Just chatting on the phone, on the porch, just now, a little birdie landed on the tree. I said, “quick, it has black wings with white speckles, a black head and red spots above its ears.”
(secretly, I don’t know where birds’ ears are, but it was where my ears would be if I was a bird)
And she said, “it could be a woodpecker?”
So I looked back and, indeed, just at that moment, it began to peck. I’ve never seen a woodpecker before! I think it was this type, a Hairy Woodpecker, but there is a Downy Woodpecker that looks quite similar, just a bit smaller and fluffier.
We really REALLY have to get a bird-identification book. My mother has one, it turns out, so we will borrow that. Naomi has been asking me bird-names, because I tell her all the flower-names, and so now she knows that everything has its own name.
(Why oh why do I teach them stuff? Some lazy days, I think it would be easier to not know the flowers, just like I don’t know the birds…)
How did my mother know? Does she know everything? That sense of childlike awe, thinking my mother knows everything, really floods back so, so easily even now that I realize she probably doesn’t.
She does know everything about where to shop. She is the best shopper. Whatever you need – she knows a specialty store where you can get the best WHATEVER at the best PRICE. (though sometimes, if it’s the best, the best price is a high one)
Anything is like that. Any weird specialty item, anything you need to buy, no matter how offbeat, she’ll have a suggestion where you can get it, no problem. There are probably limits to this knowledge, but I prefer not to test them.
I prefer to sometimes still believe my mother really does know everything.
Shalom!
ReplyDeleteI was raised by parents who could identify rocks, birds, butterflies, plants, flowers, trees etc. My father was an Eagle Scout who literally "knew the ropes" - and knots. I'm the youngest of five children. When my brother, the oldest, was ten years old he told my mother, who later shared it with me, "Mom, you don't know much, but you sure know how to look it up!" By the time I was ten, she'd already looked it all up ;) .
P.S. I found you on Batya'a blog.
yeah, mums are cool. :) shall keep reading your blog...
ReplyDeleteJos
(ICLW)
I feel like my mum knows everything too. WHen anything goes wrong, or I dont know something I am straight on the phone to her and she almost ALWAYS Has the answer. I dont know how she does it!
ReplyDeleteThis post makes me smile. I too have a mother who knows everything! There is something comforting about knowing I can call her anytime and she'll probably know the answer. Of course, the flip side to that is SHE KNOWS EVERYTHING!
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed reading your posts!
ICLW #158
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