Like Mother Like…Son?
My mother just published her first piece of professional writing at the age of 82. The article, entitled “The Fun in Fungi,” was given a two-page spread in the March 2012 issue of More of Our Canada magazine.
My mother started collecting ceramic mushrooms more than a quarter century ago. The pieces, life-size, lifelike reproductions, were made in Lantz, Nova Scotia. Originally designed for museums, word spread of their artistry and uniqueness, and collectors sought them out. My mother is one of those who now take pride and pleasure in their collections. She now owns more than one hundred.
While I’m happy to have writing in common with my mother, I doubt I will add ballooning to the equation.
As far as publishing goes, I suppose you could say my mother is a late bloomer, but it’s probably more accurate to say she has a unique sense of timing. I remind myself that this is the same woman who returned from a trip to New Mexico some years ago to announce she’d just taken a ride across five counties in a hot air balloon. Apparently, it was something she’d wanted to do for years. While I’m happy to have writing in common with my mother, I doubt I will add ballooning to the equation.
When she showed me her article, my mother told me how proud she was of her writing skills. It was a good, straightforward telling of her love of collecting, along with a short history of the ceramic pieces. In fact, I was as much impressed with the writing as the fact that she’d got it published in one of her favourite magazines.
Still, the writer in me wanted to know more. Was there anything she’d do differently? I asked, knowing my own fondness for textual revisions. She thought this over a moment then said, yes, in fact there was something she would have done differently: “I’d send them a different picture of me.”
“Why?” I wondered, thinking the photo an accurate portrait of her standing in front of her display case. She hesitated. “Well, I’d send them something a little younger,” she said.
Ah, but of course. There was that family resemblance again.
Jeffrey Round is a Toronto novelist and filmmaker. His most recent book, Lake On The Mountain, was published by Dundurn Books in January. Visit: www.jeffreyround.com.
Tags: A Writer's Half-Life, Dundurn Books, Jeffrey Round, Lake On The Mountain, Lantz, More of Our Canada magazine, mother, mushrooms, Nova Scotia, publish, son, Unvailed
This article is just tooo cute for words.
Your Mom, Aunt Ret writing an article that has been printed?!?
She is the mushroom queen for sure!
We can all be very proud.
<3
Barb
In ancient China it was believed that the mushroom was divine, sacred and miraculous for the spirit, so they adorned their ceramics with images of various types. It would seem that this spiritual consciousness may be applicable to your Mum.
Congrats Jeff’s Mum!!
Your message…Jeff, your Mom has your talent, your pleasure in collections, and NOW I see where that smile that melts knees comes from. A real treat: thanks for sharing.
Congratulations, Mrs. Round. Now I know where Jeff gets his writing gene from.
Wow. How sweet that you both have writing in common! That’s the gift, a talent shared between mother and son.
Very good! Keep on collecting, writing, ballooning, dreaming, and loving one another.
It was great fun working with your mother on her story. And by working, I mean I didn’t have to do much editing, which is always nice! At Our Canada and More of Our Canada, reader written magazines, sometimes we receive great stories but the writing quality is not the best, so we always love the stories that come to us practically print-ready!
-OC Editor Johanna
Oh my, you just keep on impressing me. I have admired your beautiful collection over the years. I am so glad that others can enjoy it too.
Further proof that it’s never too late!
Bravo Mrs. Round! What a lovely collection, and now I know where your sons gets his talent for seeing beauty where others night only see, well, mushrooms.
I remember watching that collection grow and mushroom in size over the years, well done, excellent journalism!