Mountain Momma and me in our matching polyester outfits she made.
I never realized the worth of my Mountain Momma until I had my girls. Almost immediately a curtain was pulled back and I could see the whole picture of being a mother-Oh, now I see what you did Momma.
Of course Mothers provide-food, shelter, love-but so many other things I took for granted. Like: I really need that for school tomorrow would you drive all the way back into town for me? I know you cooked super, but would you make me an egg sandwich instead? I know we don’t have much money, but I really want that new pair of shoes. I know you’re really tired but would you stay up late and make sure my clothes are washed for tomorrow? On and on the list would go for me- I was a spoiled child. And at the end of the list- Mountain Momma always answered “yes”.
Mother is such a meaningful word. When Chatter and Chitter were just learning to talk-you could ask them who they were-and they would say Momma. Pap said “how in the world did you confuse them that bad?” I still have no clue why they thought their names were Momma.
It is interesting how people shorten the word Mother or use it in different forms. I’ve always thought it sweet how some older folks use the word “Mommy” when speaking of their Mother. My brothers and I use the typical “Momma”. Chitter went through a phase where she called me “Ma”. My Dad and his siblings used the actual word “Mother” I always thought that was so endearing.
I’m going to leave you with 3 random things about my Mountain Momma. I hope you’ll leave a comment and tell me 3 random things about your Mother.
*My Mountain Momma has a contest with herself each summer. She cans more quarts of green beans than she did the year before, last year’s total 98.
*She crotchets so many hats, scarves, ponchos, and throws for her kids and grandkids we have all ran out of room to store them.
*She went without her back porch for over 15 years because there was other things to pay for-mostly my braces. (our back door literally opened to a drop of about 4 feet until she got her porch)
Happy Mother’s Day to all!
Tipper
p.s. In Appalachia there is a tradition of wearing a certain color of flower on Mother’s Day depending on whether or not your mother is still living. White if she has passed away, Red if she is still living. In your comment you can also tell which color you would wear this Mother’s Day.
White
I loved your post, too..Tipper. We called our mother “Mother” and called our granny “Mama” You are such a creative girl..
White.
My Mom was a trip! She was the embodiment of contradictory personality traits.
She took vitamins-and made me take them-before it was fashionable.
We played Scrabble a lot, momma valued words correctly used.
When I fussed she said “all things work together for good for those who love the Lord”
As I said, momma was a trip!
Beautiful, sweet post and I love the photos!! I’d wear a red flower. Three things about my mom:
1) she writes lovely poetry
2) she’s survived cancer and still can hike down the trail at Smith Rock w/ me and the kids, at age 79.
3) her favorite song is Danny Boy, and she also loves Country Roads.
Love the matching outfits & you gotta love the angle of that picture!
Red
What a great idea!
1-would only ever develop film every couple of years
2-has unimitatable handwriting
3-made us try foreign food and eat meatless meals before it was vogue
Hi, Tipper. Will you please email me? I’ve been trying to reach you by email, but maybe the messages aren’t arriving. Thanks!
Lovely. I would wear red. My mom is a very talented and artistic lady who never knew the meaning of the word no. If she wanted to do something, she forged ahead and stubbornly kept at it until she accomplished whatever she was doing. Simply, I love her.
Hi Tipper! What a great post and I love reading about everyone’s mamas! I remember the red and white carnations when we’d go to church with my grandfather growing up. I would still be wearing red, thank you Lord!
3 things about Mama:
1. She grew up poor so everything I’ve ever wanted to be or do, she saw that it happened…from ballet, tap, twirling, piano, flying lessons (much to her fear) to eight years at NC State.
2. She always burns the bread…a trait I unfortunately inherited though it makes us all laugh every time.
3. She calls me at 6:23 p.m. on my birthday every year and has never missed calling. May favorites are when she gets my voice mail and sings “Happy Birthday to You”. She, like me, can’t carry a tune in a bucket…another reason I love her so.
Lovely. I would wear red. My mom is a very talented and artistic lady who never knew the meaning of the word no. If she wanted to do something, she forged ahead and stubbornly kept at it until she accomplished whatever she was doing. Simply, I love her.
