(164) Mother's Day Peony
8 x 10, oil
"The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. she never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new"...Rajneesh
Of all my "roles" in life, not one has brought me more joy...or anxiety, love, compassion, confusion, and yearning than that of being a mother. Being a mom is a full tilt boogie. Not for the faint of heart. My sons are all taller than me now, but their personalities were present from a very early age:

My oldest son is kind, compassionate, and hard working, but the biggest "lesson" he continues to teach me is to find humor everywhere--and it really is everywhere. He was adept at disarming me with laughter at a very early age.
"The best babysitters, of course, are the baby's grandparents. You feel completely comfortable entrusting your baby to them for long periods, which is why most grandparents flee to Florida"...Dave Barry
My middle son is the adventurer, and a testament to the importance of being a seeker of both answers and new horizons. When he was 7, he was very concerned and curious as to his whereabouts when I was a little girl. I explained that without question he was always present in my heart (and soul). And he certainly was. And is.
"You don't really understand human nature unless you know why a child on a merry-to-round will wave at his parents every time around - and why his parents will always wave back." William d. Tammeus
My third son has taught me who I want to be in this life. His lessons are of courage, honesty and perseverance. He inspires me daily to work harder, stand taller, be better.
One isn't necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can't be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest. Courage is the most important of all the virtues"...Maya Angelou



"The real religion of the world comes from women much more than from men--from mothers most of all, who carry the key of our souls in their bosoms"...Oliver Wendell Holmes
One day about 10 or so years ago, Oprah commented that her relationship with her mentor Maya Angelou has been one of her richest blessings in life. Referring to Ms. Angelou as her mother/daughter/sister friend, she explained that there are some people you feel an instant kinship with, where "friend" doesn't quite do justice to how you feel about what that person brings to the relationship. I totally "get" that. And isn't it just the best when that happens?
So, in addition to my Mom (far right), I would like to wish all my mother/sister/daughter/friends a very Happy Mother's Day: my dearest daughter-in-law, my "ya-yas" the Queens of Everything, my nieces, sister, sisters-in-law, and all of my artful girlfriends out there! Have a super weekend. I'll be back on Monday. TTFN...
"Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body"...Elizabeth Stone
"Setting a good example for our children takes all the fun out of middle age"...William Feather