Celebration of Life
23 Dec 2011 2 Comments
in breathing, change, family, freedom, little girl, mother, passing, words Tags: family, freedom, mother, passing, people, sisters, spiritual, women
Our Mother has passed, we will mourn her absence, but mostly, we will celebrate her life. Our Mother lived strong, wild, ferocious, bodacious. She lived with faith, and joy, and strength.
She left us much, her joy of flowers, her affinity for sunshine, fresh air, natural living. We will, all of her eight children, numerous grand children and even more countless great grandchildren remember her daily.
Countless gestures; we find our hand placed over our forehead, shading our eyes with exasperation. hear ourselves with small phrases, “For goodness sakes.” “Good Grief”. sound like her, we hear her with our own words.
We enjoy chickens, well, some of us. Fresh eggs, apples, bananas. I never could get the hang of Rocky Mountain Oysters and frog legs but I think some of us have.
We have countless house plants, knick knacks, and candles scattered about our homes. Just like our mother.
We have a a stubborn determination to live and survive, our Mother taught that to us as well. She lived greatly.
We will miss her, and we will celebrate her always.
Memories
24 Aug 2011 1 Comment
in breathing, change, daydreams, family, freedom, little girl, People I Know, random thoughts, travel, witness Tags: change, childhood, family, freedom, friends, memories, mother, people, sisters, women
My friend from high school, Irene is a major proponent of memories, Irene was the most awesome girl I knew back then, she introduced me to LIFE. She did things, knew people, and although she had her own problems, she continued to grow and live. I missed Irene, and am so happy to have her back in my life through the medium of social networking. Reading her posts, looking at her pictures, I understand the full, active , and most important honored life she has lived.
I am part of a facebook page, postings of memories from people from my home town. Reading them, I have an opportunity to remember my own past and in that way, reconnect with the little girl that left home in a head long rush towards freedom. I love having the memories. Mine have not been so complete. Memories can heal. After over four decades of forgetting, it is wonderful to begin to regain them.
Here are a few of my own;
The town square and stuffing myself on watermelon during watermelon days. and the best carnival a child ever did attend.
An easter egg hunt downtown, I won a silver dollar in a pink plastic box from Doctor Byram’s office.
My more than pitiable attempt at archery down by the old elementary, ( also remember a bad experiment with copper tone that day)
Comic books bought at the 5 and dime.
An equally pitiable attempt at golf in high school, I have never understood while we hit the balls toward the windows, did Ms Ahrens just know we would all miss?
Stumbling going up the steps during graduation and Bruce Robinson telling me I would be fine, (forever grateful for that Bruce)
Walking miles on country roads
Canoeing at Hanon Lake.
Eating at the maid rite, french fries, cherry coke, and ketchup
My first pack of cigs at Old Style Tavern I was 12, they cost 20cents 
Riding the square and honking horns
Just some memories….Love memories!
A tribute to Sweet Annie
09 Aug 2011 1 Comment
in breathing, family, freedom, gypsies, little girl, old west, words Tags: breathing, cowgirl, dreaming, freedom, friends, mother, sisters, spiritual, women
Sweet sweet Annie
of many faces.
hippie,cowgirl
earth-mother, gypsy.
Gardener, provider.
Sweet sweet Annie
Kind of heart,
fair of face.
She does not see
What I see.
Sweet sweet Annie
Sexy,Vibrant.
Savior to critters.
She does not see
what we see.
Sweet sweet Annie
Beauty. Lover.
Mother,Sister
Lover,Wife.
You should see from these eyes.
Saddness
23 Jul 2011 Leave a Comment
in disasters, gypsies, little girl Tags: breathing, child, people, spiritual, women
The world lost yet another talented spirit at the age of 27. Amy Winehouse found dead in her apartment from unknown causes. I will miss her amazing talent and mourn her loss! Rest in the peace you deserve Amy!
My Grandma Schumacher
19 Jul 2011 2 Comments
in daydreams, family, history, little girl, random thoughts, words Tags: child, family, grandparents, women
In the summers I stayed at my Grandma’s and Grampa’s home (my father’s parents) for a week with my female cousins. Honestly, for the most part I hated it, except for a few things. I was homesick, and more than likely a little snot, and Grandma responded in kind with impatience. My hair snarled and she cranked at my tears when she combed it. Did not know my cousins well, never did get to know them.
Here is what I did like…
She had a wonderful wrap around screened in porch on her house and a spiked wrought iron fence around her yard.
My grandpa’s lap
the lonely yet exotic sound of the trains going past at night, while I sat by the window.
My dreams of flying high in the air, and looking at the world below.
And one time, one time only, Grandma unbending, sitting in her rocker, singing.
