As I started this blog I realized that the greatest gift my mom gave me beside my faith is the love of nature and the out-of -doors.
Peggy Hawkinson , Peggy MacQueen when I was growing up. She was a twin. Her sister was the complete opposite from her. She was short and brunette, unassuming, quiet, yet determined. Her sister, Betty was tall and blond, a real 'looker'.
I never saw my mom "toot" her own horn or be overly-anything. She was given a full scholarship to Cornell University and obtained her bachelors. As her four children were growing up, I remember her bent over a typewriter, working on her masters degree and then her doctorate. All done through the mail, long distance at night after a full day of working as a professor at the local community college.
She also had a degree in ornithology. Her great love was birds. Every Christmas she led a bird census in the area. Our freezer was full of birds about to be stuffed. People would bring dead and dieing birds to her weekly. She would screech to a halt in the car and say "look, there is a double-crested so and so!". She was president of the local Audubon society and a prominent member of Sierra Club. While other kids went shopping, we went to nearby state parks for camping, hiking, swimming and exploring. My greatest memories were at the springs swimming for days, pretending I was a mermaid. Many times she would have to force me out of them as my fingers were blue from the cold water. I spent every day in the woods and never wanted to leave them.
After we left for college, she reconnected with her sweetheart from when she was young. They married and she lived out her dreams of touring the world bird watching. He would paint birds and she would write books about them. Together they were finally so happy doing what they loved. She passed away many years ago, but she is with me every time I see a bird or enjoy a hike outside.
Thanks Mom!
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