Happy Mother's Day

Today is my sixth Mother's Day as a mama myself (that counts being pregnant with Elliot in May, 2003). My mother has had 38 Mother's Days as a mom. My grandmother has had 63. Someday Imogen may become a mother herself.

Happy Mother's Day to all of the mothers I know: Mom, Gm, Pam, Nancy K., Tess, Kate, Angel, Meghann, Robin, Sandy, Christine D., Phyllis, Pauline, Gwynne, Peggy, Suzie, Penny, Pat G., Lisa P., Jill, Cheryl, Andrea S., Ellen, Mary Ann, Christine J., Sarah H., Chrissy, Chris, Sally, Kerry C., Kerry B., Gina, Alenna, Anya, Chau, Lisa B., Lisa H., Heather, Laurel, Heidi, Sarah B., Rebecca, Rachael, Froukje, Kathy, Melody, Christine H., Anndee, Elissa, Suzanne, Joanna, Kristen, Deborah, Christie, Juniper, Nicolle, Marsha, Julie M., Jade, Janet, Melinda, Kamila, Geraldine, Hermine, Sarah M., Tami, Naomi, Laura, Sarah N., Zoh, Angi, Angie, Erin, Tina, Preetha, Shelly, Jennifer, Wendy, Pat W., Alissa, Katie, Lesley, Andrea P., Donna A., Katrina, Lori, Aye, Donna B., Sara, Julie S., Cicely, Tricia, Hannelore, Jody, Kim, Mary B., Nagi, Tracy, Carol, Virginia, Marion, Anne, Twylah, and Mary M. (Whew! Y'all are in no particular order, and my goodness, if I left anyone out, please holler!)

Here's a special blessing to a few amazing women who will make wonderful mothers someday: Connie, Kevia, Keiko, Lisa, Marcelle, Lexi, and Melissa. And finally, in remembrance of our grandmothers who have passed on: Gran, Nonnie, and Grandma McElroy.

I started today thinking about an incredible story I heard on NPR a couple of years ago about how women carry the fetal cells of their babies (born, miscarried, and aborted, all) in their bodies for their entire lives. There is mounting evidence that these fetal cells can act like embryonic stem cells, clustering around injury or illness in the mother's body and becoming the cells that are necessary to heal. Pretty amazing. You can listen to the entire story here.

This morning we packed up the kiddos and headed to Blue Heron Herbary on Sauvie Island, a farming community nestled in the Columbia River on the outskirts of town (also the home of the pumpkin patch we visit each Halloween). We have been buying herbs from them for years.


I left most of my plants behind when we moved, so I went wild buying all sorts of starts for the new house. I bought mostly culinary herbs, and replaced my much-beloved echinacea plant that didn't survive the move (it was the one plant I tried to bring with, because I had it for so many years). Here's my bounty, which will be moving to containers on the back porch this afternoon.


The herbary is also home to doves, a rabbit, dogs, and now chickens. The owner, Mike, knows us well by now, and he was nice enough to let Elliot and Thomas head back to the hen house to meet his daughter's new flock.



Also cool is that the old Sauvie Island bridge is being replaced with a new one. Here are the two bridges, side by side.


Now we're back at the homestead for the afternoon, and I'd better get back out there to the garden and my new herbs! Happy Mother's Day!!