A Pound of Hamburger and Hospitality

It was suggested to me to write something about mom for Mother’s Day and the first question that came to me was: what’s the one characteristic that comes to mind when I think about mom?  I’m sure that what we love and appreciate about our moms could fill volumes, but there will always be 1 or 2 characteristics that top the list.  For me, it was my mom’s welcoming spirit and that’s where a pound of hamburger and hospitality come in.

A Welcoming Spirit

I grew up in a house where the doors were never locked.  It wasn’t unusual to wake up and find someone on the couch or in the basement who needed a place to sleep.  This included everyone from politicians to priests, to people down on their luck.  No questions asked, just a safe and accepting home.  I loved the times when I walked into mom’s house and saw her sitting and talking one on one.  You could just tell that the time between them was special. I asked my nephew Dave, (#1,#2) what he loved about those special moments with his grandma.   He said, “She had a way of making you feel that everything was gonna be all right and in just saying a few words she could make you feel good.” And then, of course, she would say, “Have a sandwich.”  That brings me to a pound of hamburger.

A Pound of Hamburger

“Rosie, run up to the store and get a pound of hamburger”.  Hamburger was mom’s go to meat with cold cuts a close second.  I guess having a pound of hamburger in the fridge was a feeling of security in case someone stopped by. Throwing together a quick meal wasn’t a big deal for mom.  I’m sure growing up in a large family and then having a large family of her own was all the experience she needed.  She loved the gatherings and was as happy as can be to stand at her kitchen counter and listen to the conversation around the table.  It wasn’t necessary for her to contribute to the banter but at the same time, she was a part of it.  She loved the company and she loved to feed people.

Popcorn

Mom loved popcorn!  She grew up eating popcorn as a snack and I remember grandma having popcorn on the radiators to keep it fresh.   Who doesn’t love popcorn?  When it comes to hospitality, popcorn has welcome written all over it!  It’s fun to make, it’s easy and the way it’s shared is perfect for gatherings.  There is something about passing around a bowl of popcorn that can set the mood for a relaxed and accepting atmosphere.  And don’t forget about the smell.  I’m sure we could ask anyone who grew up in our neighborhood about the smell of popcorn popping coming from the kitchen window and it would bring back the memories.  I can smell it now.

Rose (#8), Maggie (#8 #2), Mom

Well, It wasn’t a recipe this week, but then what is a recipe for motherhood?  My mom had tons of great qualities and it was hard to just zero in on 1.  From what I’ve learned from my mom, a recipe for motherhood would look something like this;  M – be a mom, friendship comes later,  O – have an open heart with a strong faith,  T – teach by example,  H – be a healer,  E – have an open ear, and R – respect other opinions.

Happy Mother’s Day to everyone and I hope you take a moment to think about what characteristics make your mom special and as always, please leave a comment below.   Oh- and go pop some popcorn.

Thanks for stopping by.  Rose  PS: yes, mom, I took a bite of raw hamburger after the photo shoot.  Love. It.