Friday, January 30, 2009

Plain Like the Sky

Mom, This is for you


Plain Like the Sky
On a summer’s day or
The light on the snow today.
The sky today could be in June .
The light today could come back then too,
Having bounced around the universe,
Ask the light, What is out there?
Are there walls or just a curve,
Or is it all someone’s imagination?
Or is the light an emanation
From above, From some deification,
Shining down on all of us,
Plain Like the Sky
Said the light

Love, Mary

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Fred's Dad


Now I come to write of Fred's Dad's passing a few weeks shy of his 90th birthday.

Here are a few words to sum up the man as I knew him.

May Rudy Rest in peace.



Dad was a Dreamer, Inventor, Farmer, War Hero and Traveler.
Lover of sailing and the sea.
At home with his suitcase, he never failed to be ready for an adventure.
Story teller, Philosopher, a Simple Complicated Man.
Husband, Father, Grandfather, and Great Grandfather.
He lived through the depression and Wars. Good times and bad.
For those fortunate to know him, you know the sparkle in his eye and his dry wit, his stories that would catch you at the end and make you coming back for more.
We loved him dearly and
Pray he is at peace now and
By the side of
His Soul mate, his Friend, his Partner, his Confidant, and
Mother to his children,
And telling her stories of his mortal times.
And remembering the places he had been,
Things he had done, people he had met and family he raised
With a tear and a smile as he had remembered her always.
Love, Fred and Mary

Monday, January 12, 2009

Donna's Mom

Hazel and Dad,
Thanks to my Dear alte freunde Donna,
And her telling me of her Ma’s passing.
Like a Mom and Dad they were to me, Hazel and her husband,“Dad”. My frozen brain cannot recall his first name although it may come to me spontaneously later. Don?
Hazel and Dad bought the house where My Mom’s OB doctor was murdered while I (and certainly Donna) were in utero. My uncle thought of buying this discounted lovely home and yard and Dad and Hazel bought it and raised their family.
So early on, Donna and I have been connected and her Mom and I were equally a part. Her nurturing stay at home Mom attitude. Not June Cleaver mind you. She took no cr*p. She was always quite plain and to the point. Straight as an arrow.
My constant memories of her sitting on the kitchen stool smoking in long contemplative waves and taking it all in.
Just when you thought she had drifted off, she came back with a shot to set you straight. Even in silence, powerful often reserved woman.
Dad has been gone awhile but I loved them both like my parents. It kind of hit me that I have neglected visiting her on home visits but it has been harder for me to connect with others anyway and this is my tribute to Donna’s parents to me a great pair of humans and foundation for children and ancestors with great values.
One word about Dad.
When he had a heart attack Donna and I went to see him.
I was fascinated by the hospital and the technology although crude at the time.
Children under 16 used to be banned from visiting. So when we got old enough to visit it was a sudden shock. Dad looked so old and feeble all of the sudden. Now I know it was a big one. He started to cry. This man who was always larger than life. Sometimes I think that made me want to be a nurse. To comfort the man who is struck down by disease. Powerful one minute and weakling the next, ashamed because of culture. Donna and I held his hand I think. I hope we did. It was a hard moment.
But he recovered and had some good life and I loved his sharp southern language and brilliant curse word combos. I still think about how he worked for Ford and drove those big cars and would have something to say about their current woes.
So let me raise a glass to Donna’s parents and wish their entire family peace and am grateful for Mom having had such a long and graceful run.
Mary

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Crazy Quilts






I promised the crazy quilt pictures.

I only had the patience to put the front pics on. Dial up plus cold weather makes for slow connections in the north country.

Happy New year to readers of my blog and non readers and non believers.

Keep warm wherever you are on the planet Earth or off...




I made 3 lap quilts this fall out of old scraps from 20 years of quilting. This is Crazy quilt # 3 and is for a friend who made us a large quilt last year.


flying geese patttern





Crazy quilt # 1 is for Hunter's babysitter/great neighbor and






#1. Windmill pattern







# 2 is for Hunter with roads for future play with matchbox cars. 2.5 solar years from now (by current US safety standards-matchbox cars now being made in Malaysia-they might actually be lying about the safety anyway-I will have time to look for American made cars).