I have a few important updates for you on vaccine eligibility here in Washington.
Starting April 15, all Washingtonians 16 and older will be eligible for the vaccine.
But that’s not the only great news! We’ve just opened up eligibility now for an additional 2 million people before eligibility widens later this month: people 16 years or older with two or more underlying conditions, all people age 60 and older (regardless of health conditions), staff and volunteers in certain congregate living settings, and high-risk critical workers in certain congregate settings. Find a full list of who is now eligible by reviewing the Department of Health’s vaccine allocation and prioritization guidance.
If you or someone you know is now eligible — or if you were already eligible but are still having trouble finding appointments — you can use the new Vaccine Locator tool, which has helped more than 400,000 Washingtonians make their vaccine appointments. If you need additional help, please call the COVID-19 Information Hotline at 1-800-525-0127, then press #.
I’ll have more updates for you soon, but until then, continue to mask up and stay safe.
Not only will you save some money by making your own dye, but you’ll also discover how easy it is to store extra dye in your fridge to save for periodic egg decorating sessions throughout the Easter season. You’ll also need an empty egg carton, strainer, gloves, white vinegar and salt.
How to Naturally Dye Easter Eggs
Each dye color requires the same process—you just need to substitute the final ingredient to change the color.
Bring 1 quart of water, 1 tablespoon of salt, 2 tablespoons of vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of the respective fruit, vegetable, or spice (to create the color) to a boil.
Let simmer for 30 minutes, and then remove pot from burner. Be sure to strain the dye, and let sit until it’s room temperature before dipping your eggs.
For dark blue: Use blueberries.
For light blue: Use red cabbage.
For beige: Use coffee.
For orange: Use onions.
For yellow: Use saffron or carrot turmeric.
For green: Use parsley or spinach.
For purple: Use red wine.
For pink: Use beets.
Good Friday occurs two days before Easter Sunday in the United States. It is the day when Christians commemorate Jesus Christ’s crucifixion, which plays an important part in the Christian faith. It is not a federal holiday in the United States, although it is a state holiday in some states.
Some Christians may attend special church services or prayer vigils. Good Friday is a day of mourning and quiet prayer for many Christians. The candles are often extinguished and statues, paintings and crosses may be draped in black, purple or gray cloth. Some Catholics treat Good Friday as a day of fasting, while others observe a partial fast involving the exclusion of meat.
Some homes keep a quiet atmosphere, with little or no outside activities and limited television, radio, and computer use, in observing Good Friday. Others choose to play music such as JS Bach’s St. Matthew’s Passion. Some people bake hot cross buns, a traditional Good Friday sweet.
Good Friday is another day at work for many Americans, as it is not a national holiday. Some people may choose to take a day off work and have a long “Spring Break” weekend. In some states, employees are given a day off on Good Friday.
Public Life
Good Friday is not an official holiday in the United States. Regular services will continue according the schedule in some areas, including Toledo, Ohio, where the city’s refuse will be collected during its regular schedule. However, financial markets, as well as many businesses, public schools and universities/colleges are closed on Good Friday.
Good Friday is a state holiday in some states such as Hawaii, where city and state offices are closed and some forms of public transport (eg. buses) run on the state holiday schedule. In some areas, such as Perry County in Tennessee, Good Friday is a school holiday. Good Friday is a holiday designated by the governor as a day of fasting and prayer in Connecticut.
In accordance with state law, Indiana state employees are given a day off on Good Friday, a religious holiday. In 1999, in the case of Bridenbaugh v O’Bannon, an Indiana state employee sued the governor for giving state employees Good Friday as a day off. The US Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the plaintiff, stating that the government could give state employees a paid day off when that day is a religious holiday, including Good Friday, but only so long as the state can provide a valid secular purpose that coincides with the obvious religious purpose of the holiday.
Background
Good Friday is the day when Christians commemorate the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. The Easter date depends on the ecclesiastical approximation of the March equinox.
This is an important event in Christianity, as it represents the sacrifices and suffering in Jesus’ life. The crucifixion was the culmination of a number of events in Holy Week, including: the triumphal return of Jesus to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday; the washing of the disciples’ feet by Jesus; and the Last Supper on Maundy Thursday. Some churches organize a prayer vigil on Good Friday for various causes, such as for cancer patients or for the American troops who have been sent to the middle-east.
Symbols
The crucifix, or cross, which represents the way Jesus died, is an important symbol seen on Good Friday. Some crosses bear a figure of Christ. Other symbols of Good Friday include black cloth used to cover the cross, paintings and statues in churches and some homes to signify mourning.
You’ll also need an empty egg carton, strainer, gloves, white vinegar and salt.
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