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Terri Webster Schrandt

Sunday Stills: Reflections of a Mother’s #Giving

Today is Mother’s Day in the US. In our current state of the world, many mothers will not see their families in person today.

This is the first Mother’s Day I am without my own mother. Many of you know she passed away on March 3rd, thankfully before the coronavirus prevented folks from spending time with their loved ones in the hospitals and care homes.

I dedicate today’s post and theme to all the mothers who give love, time, and their hearts to their families and communities.

My mom was a giver. She loved to shower family and friends with thoughtfully chosen and unusual gifts, especially to her grandchildren. She enjoyed perusing gift shops for just that right gift. This photo shows this tiny frog that hangs on the side of a potted plant. She gave me these years ago, both the frog and a tortoise. The plants are in my kitchen windowsill where I can see these all day and remember her thoughtfulness.

Frog plant hanger

Many commented on our Facebook post announcing her passing how much they enjoyed the gifts she had given them over the years.

Mom gave back to her community in many ways, most notably, her volunteer work with San Diego’s Project Wildlife. She spent 10 years from 1998, rescuing orphaned and injured ducks, nursing them back to health, and releasing them back into local lakes and reservoirs. She had a backyard full of ducks in various stages of need and health, some domestic and many wild.

Ducks enjoy the river
Wild ducks enjoy the river

I like to think that this photo of her as a teen (seen here playing with her pet skunk, while her brother plays with their pet, Lucky Duck), foreshadowed her interest in this happy endeavor.

Family enjoying pet duck and skunk

Mom’s giving was represented in her love for recreation and leisure. She loved gardening and cultivated beautiful roses. She taught me how to create potted flower vignettes in my garden and showed me how to cut back my roses for better growth. She would have loved my current backyard garden filled with sunflowers and plumeria.

Saucer-sized American Beauties
Saucer-sized American Beauties from my garden!

I believe her enduring legacy was that she instilled the love for our national parks and outdoor leisure spaces into not just her children, but her grandchildren and beyond.

Next generation in Yosemite

She was continually inspired by the words of John Muir and made sure we all received a healthy dose of nature and its awe-inspiring grandeur.

In every walk with nature...Muir
Yosemite Valley
Everyone needs beauty...and places to play in...
Sunset on Lembert Dome, high country of Yosemite

Like many moms, I will not be with my daughters this year. This lovely bouquet from my daughters arrived Wednesday night!

Floral Bouquet

Speaking of giving, last week was the traditional week of giving with Thursday designated as the Big Day of giving. Non-profit organizations really rely on monetary and in-kind donations to operate. I have my car full of bags ready to donate to local non-profits as soon as they re-open.

Giving

Sunday Stills is taking a break on May 17th but join us again on May 24th for our water-themed challenge.

Are you a mother, a daughter, a niece, an auntie, a grandmother or granddaughter? Please enjoy your Mother’s Day and reflect on those memories while making new ones!

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49 comments

  2. Hi Terri, I remember how difficult it was losing my mom over 27 years ago now but not having her here on Mother’s Day was troublesome. I think it was the first time that I felt like an orphan even though I still have my father to this day. What a lovely tribute to your mother. I too will not be seeing my children up close and personal this Mother’s Day but we are doing a video conference in an hour.

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    • I miss my daughters today, but I really feel the loss knowing mom is gone. She spent many years in a nursing facility and I rarely got the chance to see her on Mother’s Day. Enjoy your video conference and Happy Mother’s Day!

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  5. What a lovely tribute to your mother. We don`t celebrate Mothers Day for another couple of weeks and as we live only a few blocks away I will take a walk past and wave to her. Hugs have to wait a, hopefully not to long, while longer.

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  7. Such a lovely tribute to your mother, Terri. Thank you for introducing us to her. She instilled in you love and respect for the natural world and you’ve passed it on not only to your own children but to all your students and to your blog followers here. That’s quite a memorable legacy. Happy Mother’s Day to you.

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  9. Lovely tribute Terri, and your images speak volumes. Yes, the greatest gift most of us (at least those lucky enough) received from our mothers is the example of their love and caring. My mom wasn’t a nature lover so I got that from my dad, but there was nothing in this life more important to her than her 5 children. How she managed back in the day is beyond me!

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    • Thank you, Debbie! Hubby went to go windsurfing, so I chose to spend the day at home, writing and packing after a long walk with the dogs. I talked to both daughters and had a nice day! I’m so excited to see your post for Sunday Stills!

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    • Thank you, Janis. She loved shopping at Seaport Village, Old Town and museum shops at Balboa park. She frequented the Native American pow-wows. I have several of her pottery pieces. Her gifts were always so unusual they needed explanation 😁.

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  18. This must have been a doubly difficult Mother’s Day for you. I am so sorry, my friend. To be without your own mama today, was very hard, I’m sure. And then compounding things, to be unable to celebrate with the babies that made you a mama. What beautiful flowers your girls sent, though. And hopefully, soon, you will be able to be together.

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    • Aww, thank you sweet Leslie! My mom lost track of holidays over the years but I’m thankful for the years we had. I talked to both daughters on the phone today! Hope you had a beautiful Mother’s Day!

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  19. Thanks for sharing all those lovely memories of your mum with us, Terri. She sounds like a wonderful mum, wife and friend, and I’m sure she was.
    I’m sure you’re enjoying those beautiful flowers from your daughters. They must be missing not being able to see you as much as you are at not being able to see them.
    I love the idea behind the Big Day of giving. Our charity shops are currently all closed during our lockdown, but I’m sure they will have have lots of donated stuff being dropped off to them once they are allowed to reopen.
    Take care, and have a good week.

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    • My daughters are very thoughtful and I feel blessed to have raised them right as a single mom! Those years, my mom made the 9-hour drive from San Diego to stay for a few days every few months to help.
      The back of my vehicle is getting full with donations. Hopefully the shops will open soon! Thanks so much, Hugh!

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  22. A beautiful post, beautiful photos, and a beautiful tribute to your mom, Terri. So thoughtful of your daughters to send you flowers. What a colorful and lovely surprise!

    Since my mom (like the rest of my family) lives in Belgium, I rarely ever get to see her in person on Mother’s Day. Today, like most years, I video Skyped with her, which she appreciated and enjoyed. As measures eased a little bit in Belgium on Mother’s Day, she did get to see my brother and his family – from a safe distance.

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    • Thanks, Liesbet. I have been at peace about my mom’s passing and not being able to see her over many Mother’s Days in the past. At least I got to chat with my daughters yesterday. I talk to them a couple of times a week as a rule!

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  24. A most beautiful tribute to your mom Terri – both in sentiment and images. Again, I’m sorry for your loss. I know this Mother’s Day was difficult for many. I hope you managed to make some lemonade of it. 🙂 x

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