From Skilled Hands

I have mixed feelings on this day of days.  I am reminded that I am a motherless child and that there are so many things I would ask my mom if she were here.  I can still hear her voice on the phone, “Hi, Doll.”  And I can see the young mother with 2 daughters making grilled cheese sandwiches to go with the tomato soup that came out of the red and white can. I think of the woman who witnessed this daughter’s journey for independence and to find her own way. The woman who didn’t understand the choices her daughter made and had her own struggle to accept them.  The woman who loved her granddaughters unconditionally.

I remember my mother in her ICU bed, telling me that I had taught her a lot about being a mother, and thanking me. I remember one of her gifts to me when I didn’t know where to be—at her bedside or at home with my husband and daughters. She said, “I love you. Go home. With my blessing.”  I came home on February 15th to my husband playing outside with our daughters. There was a sign on the door. Happy Valentine’s Day. They had moved the day on the calendar so we could celebrate it together.

On this day, as I walked with the dogs, I thought of the sweetnesses that I have experienced in these woods, of #1 daughter being a pony or a unicorn, galloping through the woods, hair flying as her spirit soared.  Of #2 daughter stopping at each Jack-in-the-Pulpit to make sure Jack was home. “Hello, Jack,” she said each and every time. Of my mother-in-law, reminding me that I am her other daughter, her love-in-law.

Happy Mothers’ Day to us all. Those of us who are one, who made one, and who have or had one.  Take a moment to cherish those you love.

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Thanks to these fine women, among many others, who have shared their thoughts on this day:

Carleen

Carleen, once again

Karen

RudeeK

distracted by shiny objects

Mrs. Chili

Savannah

Patti

Cat

If we believe what we read in the papers and hear in the media, the world is a dark and scary place. If, however, we open our hearts and let our spirits soar, we can see, truly see, the amazing place in which we live. Turn the volume UP and see what I mean.

Playing for Change is a multi-media movement created to inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world through music.

If you believe what you read in the papers, the world is a scary grim place. If you want another point of view, talk to an artist. While we are aware of governments, factories and other matters of consequence, we also see the incredible beauty in the world.

Pay attention to the way the light hits the trees, and how the quality of that light has changed as the seasons progress. Look at the contrast of the texture of the barks of different trees.

Listen to the birds. Many are singing spring songs. The goldfinches are back, and the males are showing hints of yellow. We rarely see juncos now; they’ve headed back north.

Look at the colors, patterns and textures in the world around you. Pay attention to the wisdom of silence.

Look at the items in your home and the clothing you wear. All were designed by an artist who found a way to put his or her vision in an object.

Art will feed your spirit and let you see the world through another person’s eyes. Not such a bad thing, yes?

It’s a wee bit chilly in my town, with the temperatures hovering around 2 degrees F, and the windchill plummeting them well below zero. The warmth of community is a pretty wonderful thing. Take a look at my town, the Village of Peninsula, Ohio, population 602, gently resisting change since 1837.

Outside and inside the Log Cabin Gallery:

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Travis Erwin is the Chief Marauder of My Town Monday. He’s taking a break until after the holidays. In his absence, Junosmom and Chris are posting the links to My Towners. Take a look at their sites; you’ll find links to people blogging all over this incredibly amazingly diverse and beautiful blue planet. You’ll learn a lot and have fun, too.

And Happy 17th Birthday to my amazing and wonderful #2 daughter.

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And if you are so inclined, please visit Cups of Kindness, our benefit for the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank.

Each dollar raised purchased 7 nutritious meals. So far, we have raised enough money to purchase over 13,000 meals. That is 21.6 meals for each of the 602 people in Peninsula.

Friends and neighbors helping each other.

Hunger does not discriminate; it affects people without regard to background or social status. In our land of plenty, people are hungry every day; they have to decide between paying rent or eating, between medication or food, between staying warm and buying groceries. Of this I am certain: having enough to eat is a right rather than a privilege.

The mission of the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank is simple: Ending Hunger.

We believe that no one should have to go hungry in our “land of plenty.” Children shouldn’t have to go to bed hungry; families shouldn’t have to decide between buying food and paying rent; and seniors shouldn’t have to choose between paying for medication and having a warm meal to eat.

Ending hunger is more than just our mission; it’s something we strive to do everyday. It’s a pledge we have made to our community to end hunger in Summit, Stark, Portage, Medina, Wayne, Holmes, Tuscarawas and Carroll counties. In 1982, based on a commitment by community leaders to help the increasing number of families requesting food assistance, the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank was formed. In 2007, the Foodbank distributed over 12 million pounds of food and provided meals for over 163,000 people in need in Northeast Ohio.

The Foodbank uses its resources well: each dollar that is donated purchases 7 nutritious meals. Meals that provide sustenance to people who are already stressed. No questions asked. When I recently toured the facility, I was amazed by the quantity of food that was ready to distribute to agencies large and small. The facility was immaculate; the people, both volunteers and paid staff, passionate about their purpose.

We are reaching out to others by giving hope. There is, I think, joy and intrinsic satisfaction in helping people who will never know who we are. As members of a world community, we have a moral and ethical responsibility to share our resources and to preserve dignity.

Cups of Kindness has been on my mind for a long time. This year, we are pleased to join with the Peninsula Art Academy, the Peninsula Area Chamber of Commerce, local. regional and national artists and a group of dedicated volunteers to support the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank.

This show and sale of small scale art will showcase artists’ interpretations of a Cup of Kindness, and will include both 2 and 3 dimensional artwork. All proceeds from the show will benefit the Foodbank. For information about this event, please go to http://www.cupsofkindness.net. If you would like to donate directly to the Akron- Canton Regional Foodbank, please click here.

The 2008 Summer Olympics start on Friday. Athletes from across the planet have converged to demonstrate their amazing skills. There are plenty of political, human rights and health issues with regards to the Beijing Olympics. But there is no denying the beauty of bodies in motion, celebrating our humanity and the community we share.

My friend, Larramie, shares interesting, thought-provoking and uplifting quotes, ideas, web sites and books at her blog, Seize a Daisy. She has found another gem, which I am posting below.

Gary Kamiya, who writes for Salon, writes: “Every Olympics is a miniature world — and leaves you feeling more hopeful about the human race than you were before.” Every four years, I am reminded of this, as I stay up late and raise a glass for the human spirit.

Snow. And more snow. And more is coming; Friday is expected to bring another 4-7 inches to top off the 18 inches we already have. I felt like I stepped through the back of the Wardrobe into Narnia yesterday morning.

Walking the dogs was interesting. Snow up to my knees. A Tibetan Terrier, a Shepherd Sheltie mix and……… a toy poodle.
Lily tips the scales at 8.3 pounds but she doesn’t know that she’s small. She waited for me to go first, clearing a bit of a path as I trudged through the woods. She reminded me of a cross between a kangaroo, a rabbit, and a ballerina as she navigated the terrain, stopping to clear her face after she inhaled the cold white stuff. Snow angels for puppies!

When we returned to this old house, I placed her in tepid water to melt the snow balls that clung to every curl on her body. She shook, sprinkling the entire kitchen (and me, too); then she looked at me as if to say, “Can we go out again, Mom.”
Funny little dog.