Pink Kitchen

My mother has lived with us for nearly four years. When she was hospitalized in February we thought we would lose her. In some ways we have but in my grief I have found so many memories all kinds of things I had forgotten. Treasured memories that I cradle in my heart. Memories that help me focus on the good.

I remember little things like how my mother would warm our underwear on cold days, how my father allowed us to drag home so many critters, and how we would run around town without a care.

Here's another long ago family picture probably from 1970. The city is Capitola near Santa Cruz. Joe and I were too little to really appreciate our elderly cousins. They had an amazing garden. We would eat fresh strawberries, guava, passion fruit, and meyer lemons. If I close my eyes I can smell the freshness of the fruit. My mother's cousin Maria remembered the San Francisco 1906 earthquake and the Great Depression like I said we were so little.

Here is the photo. That is VoVo standing with our cousin Prima Maria, Mericia holding her hand, Dulce in glasses, Ilidio, Joe with his blond hair and me blocking the sun. I love love the memories of my family. These were amazing times.