My mom:
Was carjacked and then went to court to ask the judge to be lenient because she thought the boys in question were just needing a little guidance;
Almost always had several extended family members living in our home;
Used to sneak cigarettes behind the house and thought no one knew.
I would be wearing red this mother’s day.. Other than my Lord and my hubby my momma is my best friend.. We are too much alike in some ways sometimes as we can butt heads, but I wouldn’t be who I am without her!
Red.
Funny, now I remember that we always got my mom and my Mammaw (dad’s mom) a corsage to wear to church on Mother’s Day every year, but they always had little rosebuds, one for each of their children. Red for thier living children and white for ones they had lost, no matter what age. I guess they changed it from the tradition you are speaking of. I think it would be hard to do for many, like my Granny had a total of 12 children!
1- My mom taught me that you should cook for grieving families and deliver the food to their home.
2- My mom took very good care of her parents and siblings as they got to the point when they needed care.
3- She killed the biggest rattlesnake I ever saw with a garden hoe (when I was about 8 years old.)
Tipper, I cant believe your post was on moms and you are playing “Country Roads”. Few songs remind me more of my mom than that one. My mom is dearer to me than anyone, as only a mom can be. Lets see, 3 things:
1–She has made me a new pillowcase every holiday since I left home 11 years ago. I think it’s her way of letting me know I am always with her and her me. Plus she loves fabric. So if anyone is lacking in holiday pillowcases…
2–She loves to sew. She even got her degree in sewing. None of us were ever interested so when I asked her to teach me some things last year, I know she was thrilled. To be able to share what you love with your kids must be a great feeling.
3–My moms heart is full of true charity and love. When she sees me struggle I can hear in her voice that she would trade me in a second if she could. A few years ago, a friend of mine died tragically. As the family was rushing around in despair my mother quietly cleaned up the mess so they wouldn’t have to see it. When I asked her how she did it she just said that it was the one thing she could do to help. She saw it needed doing and didn’t think twice. I think about that a lot. She is my hero.
Thanks Tipper for another beautiful post. I am now back and excited to keep up…I think I am behind a few pickin and grinnin’s. Love Stacy
I would be wearing red.
She’s kind, loving and would help anyone.
Lovely post about your mom!
Hi Tipper. Happy Mother’s Day. Since you’ve already read my blog today you know the flower would be red (thank God).
Let’s see, 3 things…Mom didn’t sew pant suits, she sewed matching moo moo’s. Bright ones with huge blue, red and pink flowers! She made one for my little sister, me and one for her. You could see us coming from a mile away.
She was a terrible cook. We had little money and so she had to make the groceries stretch. That meant watered down soups, sauces and gravies and lots of liver. She cooked liver so it would serve 2 purposes. What didn’t get eaten we could resole our shoes with. (LOL) I can’t eat liver to this day!
Something that she always did, I did with my daughter as well in the lean years. We got very little throughout the year except for school clothes and Christmas. She always made sure we had a great Christmas. She bought us many little inexpensive gifts and wrapped as many things seperately as possible so we would have lots and lots under the tree. She made sure our Christmas was always special.
Oh, tipper, I love your book list that you left at my place! And you get the gold star for responding to the challenge.
I love The Kite Runner — it will be on my contemporary favorites list. Also love “How to Make an American Quilt.” I need to read Sin Eater — have heard it’s good.
Hope you’re having a great Mother’s Day!
I’d wear a red flower if I were in Appalachia today, thank God. And here are 3 endearing things about my mama:
1. She taught me how to sew and cook. Patience of a saint.
2. She had supper ready every single night. Every night.
3. She can get $1 out of a quarter. Always could.
Great topic!
Tip,
I’m so thankful that you and I can still wear the red flower. I love your post. You managed to capture the essence of momma pretty well. Although, if I remember correctly, the bean total was 115 cans. 🙂
It’s ironic that just like Carolyn’s mother, momma’s heart was affected by a childhood bought with Scarlet Fever, requiring a heart valve replacement. I guess that many people of that generation came down with Scarlet Fever.
