Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there. I'm not a mom myself, but by being around lots of great ones, including my own, I have a deep appreciation for their patience, tolerance and love.

My mom taught me more than she will ever know, and I retained more of it than I would ever let on while she was here with us. Often, when I look at a flowering plant, the identity is shared with me by her somehow. I don't know how it works, and that doesn't matter. One time it was especially noticeable. Bill and I were looking at the flowers along our neighbors hillside. There was a single plant with a beautiful vibrant flower of flame orange-red. Bill asked me what it was. I told him it was a crocus. When we got back in the house, I looked it up and sure enough, it was a crocus. I don't know the first thing about crocus. Mom did. She knew everything.

Mom was a scholar, an intelectual, who knew to come in out of the rain. Not all intellectuals have common sense. She did. She told me that when she was little and in school, her desk was along the wall where the encyclopedias were kept. When she was through working on her school work, she would read them. She started with A and worked her way to somewhere past the middle of the set when the school year was over. (She told me which letter, but I can't remember.)

Mom loved plants and flowers and making stuff grow. And boy could she make it grow. She had lots of green thumbs. She had an opinion too - and shared it. It wasn't often at all that I disagreed; and I could always appreciate her view-point. She and my dad are the two most gracious and generous people I've ever had the privilege of knowing. So- to my dad - I wish you a happy day on this Mother's Day. Thank you for marrying my mom and puttin' up with me. I know you share my feelings for all the great moms, 'cause Grandma was awesome!

The lovely young lady in the picture above is my step-daughter, Laura (19). It was taken at Christmas 2010. She is playing her dad's guitar. His kids and I pitched-in to get it for him. Laura is one of my favorite subjects to photograph. She's always been a willing victim - and she's cute. Until next time...