Finally Friday - Mother's Day Weekend Salute

Happy Mother's Day Weekend

Here's my mom  as a young girl.  She lived on a farm and hated  it - always solemn portraits

and my mom in  high school.   Yea...wow

 

And around the time she got married

She never liked having her picture taken.  But she was so pretty.  She had reddish brown hair.  Fair skin. 

She was a good mother  - very fair, always listened, and the  worst thing to hear was her saying, "I'm disappointed in  you."  OMG.   Me (the  oldest), David, and Lori - we can all vouch for "The Talk".   No shouting, no paddling (well,  maybe for David - ha!)....just the talk...about respect, being good, behaving. 

Oh, she was fast.  You never wanted to  hear her footsteps coming down to the rec room.  She heard everything and if she thought there  was trouble, she moved fast and was ready to lecture. 

She died at age 60 from stomach cancer.   Far  too soon.   She was thrilled when  Lisa was born - ready to spoil her first grandchild.  Alas, she passed when Lisa turned one.  She  would have loved her second grandchild - Jeffrey.    And  now, she'd be over the  moon  - Lisa just had a baby boy - Myles. 

Happy Mother's Day to all mothers and memories of the best. 

Mother's Day Weekend

 My mother as a young girl - a somber lass who loved to read

 Her modest birthplace in Indiana

Mom and Dad's wedding day - June 11, 1954

Happy Mother's Day Weekend.  I salute my mother. She's been gone since 1992 - alas - stomach cancer.  She was super healthy, teeny tiny, never drank, never smoked, and yet............dang........
what can you do?

She's still a force in my brain.  Oh she could move fast.  Somehow I always think of her hanging up laundry in our backyard.  Those trees are gone, but the clothes line hung just so, and the sheets wafted in the wind.

She loved breakfast...but late. Never a true morning person.  She drank tea, not coffee, and ate Tasty-kakes - the chocolate ones.  (A Philly product, also - Pudge's cheesesteak sandwiches - yum)

She loved Christmas, stuffed animals, and always made our birthdays special.

She would have gotten a huge kick out of her grandkids (Lisa and Jeff), and Ray's boys - Chris and Kevin and their kids - Abby, Makyla, Skylar, and one on the way - Dakota.  Treats for all

Happy Mother's Day Weekend everyone.  I hope you are celebrated and remember your mothers and your grandmothers.

Cheers

Mother's Day and Graduation

Pictured - My brother David,   Jeffrey Crowther - his son the proud graduate (on time!!!) of Kutztown College PA, my sister-in-law, Cherie Gallen Crowther

My mother, Juanita Shutters Crowther, never met Jeff.  She's been gone almost 24 years now.  Oh, but she'd have gotten a kick out of the kid. He was a chunky boy with a mischievous smile. He's gotten into some very minor scrapes over the years (yes, payback is hell, David). And my mother always had a soft spot for boys. She was extremely fond of her younger brother, Rick, and David reminded her of him. While Jeff favors his mother in looks, he's got some of the impish Shutters' gene in him.

She'd have been very proud of Jeff's older sister, Lisa (not pictured) and loved her to pieces. But she'd shake her head at Jeff's antics and probably slip him that extra buck or two.

So, cheers Mom. I bet you've been looking out for Jeff through the years. Now, he's graduated and has to put on the big boy pants, find a job, make a living, and move on from the nest. Keep doing your magic, so this young man has a bright future.

Happy Mother's Day!!!!       Happy Graduation!!!!

Mother's Day Salute

From Balloon Fest 2010 - Best Mom Ever
I'm writing a shout out to Juanita Crowther - my mother - she's been gone for 18 years, but still in my heart. Shout out to Julia Crowther and Clarissa Shutters -grandmothers - gone, but in my heart and would have been proud of my writing and publications.

Cleo Ivy - Ray's grandmother - truly a wonderful lady and I have yet to write a tale worthy of her spirit.

Joyce Ivy - Ray's mom - my mother-in-law - alive and kicking and awesome. Green thumb extraordinare, amazing cook, and she'll read my crap and be supportive. Hey, she's awesome

The longer I live, the more I realize how spot-on my mother was with life. I admit - I'm a total daddy's girl. He could and can do no wrong. With my mother - eh, it took more time to appreciate her fabulousness. I totally wish I could say, "You were right," to her face. But, instead, I like to think she'd be proud of us all - me, David and family, and Lori.

She'd get a total kick out of her grandchildren (via David) - Lisa in college - gorgeous, smart, and has her act together.
Jeff - high school and clueless - driving David nuts - that would make Mom laugh.

She'd love Ray's grown sons - Chris and Kevin and their kids - Abby and Makyla. She'd spoil 'em and buy them books.

Legacy, history. I'm lucky. I have great memories and can say Happy Mother's Day to the past, present, and future.

Mother Material

My mother loved tulips. She even loved the tulips I handed her in my grimy little fist. Then I got a swat on my butt for cutting those tulips from her front garden. Oops. I'm not talking child abuse. My mother, all five foot of her, was extremely fair in doling out punishment. Generally it was a lecture about trust or right and wrong. As you stood there hearing, "You've disappointed me," you prayed for a swat just to get it over with. My mother truly did not give me dark material to write a heartrending memoir. Yes, I'm grateful and I suppose that's why I'm compelled to write humor or stories that harken back to innocent days.

My mother loved to read and I thank her for reading aloud to me as a child. I thank her for the weekly runs to the library and for buying me every Nancy Drew book in the series. I thank her for buying Mad Magazine. I think she'd be my biggest fan now and would put up with navigating the internet to read my latest on-line poem or even this blog.

My mom's been gone 17 years now. That's hard to believe, and I don't need Mother's Day to think of her. So this is my own little card of celebration.

I'll salute my mother-in-law, too. Joyce Faries is alive and well and has a green thumb, can sew, and is an amazing cook. Twenty years ago she had to acknowledge that her son was marrying a Yankee, but it's all worked out great ( I repeat, 20 years!!!). I truly couldn't be luckier, and again I don't have "mother-in-law" stories to write.

What the heck - I've opened the can of corn here - Mother's Day allows schmaltz and candy and flowers. In memoriam - my Nana Crowther, Nana Shutters, and Ray's Grandmother Ivy.

Much love.

Joanne