My best memories are the ones I keep.
Cheri is cherishable
30 Jun 2011 Leave a Comment
in family, little girl Tags: child, family, sisters, women
I cherish you my sister Cheri, although I never let you know.
You are the woman who helped to raise me, you moved through life, guiding me, tending to my needs, loving me, with little or no feedback or appreciation given.
When I was a little girl, I believed you the most beautiful and elegant and successful woman in creation. I still do, although, I think, being you that you would scoff at such an assessment.
You left home when I was still so young, 17 years to my seven, married to Clyde, and bore him two sons, who in turn presented you with grandchildren of your own. Clyde was, in my small opinion, a piece of work. He treated you poorly, not at all up to the standards you deserved. And I consider you successful, simply because you persevered, and Cheri, you never say a bad word about him. Myself, I have not that type of forbearance. 
And you married John, who helped you raise you boys, who again, you say nothing but good about…when did you learn to be so very forgiving and kind?
You lived through poverty, money, moving, break ups, happiness, sadness, and always…even when you were pretty much all alone out in Colorado, you survived. Quietly, struggling, living on your own, taking care of you own wonderful self.
You gave up your life there to return home to help our sister Linda while she was passing from cancer. You work hard, without stop at jobs that would give a weaker woman pause. And you did those jobs well and faithfully.
You are funny, kind, and have many strong opinions. I admire that about you. You cut through nonsense, and get right to the point of the conversation.
You love animals, and care for your dog with joy, he in turn is devoted to you. You have our mother’s love of plants, and I remember gladioli you would buy from the farmers market to place in your home.
Your boys, raised by you, are amazing. They are both successful and determined men. They have themselves created loving families that they care for. They were raised patriotic, intense and talented. Congratulations.
As with all of my siblings, I see you seldom, not as much as I could. But know this, I love you.
remembering youth
11 Jun 2011 Leave a Comment
in daydreams, gypsies, little girl Tags: dreaming
Came across this song, an anthem from my youth. Have to love remembering being young and wild!!!
To my Mother
08 May 2011 Leave a Comment
in family, little girl Tags: child, mother, people, women
I love you my Mother, the woman who bore me, the woman who endured so very much to raise me and all of your children. You have never been a victim of your life, you are a survivor. You are the greatest freedom fighter, a woman who raised yourself high, amidst a rather chaotic background, who made mistakes, and prospered, who did right things, and lived. I salute you.
You are the woman, who, I realize are the core of me, the backbone that has moved me through my chaos, although until today I have never voiced this knowledge to you. Our own relationship was somehow diminished early in my life, through no fault of yours, but rather through the sadness and anger of external life. Our distance became an unhappy habit.
I love your spirit Mom, your strength, your toughness, and your truth of life. This is something you need to know this day. You are a landmark in my life; the woman with the fierce history, the woman who walked through fire to protect her own, lived through pain, loved her babies with an intense heart. You are the woman who touched a growing plant and made it blossom with beauty. 
You made it through not only one, but four husbands, now that is enough to make any woman give up. Good grief! Four men to raise! And still you moved forward. You raised eight babies into I think pretty amazing people. You had to, sadly, see one go, our Linda. You lived through war, poverty, the harsh environment of that little farm in Iowa, cold winters, broken bones, back-breaking work, the strong rarity of a difficult every day existence. Yet, you created beauty for us all and your self in the best way you could. We always had flowers growing, and remember that wonderful peach tree you sheltered so faithfully out by the milk house door, the one that you nursed through many winters? Mom, you are tenacious, stubborn and determined. You are a scraper, a fighter, an artist, and a love; all rolled into one.
I inherited my love of the sunshine from you, my love of the earth, my love of a good time, and perhaps my obstinate personality. I inherited my red hair, my blue eyes, my nose, my hands, my sometimes faithful adherence to putting my foot forward every day… all from you.
I see large beauty in small items; this I learned from you, the woman who could take cockle burrs to turn into works of art, the woman who taught me how to iron leaves between sheets of waxed paper to frame on the wall, to bake a roast beef, fry a chicken, tried to teach me how to sew, but rightfully gave up on that one.
You taught me how to bowl, to tie my shoes, clean a house, read a book. I inherited a quest for knowledge from you, the want to understand what is happening around me.
You are a human goddess, full of the vagaries of both divine and human spirit.
You, our Mother, have made a full and intense life, you have sung beautiful songs, raised recalcitrant children, birthed cows, planted fields, created beauty. You are the woman of the moment, woman of the world
Bless you Mother with love.
Picture this…
21 Mar 2011 Leave a Comment
in daydreams, gypsies, little girl Tags: child, cowgirl, dreaming, spiritual
Yes, I have always been a cowgirl.
