My mother in 1941 (left), and my mother 70 years later in 2011. The same bunny, Peter, and the same lilac bush.

During my most recent visit home to Oregon, my mother allowed me to recreate a photo taken of her on Easter Sunday, 1941, when she was six years old.  She stood in the same spot in front of her lilac bush holding the same Peter Rabbit of 70 years ago.  I consider myself incredibly lucky to have been raised by two wonderful people, my mother and father.  (Three actually, as my mother’s mother lived with us and part of her is in all of us).  My childhood memories are happy and full of love and caring.  My mother introduced us to music, art and literature.  She would argue this, but she is a talented artist.  She sends handmade cards of her own drawings.  Here are some of her original watercolors.

This was painted by my mother as a Christmas card, and sent to Norway to my father's parents. On the back of the painting my mother wrote: "This is the view from our window. I painted this this morning - Dec. 19th. The yellow house way up on the mt. is 'Silcox Hut' where Kaare operates the Sno-Cat from. Chair lift is to the right."

A portrait of my dad, painted by my mother.

This is one of my favorite photos of my mother when she was little, with her mother.

A portrait of my parents, taken in 1957. They were married in 1956.