Happy Mother's Day, everyone !

our day started out with pancakes and blueberry syrup...

yum...

made by DH...

the best pancake chef around...

I went to bed last night with a sore throat and it's been sore all day...

and today started out overcast with no rain...

we went for a walk after breakfast...

and we got down to the highway...

and just kept going...

down a block, over the tracks and down another block...

the next highway...

turned right and came back down our street...

crossed the tracks again and back home...

I'ld bet it's been 12 years or better since I had seen these 2 city blocks from the side walks...

we used to walk all the time...

especially in the snow...

back home to find my tote of garden stuff...

this is where the fun begins...

the lids of the totes under the deck had held leaves and water...

yep...the stink was so bad...

clothes pins didn't help...

so DH crawls under there...

gagging...

dragging tote after tote out...

it's all cleaned out now and waiting for it to dry overnight...

all the totes are out in the yard...

do we look tacky today!

Craig will put them back tomorrow...

this reminds us of my mil...

these were hers...

and this reminds us of my mom...

this pattern is what my mother had for our good dishes...

wheat pattern in yellow, trimmed in gold...

I found these dishes at a rummage sale a few years ago...

the onions are really growing...

working on this area... 

we even found more pots under the deck...

made an orange cake last night and farmer's pie for supper...

just pulled it out of the oven...

so I guess it's time to holler at everyone and get to the food part of the day...

we had a wonderful day...

got a little bit done...

played outside...

it's 71...

how could it be any more perfect than that with the sun shining?

and a gentle breeze instead of one that rolls you across the fields...

moments spent with my guys here and now...

reflections of rocking babies and raising boys...

deeper reflections of mothers who still dwell within us...

and of days spent in their watch...

safe, happy and secure...

and thoughts of friends who are the most amazing mothers, too...

smiles for their children who have become new moms...

you have been in my thoughts today, too...

and I have found myself smiling so many times today...

thinking that for so many years of dreading this day of all days...

but keeping a front up so my boys could enjoy their tributes to me...

today was my day...

today I was the mother...

and I enjoyed being pampered and catered to...

and I was not sad that my mother is not here now...

I was overjoyed that she was here before...

Happy Mother's Day...

to every woman out there...

whether you have your own children or not...

you still count...