Also using frozen hash-brown potatoes, add 1/2 cup of finely diced white onion, for that very unique touch.

Meat: 2 slices of hickory bacon or maple flavored pork sausage links, or honey ham. A nicely toasted English muffic, with a pat of butter placed on a small plate with a lacy paper doilie beneath muffin. .

Place fresh flowers in a bud vase, add a linen napkin tied with yarn, in your mother's favorite color. A hand- made card signed by everyone adds that lovely personal touch.

You have just made Mom - Queen for a Day!

Special Note: If mom is far away and you cannot travel on Mother's Day, try telephoning, and let all kids say HI.

When you send a card, enclose a few special treats - such as pretty flowery postage stamps, a roll of elegant address labels, or a unique checkbook covered that you made by applying contact paper to a pre-existing cover, but personalizing it as only you could.

If mom is in a care facility, make it a top priority to-do item to visit. Bring along gifts that she will enjoy and treasure: hairpins or combs that you have hot-glued birthstones of each of her children or grandchildren; picture frames using this same technique and include a collage of small photos . Teddy bears (small), stuffed animals, small boxes to hold "special" things, lap quilts, or personal items in a carrying case you made just for her. Sure, store bought items are beautiful, but hand-made are exceptionally enduring and comforting to hold and admire time after time . Thank you.

©Arleen M. Kaptur 2002

Numerous magazine and newspaper articles

Author: Searching for Austin James

Websites:

http://www.rusticliving.info

http://www.webspawner.com/users/rusticliving/index.html

http://www.topica.com/lists/simpleliving

Member: NAWW

This Memorial Day, I will still attend parades, and watch as my daughter marches in Color Guard for her high school band. We will both stand in hot sun and try not to look bored as another unknown dignitary speaks for hours over a sound system that reaches only those in front row. But this year, we will see flashes of September 11th in our minds and remember those innocents.

We will reach out to friends and neighbors as we have never done in years past. We will share our feelings. We will offer comfort. We will shed a tear as we listen to patriotic marches, for we all will be remembering September 11th.

This year we will plan backyard barbecues and family reunions. The children will plan their summer events, and we grown-ups will groan as we realize that another long summer stretches out before us. And this year, we will all take time to whisper, “God bless America" - again.