My mother deserves Mothers Day every day. Why? Because she was always right. (Darn it.) It has taken me almost half a century to realise this, which makes her smarter than me. (Darn it, darn it.) And smart mothers deserve some honouring.
Pearls of Wisdom
My mother was a great one for pearls of wisdom, sometimes said, sometimes shown, sometimes not appreciated at the time. The ones I like best are~
- Always try to go to bed before midnight as the best sleep you will have is before 12. (Seriously, very true.)
- Learn big words (even if you don’t use them) as they will often describe more eloquently (←ta da) what you are trying to say.
- Every teenager wears black. It’s a phase you’ll grow out of and then (maybe) come back to with more appreciation for what it can showcase.
- If you wish to be a vegetarian you will need to learn to cook for yourself, as not everyone wants to eat like you. (I’m now a great cook, but not always vegetarian.)
- Your opinion matters, but it’s your opinion.
- Write letters to friends. (She showed me the latest technologies are sometimes soulless.)
- Listening is harder, but more rewarding. (I still struggle with this one.)
Recycle, Upcycle, Renew
She is and was a great one for re-purposing, well, almost anything. My mum, I swear, was the first advocate against waste. She truly hates throwing things away. I think personally the term upcycle was coined just for her.
Have an old rug that’s looking past it? Paint it white and dribble (left over) paint, a la Jackson Pollock, on it. Old mismatched forks? Drill a hole in the end. Run a string through the hole and tie to a piece of driftwood and it becomes a lovely wind chime. Old cabinet needs an upgrade? Collect thin branches (birch works well) and glue to the door in a slanted pattern for a lovely rustic look. Old socks or t-shirts become a rag rug. Pretty autumn leaves become coasters or lampshades.
And all of these and more were made before the days of internet. She simply would figure out what she wished to make and come up with a way to do it. Growing up I never realised our house was rather eclectic in decor, to me it was just full of stories and memories. And inspiration.
Celebrating Mothers Day
I am lucky in that I have a mother living in the USA and mother-in-law in the UK. Why is this lucky? Because these two countries (amongst others) celebrate Mothers Day on different days, heck different months. So, in our wee family, we honour our Mums not once, but twice. Literally, as we use the excuse of the ‘other’ Mothers Day to at least phone and say hello.
Mothers Day in the UK comes first, for me. It takes place in March. It is actually called Mothering Sunday, named after visiting home and your original ‘mother’ church once a year. It now takes place on the 4th Sunday during Lent.
Mothers Day in the USA started life as a day of peace in the late 1800s. Then Anna Jarvis got hold of it. Wishing to honour her own mother she convinced her church and then Congress to celebrate Mothers Day on the anniversary of her mothers death, the second Sunday in May.
Mothers Day Giving
Because our Mums live in different countries from us, we aren’t able to take them out and shower them with affection. We have to do it from afar. I always make a unique card for each of them and also like to find a wee little fun trinket to include with the card.
If you would like something unique, or simply prefer to buy over making, then I am going to blatantly suggest the following from my own shop. However, in my defence (and in honour of my mum), as we only sell vintage & handmade items in affect you are buying something already made. Renewing, if you please. I am my mothers daughter after all.
(Just click on the picture if you like something and would like to know more or to purchase.)
Happy Mothers Day
Whatever day / month that you celebrate Mothers Day, whether with your Mum, wife, family, children, pets (owners of pets are mothers too!), or even alone, we wish you the best for your day.