[pwhited]

I found this while digging through some old photos tonight. Note the indexed finger. I think she was 12 or 13 here, making this 1939 or '40. She's holding a Benjamin air pistol (which we still have) and the rifle leaning against the tree is a .22 that she couldn't remember anything about, just that she liked shooting it.
Mom always enjoyed shooting and could pretty much shoot the eye out of a gnat at 50 yards. She was never afraid of any gun that I could tell, she fired my AK clone (SA-85m) when we were down visiting. She was in her mid 60's then.
She never took any crap from anyone. She told me that after she and dad were first married that some guy in the neighborhood used to call when dad left for work. "Can I come over?" he would ask. Mom would just hang up but it kept happening so finally mom told the guy, "Sure, come on over. I have a 12 gauge shotgun just for you." She said he never called again. She was also the kindest person I ever knew. One summer day when I was just a kid, some old guy came to the back door and asked if he might have something to eat. The guy was obviously down on his luck so she made him a lunch and let him sit on the back porch to eat.

She passed away 9 years ago, so I've been thinking about her.

 

[Michael Jon Littman]

Great photo. She had a wonderful smile. You were lucky to have such a mother.

 

[hairball II]

You are, indeed, fortunate. Such a mother is a blessing to be cherished.

I talked with my mother this weekend, after Misha died. Mom had suffered mnay lossess, but always kept her faith and her strength, yet she was always gentle, kind and patient.

I grew up with some of my friends not having the kind of mother I did, and I felt pity for them. I always felt a kindred warmth with those with the blessing of an outstanding mother.

You are truly blessed. Have a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.