colorful plastic eggs dangling from trees and giant eggs and bunnies. It's curious how the Easter egg hunt inspires new motifs, and best of all how it is one of those traditions that reconnects us with our yards after the long winter. It's time to go outside to preview hiding spots. Hooray for the wondrous outdoors as a new season unfolds!