Memories of a Good Mother

I've enjoyed reading the stories. It's so neat to hear others' perspectives on someone you love. Several ideas that Mother used to impress upon me when I was a kid ... to look at the details...ie. ALL THE COLORS IN A CLOUD...I know I've told this before, but I can remember many times when we would be driving along and she would get me to list all the colors I could see in a cloud or in a hillside, but guess what, she could see several more than I could come up with. Besides details in creation, she was good at looking at details in people. She would encourage me to look at WHY someone might be like they were, WHY someone might be a little rough around the edges because of sorrow or fear or hard times they had experienced. If I came home from school not liking someone, it would be time for a life lesson. I probably needed a LOT of interpersonal training, but it really has had an influence on my life, hopefully made me a more merciful person. The last years took their toll on her positive nature, but she was good at looking for the good in people.

Mother was a patient person, Lord bless her. I can't believe she always let me do my own decorating, and boy, in the 70's, it was really gross, but she let me make my own decisions, and I know she must have cringed at my color choices! Funny, but much later, I tend more to the fall colors she loved best.

Best memories...Mother in the kitchen, fried porkchops and those creamy potatoes with lots of salt and pepper...Mother at the piano...now and then I'll hear one of those oldies and it really takes me back. Linda, I never realized it then, but looking now at old photos, she really liked to dress her kids well. How many little dresses did she sew?! I can remember going to Cloth World to pick out fabric. And a LOT of shopping trips through the years, which, come to think of it, weren't the best memories through those teenage years! The photo of Mother and Meredith is still my favorite! And the rabbits are one of my favorite paintings. The photo of Mother and I and the boys was during one of her visits to Kerrville. I think she was taking an art class at the Cowboy Artists Museum.

She drove that little white minivan down here many times during about a ten year period...Texas Arts and Crafts Fair, or Carson's graduation, etc. Carson's graduation was a funny memory, as she was here and the sky's broke open and SOAKED everyone during the Star Spangled Banner. It was chaos. We all ran ten directions, and most of us made it home! It was a couple of hours before Landon showed up because he went the other direction. We knew someone would bring him home! Graduation was resceduled until 9:00 that night in a crowded, warm auditorium. Most of the crowd had dry clothes by then, but the graduates were still soaked in their caps and gowns. Once, Mother and Verdi Brown came down on their way to an art show in Corpus. That was a fun visit. They stayed in downtown San Antonio for a night or two.When I dread that long drive from the Panhandle, I always think of the times Mother drove it, and I get a little tougher! Justus ought to tell this story, maybe he will, but for a year or so, Justus really had a weak stomach. That kid would get the throw ups really easy, and he was just like me when he did, just wiped out. Once when she got here for a visit, he had been sacked out on the couch all day, very sick little camper. Mother always carried those little orange peanut butter crackers when she travelled, her emergency food. She went in an sat with Justus for a while, got him to sip Sprite and nibble on those crackers. In a little while, he revived, and was as good as new.It's always been a family funny when we are sick that we need some of Granny Nelle's miracle crackers!
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