For Love

Although today is Father's Day, I've actually been thinking a lot about what being a mother means to me. I suppose this pondering mood of mine was partly inspired by something that happened in the early hours of Saturday morning.

On Friday night my oldest son, Ryan, stopped by with a friend to chat and eat a mom-made sandwich. He and his friend left at nearly 11:00 pm and I turned in for a night of restful slumber. At 2:50 am the phone rang. I can tell you that having had a son who served in Iraq for a year created a conditioned response to phones ringing in the middle of the night---sheer terror! And even nearly two years after his safe return I still experience the "heart in the throat", "knots in the stomach" panic when awakened by that sound.

Ryan in Amarah, Iraq

As it turned out, Ryan was suffering from "welder's flash", or photokerititis. It is a very painful inflammation of the cornea caused by the UV light of the welder's arc and is just one of the many hazards involved in welding. Ryan works for a company that manufactures various equipment used in road construction, bridge building, etc. and recently, among other things, became a certified welder----just one more thing for mom to worry about! On Friday he had welded for nearly 11 hrs. and, so, was most certainly in a right place to develop this condition.

Ryan managed to call me (thank goodness for speed-dial) and say he needed some help. I took a few minutes to "Google" for some information on home-treatment and discovered that potato slices or used chamomile tea bags placed on the eyes then covered with a cold washcloth were the recommended remedies. Taking just enough time to throw on some clothes and with washclothes and potatoes tossed in a bag, I headed out the door without a second thought.

When I arrived, Ryan was lying on the sofa in a pitch-dark room. I turned on the light in the kitchen so I could at least get an idea what I was dealing with----his eyes were swollen shut and so red! After several hours spent trying to alleviate my son's suffering, we finally found some success and he rested comfortably. I drove home tired but happy that I was able to help. I am still a little amazed that, once again, nature provides so much of what we need and that something as simple and ordinary as a potato could relieve such immense burning pain.

As I drove home my tired mind wandered to various instances where my abilities as a mom were the only thing that would do. I thought about the boys as little children with skinned knees, hurt feelings, and broken toys. I thought, too, about the many letters and care packages sent to Ryan in Iraq over the course of a very long year and how it helped me feel connected to a child who was in harm's way. I thought about long converations with my son, Matthew, concerning the book he is writing and spending hours reading chapters and then editing them at his request.

Matthew at Clam Beach

Regardless of what others might say, I firmly believe that boys (and grown men!) long for their mamas when they are hurting or in need, or when they just need to get something 'off their chest', so to speak. Blessed is the mother whose sons still request her presence when they are old enough to care for themselves. I am so honored to be a part of my boys' lives.

Alex at the Corn Maze

The word love is SO misused that I believe we've lost touch with all the meaning it encompasses when attached to other human beings. We love everything from ice cream to cars, but I don't believe I hear the word used often enough to describe how we feel about one another, especially within the family. It was a mother's love that drove me to my son's house at 3:00 am Saturday morning and it was a mother's love that helped another son study for tests and it is a mother's love that causes me to listen to my youngest son talk for hours about his favorite wrestlers even though wrestling just isn't my thing. Mothering is a labor of love---not to say that we will always be amazing moms who always get everything right, never yell, are never selfish, and are wise beyond measure with all the right answers. As a matter of fact, I fail often! I am saying, though, that love is what motivates us to keep trying and to teach our children to do the same. It is love, not perfection, that makes each of us shine.

I am convinced that parents need their children and children need their parents.....always. Being a mother, a parent, isn't a task that ends when a child turns 18. Of course our children need to strike out on their own-----make mistakes, learn about themselves and the world they live in, enjoy successes-----and we need to stand aside and let them grown into their skin. But, we should also be available to assist when asked (and learn to be quiet when not asked-----I will admit that one's SO difficult for me sometimes!!!) and to love them as they walk down whatever road they choose to take, cheering them on all the while. Like in all our relationships, it is wise and right to give to our children without expecting anything in return. When we give simply for love's sake we can then quietly say, "Truly, my cup runneth over".

"Before you were conceived, I wanted you. Before you were born, I loved you. Before you were here an hour, I would die for you. This is the miracle of love."

~~~Maureen Hawkins~~~

"A boy is Truth with dirt on its face, Beauty with a cut on its finger, Wisdom with bubble gum in its hair and the Hope of the future with a frog in its pocket."

~~~Alan Marshall Beck~~~

Stay-cation Fun

In keeping with our family commitment to explore more of our local area, I've always wanted to enjoy a "stay-cation"-----you know, visiting things close to home by day and being able to sleep nice and snug in one's very own bed by night!! Since we've been a bit short on funds while we save for two separate vacations away from home in late summer, we decided that with my husband's week off in May we would just do things within an hour's drive or so and spend very little money. This was our first vacation with just the three of us since my two oldest sons now live on their own; my husband, Mark, our youngest son, Alex, and myself---and, of course, Bruno the dachshund.

We did, in fact, accomplish our goal, although I am quite disappointed that we weren't able to enjoy the three day camping trip we had planned to Albee Creek Campground in Avenue of the Giants. Alas, the weather chose not to cooperate this time around. But, in spite of a slight change of plans, we did enjoy a relaxing, and not too busy, "stay-cation".

