Wednesday, May 08, 2019

Mother's Day Medley


So it's Wednesday again, and time for the Wednesday Medley hosted by Terri at Your Friend from Florida.  This week's Medley has a Mother's Day theme, so why not head over to Terri's and get the the questions to answer them on your own blog?  You'll have a ready-made Mother's Day post!

Here we go:

1. Where did your mom grow up? 


She was born in Vermont, I believe, at her grandparents' home, perhaps.  Her father had a portable sawmill business and his family accompanied him to the job sites.  When my mother was a baby, they lived in a very old house on one of his jobs in a remote part of New Hampshire, and I  have often heard the stories of how the baby cried at night and didn't seem to be thriving.  Turns out a rat was getting into her crib at night and drinking the milk in her bottle.  I have no reason to doubt this story, though it seems unbelievable in our day.

Later, her family moved to central New Hampshire, where they farmed and did maple sugaring in addition to a sawmill and lumber operation.  The photo above is of my mother and her three sisters on a farmhouse porch.  From these humble beginnings, my grandparents were able to send all four of their daughters to college.  Pretty amazing.

2. Tell us about her siblings, if she has/had any. Did you have a favorite aunt or uncle?


My mother was one of six children: four girls and then two younger boys.  Interestingly, all four girls became teachers, at least for a time.  

Although all of my aunts were special women, my favorite aunt was my aunt Joanne, the fourth sister in line.  I learned so many things from her!  The photo above is Joanne in 1957.  She was an amazing mother of six and was an incredible example to me as a mom and later as a grandmother.  She was a truly wonderful person who impacted the lives of many.

3. What is ONE of your favorite memories you can share with us of your mom?

Hmmm ... well, one thing I've been reminded of as I've been clearing out and selling items from my childhood home, is how lovingly she sewed clothes for my sister and me.  I've come across scraps of fabric from favorite dresses, and loads of sewing patterns from the 1950s and 1960s.  It was a blast from the past to think about clothing that I had, and a real reminder of my mother's love for us that at the start of a new school year she would sew whatever outfits we wanted.   The dress at right below was one of mine.  I can still remember the lovely fabric it was made from!
 

4. Please share a picture or two of your mom with us.
  
 
 Both of the above photos are from the late 1940s.  I think the top one would have been during her college years and then the second photo from her years as a teacher.

5. Let's not leave out the grandmothers. Share what you will.


My maternal grandmother was a completely amazing woman.  I learned many things from her, but probably the things that impacted me the most were her adventurous spirit in cooking and baking and her love of holidays and  seasonal decorating, especially for Christmas.  I think that I also inherited my camera-phobic tendencies from her.
 
6. Do you have any special plans for Mother's Day? 

I really don't, other than going to church.  However, another local church is having a Mother's Day luncheon and has invited our folks to join them.  I think my hubby and I will likely attend that, which should be very nice.  It was kind of them to ask.
Images at top and bottom of this post are cards from my daughters in years gone by.
 And there is the Mother's Day Medley!  Happy Mother's Day to my fellow Meddlers!

16 comments:

  1. What an interesting story about the rat and the bottle. Poor baby. Your mom was lovely!

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    1. I know, that story is one of our family legends. True though. Yes, my mom was pretty.

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  2. Your mother was a beautiful woman. We rarely had store-bought dresses growing up and Mom always made her own dresses too. I do hope your Mother's Day is blessed!

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    1. Thanks, Debby! I hope that you will have a wonderful Mother's Day as well!

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  3. The story about the rat sent shivers down my sping. Lovely post. I hope you enjoy Sunday whatever you end up doing.

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    1. Thanks, Wendy! I think you have already had Mother's Day in the UK, right? Thanks so much for your visit!

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  4. I so enjoyed your post. Yes, my mother also made all of our clothes. In fact my first "store-bought" dress, other than the hand-me-downs from cousins was when I graduated from HS. Mother was meticulous about her sewing and taught that to me. I continued making my clothes after I married and made many of my daughter's until she told me it was time that her clothes had a tag in them. LOL! Have a wonderful Mother's Day.

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    1. That is so interesting, Elizabeth! I didn't learn to sew well until after I had daughters of my own, when my hubby's mother encouraged me to take it up. I borrowed my mom's sewing machine for the first two dresses and then got one of my own. I sewed for my girls right through college. They began sewing for themselves in high school and one of them still does a good bit of sewing for herself, her home, and her girls.

      Happy Mother's Day to you as well!

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  5. I enjoyed your post. your family story is very different form mine. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. You are welcome! I hope that you have a wonderful Mother's Day weekend! Thanks for visiting.

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  6. So sad to see the home making arts become lost in subsequent generations. Sometimes I do think the best years have come and gone. Sad to say. Anyway, have a blessed Mother’s Day.

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    1. Well, I don't think the homemaking arts have become completely lost. It's true they are not as prevalent as they used to be, but they are still being passed on by many. I think of my Nevada granddaughter (age eleven) who has been taught by her local grandmother to sew and embroider. I have taught her beginning crochet skills and she is also a good cook. So there is hope!

      You have a blessed Mother's Day as well!

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  7. One of your daughters looks so like her grandmother! That must mean that she looks like you and you look like your mother. Fun post today. What a freaky story about the rat in the crib. Ackkk! My family has a story about a rat and a boy that creeps me out, too. How interesting that all four sisters became teachers. Another way that you take after your mother.

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    1. I know -- I always thought Joanna looked more like my sister, and she also has a resemblance in some features to Steve's sister. But she definitely resembles my mother, especially in that first photo.

      It's funny about me and teaching. That was the last thing in the world I would ever have thought I'd end up doing. I hated speaking in front of people and would not even have pursued teaching. Post-salvation, however, the Lord had other plans for me. The first day I worked as a teacher's aide at my kids' Christian school, I felt as if I had come home. And then to go on to teach a women's Sunday School class (as well as many kids' classes and VBS) -- it has been such a blessing. I would never have thought I had gifts in the area of teaching -- "but God ..."!

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  8. Your mom looks kinda 'sassy' in her college photo! Love it! Thanks for joining the Medley and I am sorry to be late getting here. Wishing you a very fun Mother's Day weekend!

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    1. She does, Terri, so much so that I've questioned a few times if that is even her in the photo, which is one I'd never seen before -- found it in clearing out the house. I'm quite certain that it is, though, for as Vee pointed out there is a strong resemblance to my youngest daughter in that photo. Also the crossed arms -- that was something I often saw my mother do.

      The Medley was such fun this week -- great theme and very interesting questions. Thanks for hosting!

      Happy Mother's Day to you as well!

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