Driftwood, and a comment about Mother's Day

Our area of Costa Rica has forests along the beaches and estuaries.  That produces driftwood at times along our stretch of beach. Here is an example.  This was a big tree, now the little logs and sticks that one typically things of as driftwood.

Today is Mother's Day in the USA, although in Costa Rica Mother's Day is in August and is a national holiday.  I want to give a brief tribute to Julie's mother, Glenda, and to my own late mother.

I like my mother-in-law (a retired school teacher) so much that I call her each day driving to and from work, and she and I have had dinner together 4 times in the last week while Julie has been out of town.  How many people have a mother-in-law like that?  (Today it is my honor and pleasure to take Julie's mother and grandmother to lunch, as Julie is out of town on Mother's Day.)

My mother passed away about a dozen years ago.  She was a social worker and educator with two master's degrees and a Ph.D., not common for women of her generation.  She subordinated her career to my father's life as an officer in the US Navy, which required frequent relocation to distant places.  She remained actively supportive of my brother and me throughout her life, long after my father told her it was time to take off her "mother button."  She faced the end of life (from melanoma) with a sharp mind and grace that I hope I can emulate when it is time for me to face the challenge of that same transition.

Today is Sunday, so we have new photos on our Viva la Voyage travel photo site.  This week we are showing photos of the high Atacama desert of northern Chile.