Battery Point Lighthouse

On Saturday, we drove north to Crescent City, in Del Norte County. On the way we stopped at Trees of Mystery, but just for a quick look since we've been there more times that we could count. First on the agenda once we reached Crescent City was a tour of the Battery Point Lighthouse. While Mark and Alex took the tour, I stayed on the beach with our dog and hunted for seashells. It was very windy and a bit chilly, but still a really lovely day. We next stopped at a local park for a picnic lunch and then went on to the Marine Rescue Center where we got to see two baby harbor seals who were recent rescues. I'm sure the center does wonderful work, but it has always been standard procedure in our area to avoid "rescues" of marine mammals, particularly seal pups. Mother harbor seals leave their pups on the beach while they take to the ocean to hunt. When the mothers return the pups are then found by location, not by recognition. If the pups have been moved, the mothers are unable to find them and then a "rescue" must be facilitated. Anyway, they were darling and made sweet little noises that came very close to sounding like "mama".

Klamath Beach

We stopped at Ocean World just before leaving Crescent City so Mark and Alex could take the 45-minute guided tour. Although they did say it was interesting, Mark said it was nothing compared to other marine exhibits we've had the pleasure of experiencing in Canada and at Marine World in Ohio and several other larger aquariums in the country. Alex bought a shark-tooth necklace as a memento---very cool! We stopped for just a bit at Klamath Beach and then made a pit-stop at Woodland Villa Market for fresh smoked salmon-----at $50.00/lb. we bought just three small slices. Nothing like it, to be sure!

The "We Have Salmon" sign at Woodland Villa

While we were in Del Norte County we took a quick drive to the Klamath Glen where my in-laws once lived many years ago. They were there during the 1964 flood that practically destroyed the little town of Klamath and then they returned in the mid-1970s with their family as Carl, my father-in-law, was pastor at Klamath Baptist Church. My husband has fond memories of the years he spent living there. We then took the steep and winding road to Requa, which used to be the site of a small U.S. Air Force base, before heading back home and were treated to a grand view of the mouth of the Klamath River and the Pacific.

Klamath Estuary

After traveling to Del Norte County, we decided to spend one day checking out various thrift and antique shops in Eureka and Arcata, which is always fun. It's a bit like the anticipation of Christmas----never quite sure what you'll find! Since I collect vintage Pyrex, I'm always on the lookout for lovely pieces to add to my stash. How I would LOVE to have all the old Pyrex pieces my grandmother sold at a yard sale so long ago for next to nothing!

Mid-week we drove to the quaint little towns of Ferndale and Loleta. I adore Ferndale and my favorite place to browse is the Golden Gate Mercantile----the store has the feel of stepping back in time. In addition to locally handcrafted foods, they have a fine selection of international products, as well. I can never leave without a jar of thick, creamy lemon curd made, close by, in southern Oregon. We've always meant to stop by the Ferndale Museum, and so, this time around, we did! It was really fantastic. The displays were well-done and informative and I was particularly fascinated by a section of the old Pacific Bell switchboard that was in use in Humboldt County until 1982.

Just a short distance north of Ferndale is the tiny, "blink and you'll miss it", town of Loleta. We stopped, for the very first time, at the Loleta Bakery. The smells wafting from this place were heavenly. We grabbed a Pecan Pie Bar to share----oh, my goodness! It was huge and so delicious! Just down the street from the bakery is the Loleta Cheese Factory, which makes handcrafted cheeses from local, organic milk. Yum!! I picked up a brick each of Fontina and Harvarti, flavorful and rich.





Although I always enjoy a day south in Ferndale, my favorite day during our stay-cation was most certainly our drive to the seaside town of Trinidad. This lovely town is situated on a bluff overlooking the Pacific, just 7 miles from our home. There are numerous shops to browse in and a small maritime museum, which houses many Yurok and Karuk artifacts, a handcarved kayak made by a local Yurok artisan, and walls covered with photographs of local fishermen and their vessels from years past. Further on, overlooking the Pacific and in view of Trinidad Head, is a replica of the lighthouse that sits atop the Head and is still used and maintained by the U.S Coast Guard, which has a small post mid-way up. Next to the lighthouse replica stands a beautiful memorial to all those lost at sea in local waters and serves as a reminder that the Pacific is both majestic and treacherous. We were there just as the bell was striking the noon hour----twelve loud rings! After ordering a tasty "to-go" lunch of homemade clam chowder and 1/2 an ABC (Avocado, Bacon, & Cheddar) sandwich from The Eatery, we dined, picnic-style, at Trinidad State Beach. Our last stop was the Humboldt State University Marine Lab. The lab is undergoing a remodel so many of their "touch-tanks" were unavailable and most of the displays were off-limits. We will return when the construction is complete.







The rest of our days were just relaxing round the house and enjoying being able to do "nothing". We did get quite a bit of rain, as well, but that's just fine for book-reading and movie-watching. Vacations away from home are always lovely, but there is something to be said for planned vacations close to home that allow us to be tourists in our own hometowns.