Mother’s Day was always fun for me when I was young because it meant that I could make something for my mother.

One year, I found some old gears and metal rods in the garage and put them together and formed a jewelry holder of sorts. I painted it a shiny gray, because that was the only color we had, and proudly presented it to my mother.

Even though she didn’t need it, and my father probably needed the gears and steel rods that I used, it is still on the dresser in her bedroom.

Another year, I found a perfect log and decided I would make something from it. I painted it brown and found some plastic leaves and flowers that I attached to it and even scrounged up a little yellow bird. Then I found a pail, spray painted it gray — it was still the only paint we had — dumped a bunch of rocks into the pail to hold up the log and presto I had a Mother’s Day present. I don’t know exactly what it was but my mother put it in the sunroom and it was there until we had to sell the family farm.

One year I decided to sew her something but that didn’t go very well. Although I’ve sewed many dresses, skirts, shirts and other clothing items, my sewing machine and I do not get along. In fact, my daughters started calling it the swearing machine after I attempted to make them some vests.

After many attempts to make my mother a skirt, I finally gave up and made her a card instead. I don’t know if she still has the card, but I still have the skirt I tried to make her in the bottom of my sewing basket that hasn’t seen the light of day since the vest-making debacle.

This year, instead of making something, I will send her some photos of the family, which always makes her happy.

I hope all you mothers out there have a great Mother’s Day.

Both of my daughters will be out of the state this weekend, but I know they will be thinking of me. And they always call to wish me well. ❖