Merle Mahowald

A big thanks to George for thinking ahead, and sponsoring Mom's obituary page.

Thinking of Mom today. We are so fortunate to have a large family and lots of memories.

I was talking with Pat this morning about family lineage as we work on the information to be sent to the Luxembourg American Cultural Society for the Mahowald Leaf. It's so illuminating to read our family history and how fortunate to have Pat's research and organizational skills to pull everything together. I'm glad we have a chance to meet at the farm today to celebrate Parnell's 46th (!!) birthday. I'll swing by and say hi to you, Mom, and all those other Mahowald relatives!

I read the poem on the back cover of mom's funeral program, and was struck by the familar outdoor images of the seasons around us.

- - - - - - - - -

"Do not stand at my grave and weep;
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond that glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn's rain.

When you awaken in the morning's hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet...

Our picnic at "The Farm" brought back a lot of memories about the big feasts that mom hosted there!

Yesterday was delicious with the picnic food of grilled chicken, tuna salad, fruit salads, watermellon, etc, and the Red-White-Blueberry desserts, and mom's famous brownies. Mmmm!

More than a year and Mom still feels close when I'm in the garden. Bridal wreath is done blooming - how Mom loved the large bush on the corner of the house. Irises are in full bloom, the patch along the driveweay would be full of blossoms. Liz split off part of a chive plant Mom had at the farm. She has the plants all around her Princeton home. I split it into three plants and love the purple flowers. I'm so glad Elaine will be here this week, it gives us a chance to get together. I miss our...

I have a rhubarb story that is in season too. Mom bought some rhubarb plants at the Farmers Seed & Nursery in Faribault back in the early 1970's. She planted them South of the corncrib, near Thalhuber's. Every time I ground ear corn over there, I'd pull weeds around those 2 plants.

In 1981, I bought my own house, and transplanted part of those 2 rhubarb plants. In 1987, we divided 1/3 of the plant, and put down new roots in our hobby farm in Farmington. (And sub-divided mom's...