SHOW MOM
Mother’s Day is a little less than a month from now. It’s a good reason to dig into my memory bank for a fun story to relate in this blog. So this year I’m going to tell you about her career as a ‘show mom.’
I’ve had horses for most of my life, but only showed for a few years in my thirties. I learned to ride in a western saddle. Both of my sisters rode some, but it was in my blood, and I could always count on Mother as a riding partner. Then my senior year in high school, a friend who was getting out of horses gave me her all-purpose English saddle. I was so excited. After I graduated from college with my first degree and was working, I decided to take jumping lessons and fell in love even more. With the purchase of a jumping saddle, I began lessons with a woman who is now one of my BFFs. Mother would come up for shows and help with grooming - both the horse & me - packing, tack cleaning, etc. When I did a show close to her, she prepared a picnic meal for our entourage and spent the day listening to me memorize jump courses. I eventually switched to dressage (which required the purchase of yet a different style saddle) and spent my time going to clinics instead of shows.
Now that I’m in the jewelry design/creation business, I’m back to doing ‘shows’ of a different sort, i.e. art festivals. And once again, I can count on Mother for help if I’m doing one near her or she’s with me when I do one elsewhere. She was here for Easter as I prepped for my latest show and helped re-arrange earrings on racks, finish up fused glass pendants, stuff shopping bags with sticky note pads & thank you cards, and a myriad of other necessary tasks.
People ask about my ‘creativeness’ and I guess the apple doesn’t fall far. Mother played clarinet and oboe, sews, crochets, gardens, and makes all of her greeting cards on the computer. She always encouraged all three of us to explore and develop the inventive, imaginative side of our brains.
Our parents were married and began having us at a very young age and life was hard. But they taught us that you never give up; you just find or create ways around, over, or through the obstacles of life. And their early start means that we’ve had the blessing, privilege, joy, gift of sharing life with Mother as adults and BFFs for a very long time. A rare and precious treasure indeed. I pray you have moments with your mom or as a mom that warm you just as much.
Speaking of the latest show, I made a plethora of new things for the Lubbock Arts Festival, and they’re in the “Just Created” collection on the website. Browse through and see if something doesn’t call to you as a perfect Mother’s Day gift!
Below are a small sample of your choices!
