She was Unique - a Mother's Day Poem

As Mother's Day approaches
my mind turns to memories
of my own mother
though she died
when I was just a child
I can still remember many things
that bring a smile to my face
a hippie child with her bell-bottoms
and moccasins
her cut-off jean shorts, tube tops
and mirrored sunglasses
her long, straight blonde hair
often worn in a thick braid down her back
her smile that put laugh lines
around her blue eyes
an animal lover
especially cats and horses
naming her precious cat Queen Sheba
her love of the outdoors
with plants filling our spotless home
flowers and spices growing
all around the house
and gardens growing fresh vegetables
the smell of fresh cut chives
picking strawberries in the summer
and eating strawberry short-cake that night
grilling chicken, potatoes and corn
making homemade pizza
and beer-battered fish
canning applesauce, apple butter
and pear butter from scratch
riding bikes and taking walks
fishing for bullheads
to fertilize the garden along with
coffee grounds and egg shells
planting marigolds around the tomatoes
to keep those darn rabbits away
refinishing our boat and
going cruising in it
down the river or on the lake
the time a storm rolled across the lake
causing massive waves
tossing our boat
keeping us from the dock
and how she jumped off the boat
into those waves
pulling the boat to safety
driving on that same lake in the winter
and setting up a shanty for ice fishing
her trap shooting trophies
her vest, her gun and the case
watching her clean her gun
and how the dog was afraid of it
going along to watch her
shoot clay birds out of the sky
how much that impressed me
and how proud I was of every trophy
teaching me how to shoot pool
and getting several trophies in her league
teaching me to catch a softball
and to not be afraid of getting hit
all those moments are precious to me
as I remember the life she lived
though her sarcastic, fearless personality
and her passion for living hard and fast
were gone forever in one moment
she left behind these memories
and the characteristics of her
that still live on in me
so I write this Mother's Day poem
in honor of her memory