FER YER MOM!
Hello Chimacum Corner Community!
Why is Mother’s Day the second Sunday in May? I always chalked it up to just a generally optimistic end of springtime vibe. Turns out it is actually a memorial for a mother, Ann Maria Reeves Jarvis, an Appalachian community organizer active during the Civil War and its aftermath. She sought to build bridges between women in a region that was deeply divided because of its position in that geopolitical struggle (i.e., on the border of Union and Confederacy). Her daughter Anna led the charge in advocating for a national holiday centered around “honoring one’s own mother,” which was first honored and declared official by Woodrow Wilson in 1914, right before another large war: World War One to be exact. I find it poignant that Anna, the daughter, never married or had children. Mother’s Day rose up, through war, oppression, and patriarchy, championed by a childless, partner-less daughter. Moms have been at the forefront of community connection, resistance, and health since time immemorial. It’s an important piece of motherhood to honor this Mother’s Day. As is the pure joy of hanging out and celebrating Mom, from whom all life issues! Love you, Ma! We got some nifty stuff in store for ya, check it out.
Flower Hour
The Produce Porch is chalk full of blooms just in time for celebrating Mom! We have a lovely pastel collection of 10-stem tulip bouquets this year from Red Dog Farm, Karyn’s self-professed favorite crop. For that wild-crafted whimsical feel, we have bouquets from the Italiana Stalliana herself, Rhonda Rae, of Moonsnail Botanicals. Rounding out the Mother’s Day floral program are the lush and gorgeous arrangements of Forest Elf Farm, aka Amy Ockerlander. Did you know that Amy has a BA in Art History? The painterly eye is evident in her blooms. “Grown not flown” is the mantra in our floral department, and supporting local flower farmers and florists ensures the investments we make in our moms’ happiness remain in our community.
WINE + DINNER = WINNER
Whence comes the “wine mom” meme? Some trace it back to Amy Poehler’s performance as Mrs. George in Mean Girls, while others cite the proliferation of snarky e-cards with vintage drawings and crass dictums of the early-to-mid aughts. Whatever its origins, the wine mom meme is here to stay. Lean into being the best wine mom you can be with Grocery Manager Bruce’s amazing rack of wines. From local heroes like Marrowstone Vineyards, to the peculiar and funkified selections of Puget Street Imports, we guarantee we can find at least one red, white, or sparkling bottle that will trip your trigger. This author’s failsafe: any of the wines from Miles Garrett out of Willow Creek, CA. If natural wine ain’t your bag, that’s cool too, pop a Gruner Veltliner and revel in the magnificence of mother! Of course, any wine selection can be augmented by the inclusion of chocolate, and we have great selections on the Tony’s Chocolonely line of bars right now. A staff pick in the chocolate aisle is definitely the Hu Cashew Butter and Pure Vanilla Bean Dark Chocolate bar as well. Wine + Chocolate = one satisfied mother.
Moms Love Plants
The Corner Nursery is totally decked out with anything a green-thumbed mom could ask for at the moment. Help her fill out the garden or the front yard with some pretty annual bloomers, like Callibrachoa or Petunias. Or maybe she lost a plant in the yard that needs replacing this spring, like a rhody, calla lily, or a clematis. And now that we are pretty much out of frost danger, there’s a lot more leeway to play with the more sensitive summer plantings like scabiosa and strawflower, and get those hanging baskets mounted in their positions! We have shade-tolerant fuchsia baskets from the masters, Egg & I Fuchsias, as well as sun-tolerant mixed baskets from T&L Nursery. And for the farming moms out there, it is truly peak season for vegetable starts, herbs, and medicinal plants! Time to get those Sungold tomatoes in the soil! Hurray for May!
Pastry Case Poppin’
A great way to round out any Mother’s Day assemblage is with a little somethin’ sweet. Fortunately the Corner Kitchen crew keeps us well-stocked with pastries galore. Scones, cookies, brownies, you name it. But there is one pastry that has always answered the call. That is the Rosemary Shortbread. It is practically its own form of currency in Jefferson County. The subtle herbaceousness of this treat is its magnificence. Pick up a pack for your mom!
There’s good for you, and then there’s Wild Carrot Herbals line of skincare. Each of their products are like professional grade massages for your face and skin. Fortunately we are able to get this high quality product at a reasonably low price due to our membership in INFRA (Independent Natural Food Retailers Association). Take advantage and stock up on self-care for mom during this deal cycle! Wild Carrot Herbals is committed to being a cruelty-free, organically sourced supply chain that elects to use recyclable packaging. With products having names like ‘Marshmallow Cloud Cream”, how could you possibly go wrong?