Sadly, my flower would be white. This would be the 11th one. My Mom was the most wonderful, loving, patient woman. She raised 9 of us kids, with me being the baby. She spoiled me rotten. She loved her Lord, Daddy, and her kids more than anything on earth. 🙂 Happy Mother’s Day! I just found your blog…and I’m so glad I did!
Sadly, my flower would be white. This would be the 11th one. My Mom was the most wonderful, loving, patient woman. She raised 9 of us kids, with me being the baby. She spoiled me rotten. She loved her Lord, Daddy, and her kids more than anything on earth. 🙂 Happy Mother’s Day! I just found your blog…and I’m so glad I did!
*White*
We lost her just last year at the end of May.
Our Mom was the best cook, having learned her skills through our Grandmom who was Pennsylvania Dutch. She could make a mean bean soup out of whatever was left from the Easter Ham, or bacon when we couldn’t afford ham.
Our Mom suffered with scarlet fever when she was a child, which damaged her heart. She managed to give birth to all seven of us.
Our Mom did without so that we could have clothes and food and go to school and become good people.
I sat with her on her last day, in a hospital room with the sunset making the room glow. I stroked her hair and told her it was ok to go, she had done her job. I asked a place for her at God’s table and know He heard me as she passed the next day.
We love her so much. xxoo
“Red”
My mother makes GORGEOUS! cakes. She took a class so she could make my wedding cake.
She passed on the joy of tending a home. From cleaning to cooking to sewing, she always did it with love and joy.
Shes the best cheerleader in the world. Always encouraging, never discouraging!
My mom sang in the church choir, crocheted, and shrimp was her favorite food. White would be the flower I will wear. She passed in 2006 four weeks after my dad passed.
Red flower
My mom:
1) learned to do everything from digging Indian relics to collecting minerals to carving figures from wood because my dad did and what he did, she did. She also can sew anything from quilts to Western wear to proper Scottish kilts with nine yards o’ the best.
2)my mom could find the bright side of anything, simply anything
3) my mom expected us to stand on our own two feet…and thanks to her we can and do.
thanks for this neat opportunity and Happy Mother’s Day to you and yours.
*white*
i always love the stuff you write about your family.
spent the day at the fortune lake bluegrass festival. mark and i participated in the jam session and then went home for a couple hours and then went back. the main act is a new group from the lower pennisula called , detour, and i must say they are on their way in a very big way. they might have been wearing cowboy shirts, and mighty fine ones i may add, but they were purely bluegrass. their mando player is a great songwriter and their bass player sings, i hate to say this, like an angle. awesome show. the best ten bucks i ever spent.
What a lovely tribute to your mom, Tipper. 🙂
We have that same tradition in our part of the country, too, of wearing either a white or red corsage on Mother’s Day, depending on whether or not your mom is still living. Not as many people do it anymore, though, as I remember when I was younger. I’d be able to wear a red one.
I was spoiled by my mom, too. I can remember her sewing way into the night to finish a new dress I just “had” to have for a particular occasion. She’d then stay up and hem and press it. I’d saunter off to bed, not a care in the world, never giving a thought to the sacrifice she was making for me.
You’re so right, it’s when we have children of our own that we realize the degree of sacrifices our moms made for us.
Happy Mother’s Day! 🙂
I would wear a red flower on Mother’s Day. Three things about my Mom:
She tried to teach me to tap dance on roller skates when I was young. She really could do it! I still cannot. 🙂
Mom used to make the most beautiful quilts I’ve ever seen. It was only when arthritis set in she couldn’t quilt anymore. Thank goodness she taught me how to quilt.
Mom was the one they called on to sing for funerals when needed. She had the most beautiful voice. Age has robbed her of her beautiful voice and she misses it terribly.
Mom will be 82 this year. Daddy will be 81. In a few months they will come to live with us so I can take care of them full time. Thank God for parents….and thank you, Tipper, for a wonderful Mother’s Day post!