Monday, March 20, 2017

First Day of Spring


Happy Spring!!  It is finally here (even if we do still have snow on the ground…it is melting quickly).

 

I am wearing my new shawl (really more of a scarf in my opinion) today and I do love it.  The colors are wonderful.  A craptastic selfie, but the best I can do at work:

 

 

 

And today, in addition to being the first day of Spring, is my Mom’s birthday.  If she were alive, she would be 98!  She was a pretty amazing woman…very independent and adventurous.  When she was 19, she rode her bike from Vermont to Canada, camping out along the way.  The following year she and her girlfriend, Jennie, rode their bikes from Vermont to California!  They camped in fields…or in bad weather spent the night in barns.  Keep in mind these were bikes from back in the 30’s – balloon air tires, etc.  What an adventure.  I have a copy of the scrapbook she put together after that trip (the original one was disintegrating).

 

She was equally adventurous when she was raising me and my three brothers…always up for a trip somewhere.  She loved to hike, play tennis, swim, etc.  My Dad always said that one of the things he loved about my Mom was that she wasn’t afraid to try anything.

 

Here are two pictures of my Mom taken way before I was born.  We found these in a box of photos after my Mom passed away.  I love them.  (Excuse the flash spots --  I took these pictures quickly with my phone at 5:30 this morning.)  These are hanging in our stairway along with other family shots.  Look how skinny my Mom was!

 

 


 



The first one we kids have named “The Gunslinger” – lol.  One of her brothers was an avid trapper and hunter (though usually with a bow) and I’m pretty sure the gun was his.  The second one is a shot of her all suited up and ready to ski.

 

Sadly my Mom’s health deteriorated when she was in her late 70’s, and she passed away in 2004.  I miss her laughter and spontaneity and how she and I would be so silly together.  Happy Birthday Mom!!

 

 

17 comments:

  1. Nice finish on the shawl/scarf! Always good to put one right from the needles to wearing! I'm glad you have such great memories of your mom; that's quite a wonderful thing!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Your shawl is so pretty! Such pretty colors. Your mom sounds like an amazing woman. What great adventures she got to experience.

    ReplyDelete
  3. That is not a craptastic selfie. I LOVE seeing you. Your knit is great coming along. Your mom sounds so so fun. I love seeing the images and hearing about her. She's talking to you today that's for sure

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a lovely remembrance of your mother! Thanks for sharing your fun and loving memories of her.

    ReplyDelete
  5. You Mom sounds like a fantastic woman! I would have loved to meet her. She had moxie!!!

    Wishing you a happy day of celebrating her life.

    P.S. The shawl looks very nice!!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. She sounds like a fantastic woman who left you with a wealth of good memories! That's always something to cherish.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Adventurous is an understatement - your Mom was an explorer! I hope you will share some of her scrapbook thoughts and photos on your blog.

    You look fabulous in your shawlette.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Pretty photo of you wearing the beautiful shawl.
    God bless you as you remember your mom on her birthday. What an interesting life she led. The scrapbook from her travels is a treasure! I enjoyed seeing the photos of her very much.
    Happy First Day of Spring.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Your shawl looks perfect - congratulations on finishing it!

    Happy Birthday to your mom! Though different than yours in so many ways, my mom was full of adventures too. She died in 1988, and like you, I miss her every day. But it's wonderful to have so many nice pictures and fun memories. I'll bet the scrapbook is amazing.

    ReplyDelete
  10. What an amazing woman your mom was! The Mister's mom is still alive at that age and it is not a pretty sight. Things are getting very difficult for her, poor thing.
    Your shawl is gorgeous and so are you! I think it is the first time I have seen you and I am surprised at how young you look. Happy Spring!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I agree. Your mom must have had you late in life because you don't look even close to having a 98 year old mom. What a courageous and spirited woman she was. Sounds like she had a wonderful and full life.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Your shawl turned out just beautifully. And thanks for sharing stories and photos of your Mom. What fun! You're very fortunate to have had her in your life for so long (although that is small consolation when you're missing her, I know). What a lovely tribute. XO

    ReplyDelete
  13. Lovely shawl! Loved hearing about your mom and seeing her pictures. March 20 is a good day to be born. My son's birthday too!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I miss my mom too and her birthday is tomorrow. I loved reading about your mom and she sounds awesome!! You look lovely in your shawl and I wear all of my shawls like scarves :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Your mom sounds like an amazing woman. I love the ski photo. I can see why you miss her.
    The shawl is just gorgeous!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Vera, you Mom sounds wonderful. Aren't you lucky to have had such a fun and adventurous Mom. Love the selfie.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Your mom was truly an Original. I am sure that you are more like her than even you know.

    The shawl is so becoming! You have to be happy with how it turned out.

    ReplyDelete