Eggshelland
is a unique Easter Display, presented by Ron and Betty
Manolio of Lyndhurst, Ohio. This will
be its 44th year. Our entire front yard is
transformed into different eggshell mosaic
designs each year, always
including a 50ft. Cross and our mascot, the
Easter Bunny.
The display has grown
from 750 shells in 1957. We use 21 brilliant colors
of outdoor sign paint enamel to paint the
shells. As far as we know, it is the
only display of it's kind in the world. The
idea came from Manolio's Mother,
who placed dyed eggshells on bushes in front
of her home.
This is a family project.
We used to save our shells, but now we go to
A.V. I. foods at Progressive, where we crack
the eggs they use in their
cooking. Ron makes a hole the size
of a dime in the egg, and Betty shakes out
the contents. The eggshells are then
washed and the edges of the hole
trimmed. After painting, the shells
are stored by color in boxes, with 250
loose shells in each box. The shells
are used over again each year, and
repainted if necessary, in the proper colors.
On Wednesday April 8,
1998, just before Easter, we had a Hailstorm that
destroyed 10,238 shells, our annual handling
breakage is about 2-3000 shells.
The theme this year is
From Sea To Shining Sea . The total number
of
eggshells used in the display is 40,182.
The display includes; The Statue of
Liberty, with Fireman's hat and N.Y.P.D
., with 6127 shells, the American Flag
& U.S. map with 9128 shells, and
Monsters Inc. with 9488 shells.
In 2000, we appeared
on the Montel Williams Show and were featured on
Extreme Cuisine and the Agri-Country Network.
We have also been featured
in "Ripley's Believe it or Not," and a photo
was sent out by Associated Press
that reached as far as an English language
newspaper in Japan. The display is
lit at night with 30 floodlights. If
the weather permits, the display will be up
from March 24th thru April 1st.
Happy Easter, Ron and
Betty Manolio