Mother's Day project

For Mother's Day this year, we decided to have the cushions on my mom's porch swing redone.  We had given her this swing years ago to celebrate another Mother's Day.  Time, the sun, and elements had made the original cushions break down and we know that she really loves to read outside on her porch.

We called on MandiMoo Designs to make the replacement cushions.  She was awesome as usual!

We met her at the fabric store and she arrived with coupons in hand.  (We love it when someone helps us save money!)  My mom and I brought two dusty and rough looking cushions in a giant trash bag.  Mandi didn't even blink - she directed us to the outdoor fabrics and turned us loose to find the fabric.  My mom decided on the stripes.

We told Mandi that this was a Mother's Day gift, but there was no pressure to turn the cushions around in just a couple of weeks.  She was thankful, but then called just before Mother's Day to tell me that they were ready!

We finally made it over to help freshen up the porch swing with a new coat of spray paint.  We ran out of paint, but we have more paint at home and will try to get the second coat on soon.

We couldn't wait to put the cushions in place to see how it looked.

Everyone should have a MandiMoo Designs on call for sewing projects!

Happy Mother's Day!

A couple of years ago, poet Billy Collins who was the Poet Laureate of the United States from 2001-2003, visited our campus.  I remembered a poem he read about mothers and thought it was made a fitting post for Mother's Day.

Happy Mother's Day to my mom!  I will never be able to repay you for all you have done for me.

The Lanyard by Billy Collins

The other day as I was ricocheting slowly
off the pale blue walls of this room,
bouncing from typewriter to piano,
from bookshelf to an envelope lying on the floor,
I found myself in the L section of the dictionary
where my eyes fell upon the word lanyard.

No cookie nibbled by a French novelist
could send one more suddenly into the past–
a past where I sat at a workbench at a camp
by a deep Adirondack lake
learning how to braid thin plastic strips
into a lanyard, a gift for my mother.

I had never seen anyone use a lanyard
or wear one, if that’s what you did with them,
but that did not keep me from crossing
strand over strand again and again
until I had made a boxy
red and white lanyard for my mother.

She gave me life and milk from her breast,
and I gave her a lanyard.
She nursed me in many a sickroom,
lifted teaspoons of medicine to my lips,
set cold face-cloths on my forehead,
and then led me out into the airy light
and taught me to walk and swim,
and I, in turn, presented her with a lanyard.
Here are thousands of meals, she said,
and here is clothing and a good education.
And here is your lanyard, I replied,
which I made with a little help from a counselor.

Here is a breathing body and a beating heart,
strong legs, bones and teeth,
and two clear eyes to read the world, she whispered,
and here, I said, is the lanyard I made at camp.
And here, I wish to say to her now,
is a smaller gift–not the archaic truth

that you can never repay your mother,
but the rueful admission that when she took
that two-tone lanyard from my hands,
I was as sure as a boy could be
that this useless, worthless thing I wove
out of boredom would be enough to make us even.

My mom

This Mother's Day, I wanted to pay tribute to my mom. The person who has taught me so much.

My mom is a dreamer and a storyteller. I have learned so much from her example and treasure our time together. The photo is from a tasting event at a local 4-H camp where you get to watch chefs cook and then enjoy a lunch and sampling reception in the afternoon. I am so glad that we had our picture taken that fall day.

Things I learned from my mom...

...always drive yourself to places because if you get uncomfortable, you can always leave. If you go with someone else, you are at their mercy for a ride home.

...friendships only last as long as they need to, if someone drifts away, other friends will follow.

...when you break up with a guy, you only remember the good times. Use that information for some perspective when you feel lonely and want to call him.

...make up should be subtle and highlight your features.

...figure out a way to pull the calf, bake the pie and still be dressed up for the event. It can be done.

...hard work and sacrifice are the surest way to get what you want out of life.

...how to can fruits and vegetables and be seriously clean while you do it and keep your fruit from getting brown in the process.

...always sweep the kitchen floor when you are finished canning or cooking a big meal.

...before you buy a piece of clothing, think about the price per wear when you are not sure if it is worth the price.

...downsizing is an all the time thing...edit, edit, edit your stuff.

...if you want to buy something, ask if you have the money and if you love it, get it.

...hard work keeps you focused and honest.

...to love reading.

...the value of education.

...to lust for change and new scenery and to never be satisfied that things are good enough.

...work hard because someone is always working harder.

...if you think you have it bad, someone always has it worse.

...compassion for those in poverty.

...and many, many more things.

No one works harder than my mom. She is an amazing person and I am so proud to have her in my life.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!