My visit to Keeneland this past Saturday finally pushed me to start this thing tonight. I found myself missing Mom more than usual, and I spent most of my time at the track thinking of her, and how much I felt her presence there. I have been wanting to write all of the things that I remember about her before I start to forget them. This seems like as good a time as any to begin what I know will be an extraordinarily difficult, but ulitmately (hopefully) healing journey down memory lane.
As I am sure all of you are aware that Mom loved nothing more on this earth than horses. She loved riding them, caring for them, and just being around them in general. She had horses when she was younger, and this is how she ended up with a huge ugly scar on her foot. Mom, being the country girl that she was, was riding her horse with inappropriate shoes and almost cut her foot off while riding past the mailbox! She always said that since she was in shock, that it didn't really hurt or even bleed that much. I think that time probably numbed the memory :) It's funny...I remember asking her to tell the story again and again, even though I knew every detail backwards and forwards. I just enjoyed hearing her tell the tale.
My favorite Donna Jean horse story was the poison ivy leaves. Mom and her friends found some leaves in the woods, and decided they would write the names of their horses with the leaves on their arms. Mom, knowing full well that she was not allergic to the poison ivy, had no problem going through with the plan. Her friend, however, awoke the next day to find "Lucky" in an itchy red rash on her arm! What a great friend she was!
While at Keeneland on Saturday, Dad told me that he and Mom went to Hialeah, Florida to go to the race track there. I don't think I ever knew that. It is a rare and special occasion for Dad to share such Mom tidbits, and I was more greatful than he will ever know for this little gem. I spent at least an hour out front by myself, watching the horses walk through the paddock area. I don't know if I have ever felt my mom stronger anywhere else in my life. I could not care less about the drinking and the gambling that goes on at the track, all I care about are the horses. Seeing their gorgeous manes and muscular physiques, I can't imagine anyone not loving them the way that my mom did. I am so fortunate to share this passion to some extent, and I felt that we were having a mother/daughter moment, even if she wasn't physically there. I will never forget the first time I ever went to Keeneland, because of course she was the one that took Whitney and me. We got dressed up and the weather was beautiful. I had never seen anything like it, with all of the horses and the people looking like they just stepped out of the pages of fashion magazines. Mom looked like she belonged there, and looking back, of course she did.
One final horse story before I go. While I was visiting "Aunt Sherri and Aunt Gary" in Indianapolis, Sherri told me about a trip she and my mom made to Keeneland. She said that the Mexican workers from the stables asked if they wanted to go to the barns and see the horses. Now, do you think Mom even hesitated for one moment? Exactly. So she and Sherri hopped in the car with these strange men who spoke NO English and headed out. Sherri said she couldn't believe that they did that, nobody would have known what happened to them, and those guys could have been saying anything, and they wouldn't have even known! But they went and Mom got to spend time with the creatures she loved the most. She never knew a stranger, and of course, if there were horses involved, who cared? I have so much to tell, and I am sure I will post again very soon, since I have found this extremely cathartic. Until next time...
As I am sure all of you are aware that Mom loved nothing more on this earth than horses. She loved riding them, caring for them, and just being around them in general. She had horses when she was younger, and this is how she ended up with a huge ugly scar on her foot. Mom, being the country girl that she was, was riding her horse with inappropriate shoes and almost cut her foot off while riding past the mailbox! She always said that since she was in shock, that it didn't really hurt or even bleed that much. I think that time probably numbed the memory :) It's funny...I remember asking her to tell the story again and again, even though I knew every detail backwards and forwards. I just enjoyed hearing her tell the tale.
My favorite Donna Jean horse story was the poison ivy leaves. Mom and her friends found some leaves in the woods, and decided they would write the names of their horses with the leaves on their arms. Mom, knowing full well that she was not allergic to the poison ivy, had no problem going through with the plan. Her friend, however, awoke the next day to find "Lucky" in an itchy red rash on her arm! What a great friend she was!
While at Keeneland on Saturday, Dad told me that he and Mom went to Hialeah, Florida to go to the race track there. I don't think I ever knew that. It is a rare and special occasion for Dad to share such Mom tidbits, and I was more greatful than he will ever know for this little gem. I spent at least an hour out front by myself, watching the horses walk through the paddock area. I don't know if I have ever felt my mom stronger anywhere else in my life. I could not care less about the drinking and the gambling that goes on at the track, all I care about are the horses. Seeing their gorgeous manes and muscular physiques, I can't imagine anyone not loving them the way that my mom did. I am so fortunate to share this passion to some extent, and I felt that we were having a mother/daughter moment, even if she wasn't physically there. I will never forget the first time I ever went to Keeneland, because of course she was the one that took Whitney and me. We got dressed up and the weather was beautiful. I had never seen anything like it, with all of the horses and the people looking like they just stepped out of the pages of fashion magazines. Mom looked like she belonged there, and looking back, of course she did.
One final horse story before I go. While I was visiting "Aunt Sherri and Aunt Gary" in Indianapolis, Sherri told me about a trip she and my mom made to Keeneland. She said that the Mexican workers from the stables asked if they wanted to go to the barns and see the horses. Now, do you think Mom even hesitated for one moment? Exactly. So she and Sherri hopped in the car with these strange men who spoke NO English and headed out. Sherri said she couldn't believe that they did that, nobody would have known what happened to them, and those guys could have been saying anything, and they wouldn't have even known! But they went and Mom got to spend time with the creatures she loved the most. She never knew a stranger, and of course, if there were horses involved, who cared? I have so much to tell, and I am sure I will post again very soon, since I have found this extremely cathartic. Until next time...
Of course, I shed a few tears through reading this blog, but I really think this is a good idea. I really would like to post so Maria hopefully knows how that works. There are some things that I would like to share and I find myself being reminded of mom even all the way over here in Australia. Those memories are great. I remember her telling stories too :)
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to see this up and running! What a beautiful tribute to your mom.
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