Happy Birthday to Mama

~ rabbitpatchdiary.com

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The “early service” was a quiet and peaceful affair, today.  A soft glow in the sky heralded the new day.  The glow deepened and the night slipped away .  The mockingbird did not sing and the pine trees did not whisper.  Suddenly, it was Sunday-and not just any Sunday.  Today is Mamas’ birthday.

The week has been full of secrets and hushed conversations.  We have been plotting and concocting all sorts of plans.  Yesterday, I was in my kitchen cooking potato salad and collards.  Delores was making chicken and Jenny was buying flowers.  Brant and Tres were driving home, from Wilmington.  Kyle was grocery shopping for the inevitable, last minute items.  No one was spared some sort of duty.  While I peeled potatoes, I thought how, though we were all separately busy on a wide range of tasks, it felt like we were moving as a unit-and bound together tightly.   Mama thinks she knows all the details, but she has no clue, that circumstances changed, and  now   allow Will, Jenny and Lyla to attend.  My first cousins, Chuck and Chris are coming too.  Chuck and Chris are more like brothers to me, than cousins.  We all grew up on the little farm together.  Chris has a scar to prove it-made by a pitchfork, when I turned the tractor too sharply, causing the trailer I was pulling to topple sideways.  The children spilled out and a pitchfork landed in Chris’ leg.  He held a grudge  for a few days over that, as he wanted to drive the tractor, anyway.  He is liable to bring it all up again, today.

I have a small dilemma to solve.  I have to transport the birthday cake -and without a proper dish to do so.  In all my decluttering, I must have donated mine to some worthy charity.  I am left with several pretty pedestal stands, which I have a weakness for, but  they are not suitable for transporting a birthday cake.  I fear Christian will need to make the ride with steady hands and praying the whole way.

 The Birthday Party

I warmed the collards, iced the cake, and made fifty cheeses biscuits before noon.  The car was loaded full with food, presents, instruments and that fragile cake platter, when we left the rabbit patch.  As it turned out, Christian drove and I held the cake . . . and prayed the whole way.   It worked, because we made it, with the cake intact.

The weather was perfect for eating outside and several of us did.  Lyla was especially happy to be at a birthday party, as she loves cake.  She handed Mama presents and was quite good natured about it.  My sister Delores, brought a puzzle for Lyla.  Lyla opened the box and her face reminded me of the day we put avocados in her brownie batter-she seemed to be just as horribly shocked .  She declared the puzzle was broken!  We all laughed about that.  She also made us laugh, when she needed to use the phone, to call “Peter Rabbit”, who she said was “caught, once again,  in a gooseberry net” . 

Christian and I played music, while Lyla played a single note on the piano, with us.  Later, my cousins  and I recalled when we were young and wild children.   They all agreed that I was never blamed for  the many  mischievous  deeds we all committed.  They had shared memories to prove it.  I was a bit shocked, but really I could not remember “being in trouble” and as they talked, I began to think it was true, as they said.  However, I reminded them that I never  raced with tractors, as they did, through  corn fields.   

The good news, is that somehow, we all grew up and share some beautiful memories that bind us together, to this day.  It was  pretty late in the day when everyone left,with plans to get together in March, for Daddys’ birthday.

  Mama was happy, and that meant everything.  She is a lot of things-a mother and wife, an aunt and “Nana” to her grandchildren and to her one great grandchild.  She has cooked a fair share of  birthday cakes for all of us, over the years and it felt good to see her honored, on her day.  “Her children rise up and call her blessed”  certainly,  rang true today.

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Happy Birthday Mama

 

 

36 thoughts on “Happy Birthday to Mama”

  1. Your mom is beautiful! That’s great that the cake traveled well, as shown in your photo. It looks like a work of art. I laughed at your description of Lyla’s disappointment with the “broken” puzzle. Children have so much to learn!

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  2. Lucky mama and lucky you to have such an opportunity to plan and celebrate the life of a great woman. Happy birthday to her !
    Loved reading your adventures with the preparations and the recollections of your childhood. You are truly blessed.
    Susie

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  6. It sounds like such a wonderful day! There is nothing like the love of a mother, and I’m so glad you were all able to come together to celebrate her and enjoy reminiscing together of fun days gone by. I had to laugh at the avocado in the brownie batter…I made my husband chocolate “pudding” one day with avocado in it, I tried to fool him, and as I hardly make pudding he was really looking forward to it…he hasn’t forgiven me yet!!

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  8. I’m with Lyla, I love cake. In addition, I could see myself racing a tractor though a 🌽 field. Sounds like fun. Your Mother looks rather sweet & forgiving in her picture. What’s might her take been on switches???

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  10. What a truly wonderful occasion. How lovely it was that all the family gathered together to honour this beautiful lady. She is centre of the family in more ways than one, and so to have you all there must have been such a heart warming setting for her to celebrate her Birthday.

    I so loved the story of Lyla … it tickled me in all the right places. Bless her beautiful heart.

    Sending my best wishes for many more Birthdays celebrated with all the family gathered around her.. . . and sending you my love, Rabbit.
    ❤ ~ Cobs. xxx

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    1. You really would love Lyla-a cross between a fairy and a sprite! She does not keep an ounce of any feeling inside, but frees them for the world to see! And her love for Peter Rabbit is adorable! oh- saw the previews for the movie-dreadful. We will stick with the book. love always and thank you-dear Cobs

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      1. I just know that I’d adore Lyla – like me, she let’s it all out and knows nothing different than doing it like that.
        I hope that she never loses that, and, as she grows, that she never loses touch with the child within. She is incredible Rabbit. A glorious, wonderful, expressive child who is as natural as she is, with everyone, I should imagine, once she get’s to know them just a little.

        She has the wonderful ability to turn a day around, simply by being exactly who she is.
        Love her to bits. God bless her.

        The Peter Rabbit movie … sadly very lacking in charm and it’s simply become a money maker for film studio’s – but I fear it’s going to fall as flat as a pancake. It’s dire. Like you .. I’ll be sticking to the books by Beatrix Potter.

        Sending lots of love to you Rabbit. Have a blessed day, my beautiful friend. ~ Cobs. xxx

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      2. my dear Cobs, I wish Lyla could meet you, as well as I wish I could, myself. I do feel I know you in heart. You have added such an element of beauty to my life and for that I am so grateful. I knew you would not like the movie-what a disservice to a lovely spirit! love your rabbit

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  15. Happy Birthday to your Mama!! So happy the cake made it there in one piece. Sounds like you all had fun reminiscing as families always seem to do at get-togethers, with love and joy telling those stories again and again. That’s so funny with Lyla and the puzzle….how cute!! The cake looks delish too!! Love Deb xo

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    1. Cathy it is my pleasure to share something good. There is enough heartbreak and complexity in this world and so I write about things like baking a cake, for Mama. And please know you are a welcomed guest . I am too fond of you, to consider you anything less than a friend. love Michele

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  18. Oh, your mama is lovely; and she’s seated in front of a lovely cake made by loving hands. What a wonderful family celebration. And, you made me miss my cousins. I haven’t seen them for far too long.

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