A Mother's Day Tale, Both Sad and Happy...

Every year a momma duck nests in our yard. I have dreaded it this year, because the road directly behind our house is under construction. It's being widened to four lanes. The momma ducks always insist on crossing the road rather than walking down to the canal on our side. Maybe they dislike swimming under the bridge to get to their favorite side of the canal.

This year three or four duck couples have been visiting and dining below our bird feeder. Sadly, one of the males was hit about three weeks ago. The widow sat for hours in our yard, and didn't even seem to be leaving to go to her nest. She finally began to disappear and show up occasionally to eat.

Early this morning, there were only three males out back. I knew that it was close to time for ducklings to arrive.

My husband and I were relaxing about an hour ago, watching TV and just enjoying Mother's Day. There was a knock at the door. A distraught man was there. One of the momma ducks had jumped right in front of his car. She was dead and the ducklings had run back up the berm and into our yard. He and his wife began to help us try to herd the 8 little ducklings into a box. Right! They were so fast, and "shouting" warnings to one another. Another of the duck couples was sitting under a tree and began to move away from the action. The ducklings tried to follow them, but they didn't seem interested in adopting a passel of babies. I'm sure she has a nest of her own out front in among the irises.

Ducklings were darting everywhere! Two headed back toward the road, two into the gigantic rhubarb stalks, two under the fence. The neighbors south of us got into the recovery and returned the two from their yard. It took a lot of energy, but we finally had all eight.

My husband closed the top of the box and headed to the canal. We felt their best chance was in the water, where all the ducks gather when their eggs have hatched. He could only access one side of the canal, and he could see another couple with about 8 of their own. He waited for them to calm down, then gently let our 8 into the water. They immediately heard the other momma and headed for her, but she wasn't sure and quacked at them. They stopped and waited. Then all floated under the bridge. By the time my husband got to the other side, she had accepted the additional 8!  The duck couple was last seen swimming happily away with 16 ducklings!

This is momma and ducklings from 2011. No pictures from today.

My husband took care of burying the momma, which was so sad, but all of her ducklings survived this Mother's Day. I also survived it, and I'm praying by next spring the road construction is complete. I'm also hoping the ducks will chose a nesting area closer to the canal!

Wishing you all a very Happy Mother's Day!

© 10May2015 ajj

Mother's Day... Remembering each of them...

My momma and me...

Momma always took in any stray and found them a home!

PJ and his mom... my mom-in-law

My boys and their Grandma VJ

My grandma and me...

And in later years...

My other grandma and her sister...

No longer here... but never forgotten...

Wishing each of you a beautiful Mother's Day!

Mother's Day Tea

Yesterday, I had the best afternoon I've had in a while.  The Assisted Living Home, where my Grandma Martha lives, hosted a Mother's Day Tea.

My aunt, my sister and I went to the tea.  That is my aunt in the pictures with Grandma.  The staff had decked out all the ladies in their nicer clothes and red hats!  They all looked so cute! 

The staff had also booked a Sweet Adeline's Group who performed several songs for all of us.  The music was beautiful and added such a nice touch to the event.

Grandma was having a very good day.  She talked a little with us, smiled, laughed, and seemed to really enjoy herself.  There were moments when it took a little coaxing to get a response from her, but it was worth every minute.  Grandma was definitely looking healthier, and talking more, than the last time I went to see her!  It was wonderful! 



One sad note... the lady that sat to my right is one I've seen often.  She is usually seated at the same dining table as Grandma.  My sis nudged me today and pointed out that she was crying.  This was toward the end, when the staff was clearing the tables.  I reached over and took hold of her arm.  "Are you ok?" I asked.  She started talking and I couldn't understand what she was saying, except for the last sentence... "They didn't come.  They didn't come."  It broke my heart that in a rare lucid moment, she knew that no family had come to sit with her.  I talked with her a bit... told her how pretty she looked in her red hat.  She soon calmed down and smiled.   I thought of all the mothers and grandmothers in these centers who have nobody who comes.  Maybe their family lives far away, maybe they are the last of their family.  It makes me so grateful that my Grandma has people who take time to visit her... family, friends, and Pastors.

My Grandma raised my sister and I.  She always calls us her girls... cause we were the little girls she raised late in life.  My aunt is her only daughter, and she's always been so proud of her.  We were often told stories about our aunt as we were growing up.  I doubt if my aunt knows how much her mom bragged about her to us, and to others.  There's something special in the way a mother loves her children.  It's like no other love in her life.  So special, so unique, and so beautiful!

As we approach Mother's Day, I wish each of you a day of wonderful memories... whether you're making them with your children or remembering the ones you made with your mothers and your grandmothers!  Enjoy each moment you have with them!

Happy Mother's Day

I almost missed posting this in time for Mother's Day. It's been busy at my house. All my guys were home. The celebration started with a French Toast breakfast and presents! The boys bought me a special brownie pan that makes brownie edges and corners... I love the corners! My sweet husband, PJ, bought me Season 4 of the Mary Tyler Moore Show, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, and the special edition of Bringing Up Baby with two of my favorites... Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant! Later my guys all pitched in and bought us the new grilled chicken from KFC. It was very good. To top it off, PJ baked me his mom's special recipe... Rhubarb Custard Pie... So delicious!

