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Mary Grace Locker, my Mom, died December 9th. She'd been suffering from emphysema for many years. In fact, six years ago, she was given six months to live. But Mom was stubborn and modern medicine is a wondrous thing. She held on to see the birth of her 12th-and-probably-last grandchild (3rd granddaughter). Her death was sudden, earlier than expected and it's been hard on us. Dad is heartbroken. They were married nearly 52 years.

We tried to get her to write down the things she'd seen in her life, the stories she'd tell us about growing up on a farm during the Great Depression and WWII. But she preferred to tell us. And when I went back for her funeral, I found that each of us had some stories Mom had told one, but not the others. I think she did that unintentionally, but it has worked out so that we all have shared memories ... and a few that are ours alone. She had to do that with nine kids - make us feel like we were all parts of a greater whole, but unique individuals too.

So this photo is a tribute to Mom. It might not seem much. To me, though, it's about Mom's love of nature and keeping natural things around to soothe the soul (apple gourds, leaves, rocks and fossils galore), and salvaging everything whether it's a little kid's hurt feelings or a basket well past its prime. The strawflower on the old chair really makes me think of Mom - they were the first seeds she and I ever planted together. I doubt this flower is in any way related to those we planted 35 years ago other than being in the same species. But I saw it and I knew - I may not see her, but Mom is here.