Sooo, there was a lot of sitting, eating, TV... I'm not even going to say how much weight I need to lose now. I think I'll just bypass swimsuits this year... LOL (for a few of my friends who told me they don't know what the abbreviations are for, LOL is Laughing Out Loud).

I gave myself a few moments to miss my mom, my mother-in-law, and a dear friend who was like a mom to me. I thought of all the good things; the love, the laughter, the singing, the gardening, the yard sales, the hugs. I sent a "Happy Mother's Day" out to them, and then I picked up the phone and called the mother I have left here in this life... my Grandma Martha. We had a lovely visit. She told me about some interesting visitors she's had recently; she talked about the church service they had; she was having a wonderful day. It is such a relief to me that she is happy where she's living. I didn't know if she would ever adjust to living at a care center, but it has been the very best decision for her. She's made friends with other residents and staff, and she is very well taken care of. Plus, she's close enough to visit!

Wow.. I didn't mean to get so chatty. I'm seeing the screen a bit better. The eye doctor has given me daily wear contacts for my "good" eye, and I have reading glasses for the closeup stuff.

I can't stop thinking about what a wonderful life I have been given. I am so blessed. There's never been a day so dark, or an illness so terrible that my love and faith in God has left me. Don't misunderstand, I have struggled at times. The amazing thing is that God is always there for me, if I will just call out to Him.

May this day, this week, and this year, bring you new hope, new joy, and renewed faith.

My Lovely Mother's Day

Well, I'm at the end of a very lovely Mother's Day. My family treated me to breakfast and surprised me with some gifts. PJ, my dear husband, picked them out. They were an Eva Cassidy CD (love her music), and two early Bette Davis movies, both favorites of mine, Dark Victory and Now Voyager. I also have a promise for Season 7 of the Gilmore Girls. Yay!

For the afternoon, I just puttered around the house from one little project to the next. Called my Grandma to wish her a Happy Day. We had a nice conversation. I'm looking forward to visiting her at the assisted living home tomorrow. She cared for me, raised me, prayed over me most of my life. Now that she's nearing 90 years old, at the end of this month, I find she is still a source of great blessing. She has days that aren't so good, with her memory and health failing. Then, there are those days like today. A few minutes of great conversation, where she knows who I am and asks about PJ and the boys. Reminds me that she loves me and is praying for me.

My Grandma has always been a powerful woman of prayer. Five years ago as I sat by my mother's side, knowing her time was nearly done in this life, I felt like I was at rock bottom. The doctor had told me there was no coming back, but it might take several days. I knew she was suffering from the cancer. I had prayed with her and talked to her, even as she lay there unresponsive. I knelt by the bed and told her it was ok for her to go. That I didn't want it, but I knew it was for the best and that we'd all be ok. She focused on me with those intense brown eyes of hers and I knew she was present with me for a moment. Then she was gone again.

I waited and watched and prayed. I knew I could not keep this up for "days", so I phoned Grandma and told her what was happening. I asked her to pray, with me, for my mother to be released to go home to her heavenly Father. She said, I'm hanging up right now and I am going to pray. That was at 5:00 pm. At 5:10, Mom drew her last breath and exhaled, and as she did I felt her life force leave her body. It was agony, it was horrible, and it was beautiful. God had heard the prayer of my Grandmother. I knew, that with the wisdom of her years, she had been able to pray with the sincerity that I had not been able to. And, when I called her back to tell her, she said, "You'll be alright" as she cried with me. I have been so blessed by both of the mothers in my life. My Mom and my Grandma. So blessed.

I am also blessed by my two sons. They are shining bright lights in my life. I cannot even begin to express what they mean to me. I was told I might never have children, but God intervened. I have much to be thankful for. I have tried to be a good mother. I know I could have done better. I hope I have given them enough to equip them for all life may bring. I've tried to pass on my love of God, of family, of church, and country; of learning, and reading, and games; of music and laughter and love; and of never giving up or giving in.

I feel very blessed and very loved. It's been a Happy Mother's Day even though it officially ended about midway through this post.

This quote sounded like me...

"I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves." -Anna Quindlen

Reminiscing, Brunch & Yard Sales

My telephone rang at 7:30 am today! I wanted to answer, "Who died?" but thought better of that. It was actually a wonderful surprise. I got invited to go along to a Mother's Day Breakfast with my cousins Ramona and her sister Shelley, their girls, and their mom.

Ramona and her girls picked me up at my house. We had JB's breakfast buffet. I hadn't done a buffet in years. It was a treat. Reminiscing was so much fun. Our mothers were friends from childhood and it was so nice to hear stories about my mom. I still miss her. Always will.

We talked so long, that we doubled the tip to make up for monopolizing our server's table. She was all smiles over that. We enjoyed the beautiful, sunny morning by sitting on the patio and chatting for another half hour or so.

On the way back to my house we saw it... Yard Sale! Ramona's van just naturally turned that way while we ignored the groans of the two teens in the back seat. My mother was the yard sale Queen! She found so many amazing things when she'd go. We found a few little treasures, and the girls ended up getting a very expensive paint ball set for a very low price. They were ecstatic!

I believe Ramona and I are doing are part to pass on the great Yard Sale heritage to the next generaton! It was a very nice Mother's Day Celebration.

My Mother

A Lady, Both Lovely and Bright.

- Sir Walter Scott