When I was a young child (14), I heard my mother sobbing in the dining room. This I’d never seen or heard before. I immediately went to her and asked why the tears. She looked up at me and said all of my children (seven) are asking me to do things for them. She then added, “What is in it for me?” I thought for a moment and replied, “Mother’s Day.” Not much to offer other than it brought her a smile.
“Mother” How great the pain a woman knows, A mother, a child, from labor’s woes. Our Goddess, mother, cradle of life, She gives of self, the gift of life.
Here’s my mother, Jane Potrikus, happily celebrating her 75th birthday at The Otesaga in 2002, and not worrying about traffic whatsoever.
A belated but no less cheery ‘Happy Mother’s Day’ to all you moms out there; I found myself thinking of my mother, of course, on Sunday — not only was it Mother’s Day, but it also would have been my parents’ 74th wedding anniversary.
Some reading this may remember my mother, Jane Potrikus. She was awesome and I remember her daily with great love and admiration. I wonder what she’d think about us moving back to Cooperstown at roughly the same age she was when she moved away from Cooperstown to her beloved Cape Cod. She had raised her 11 kiddos, stood strongly behind, with, and then in place of our dad, John, at the Cooperstown Dry Cleaners. There was something more out there for her, and she went for it for her 30-plus years on the Cape.
MOTHER’S DAY – 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Come celebrate spring and choose a special gift from local vendors. Southside Mall, 5006 St. Rt. 23, Oneonta. 607-432-4401 or visit www.facebook.com/southsidemall/
BLOOD DRIVE – 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. Donate through May 19 for chance to win a travel trailer camper that sleeps eight. Briggs Hall, Main Street Baptist Church, 333 Main St., Oneonta. 1-800-733-2767 or visit www.redcrossblood.org
LOVE YOUR PARK – 8 a.m. – Noon. Come clean up the trails, beach, campsites, mulch the gardens, paint, and much more to ready the park for the season. Gilbert Lake State Park, 18 CCC Rd, Laurens. 607-432-2114 or visit www.ptny.org/events/i-love-my-park-day
LOVE YOUR PARK – 9 a.m. – Noon. Sign up to help plant flowers, general park clean-up, beautify the buildings, build bird houses, more. Volunteers should bring, work gloves, boots, leaf rakes and garden tools with owners name, etc. Dress for the weather. Betty and Wilbur Davis State Park, Davis Rd., Westford. 607-547-8662 or visit www.ptny.org/events/i-love-my-park-day
MOTHERS DAY DINNER – 11:30 a.m. – 9 p.m. Take Mom out for a delicious celebratory dinner at the Hawkeye. Take-out available. Hawkeye Bar & Grill, The Otesaga Hotel, Cooperstown. 607-544-2524 or visit www.otesaga.com/dining/seasonal-dining
FREE MUSEUM ADMISSION – 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mothers, grandmothers, and mothers-to-be get free admission to the Fenimore Art Museum and Farmers’ Museum. Free glass of wine to mothers & or grandmothers w/purchase of food item in Fenimore Café from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Fenimore Art Museum, 5798 NY-80 & Farmers’ Museum, Cooperstown. Info, (607) 547-1472
GARDEN PARTY – 12-3 p.m. English tea, tours of new furnishings at Hyde Hall. Free, open to the public. Hyde Hall, 267 Glimmerglass State Park, Cooperstown. Info, 607-547-5098.
FILM – 6:30p.m.“Desperately Seeking Susan” (PG-13) with the Herb Ritts photography exhibit. $5 members, $7 non-members. The Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown. Info, www.fenimoreartmuseum.org.
Desiree Wheeler and Fate Goodrich, top photo, share a cup of tea this morning at the third annual Mother Daughter Tea Party in Foothills’ Atrium, leading up to next weekend’s celebration of Mother’s Day. A novelty this year was, inset photo, a string quartet consisting of the Higgins sisters of Otego; from left are Keely, Patricia, Anna and Siobhan.
(Jim Kevlin/AllOTEGO.com)
MOTHER’S DAY!
WOMEN’S HISTORY – 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Celebrate women in Edmeston’s history this Mother’s day. Edmeston Museum, 1 North St., Edmeston. Call 607-293-6635 or visit www.edmestonny.org/mothers-day-at-the-edmeston-museum/
GARDEN PARTY – Noon – 3 p.m. Celebrate mom with a party featuring tea, treats, and a first look at the restored carpet, curtains, walls in the dining room. Hyde Hall, 267 Glimmerglass St. Park Rd., Cooperstown. Call 607-547-5098 or visit hydehall.org
PERFORMANCE – 11 a.m. Presenting “The Lions Whiskers” a performance by the Catskill Puppet Theater. Free family friendly performance for Mother’s day weekend. Foothills Performing Arts Center, Oneonta. Call 607-431-2080 or visit foothillspac.org
SPRING CONCERT – 7:30 p.m. The Catskill Choral Society with other Children’s choirs perform Franz Joseph Haydn’s “The Seasons.” Roberts Kolb leads the group of 62 singers. Tickets available at The Green Earth Market, Artware, Cooperstown Natural Foods. Performance at First United Methodist Church, 66 Chestnut St., Oneonta. Call 607-431-6060 or visit catskillchoralsociety.com
FIESTA FUNDRAISER – 4 – 7 p.m. Enjoy a delicious Mexican dinner followed by dancing. Take-out available. All proceed go to the purchase of a water filtration system for the village of Las Mercedes, Honduras. Cost $12/adult. First Presbyterian Church, 25 Church St., Cooperstown. Call 607-547-8401 or visit www.facebook.com/CooperstownPres/
Jill Maney, Cooperstown, serves a piece of carrot cake to Megan Mataev, Norwich, and her son Jacob at the Mother’s Day Classic at Hyde Hall. Rain and cold temperatures moved the event inside where guests could enjoy tea and finger food in the library, as well as tour the house. Highlights included a newly installed 1820’s Argand Hall Lantern in the foyer and the beginnings of a painting project in the dining room. (Ian Austin/ AllOTSEGO.com)
OPEN HOUSE – Noon-3 p.m. Talk to representatives of The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, The Ladies Axiliaries, Amvets, Sons of the the American Legion, and others. Cooperstown Veterans Club, 60 Main St., Cooperstown.
GARDEN PARTY – 1-4 p.m. Treat Mom to a garden party that includes tea and treats on the veranda, a maypole and live music for dancing, activities, and a first look at a new exhibit by the Cooperstown Graduate Program. Free, all welcome. Hyde Hall, 267 Glimmerglass State Park Rd., Springfield. Info, hydehall.org/event/celebrate-mom-garden-party/ or call (607) 547-5098
K-12 ART & MUSIC NIGHT – 5-7 p.m. An exhibit of the art by Cooperstown students. The library will also be open with a craft program for children and a preview of the Library’s Summer Program. Cooperstown Art Association. Info, www.cooperstownart.com
EXHIBIT RECEPTION – 5-7 p.m. Opening the Lake Exhibit by the Cooperstown Graduate Program. Free and open to the public. Hyde Hall, 267 Glimmerglass State Park Road, Cooperstown. Info, hydehall.org/events-2/
Mothers and daughters enjoyed an afternoon of art and wine at CANO’s first annual Paint and Sip. With wine from Dietz & Wall Wines and the guidance of for CANO president Annie Kuhn, participants tried their hands at painting a Mother’s Day bouquet in acrylics. Here, Lisa Nunez, Oneonta, front, and sister Debbie Iannella, Oneonta, rear, pose with their mother Loretta Costello, center, visiting from New Jersey. (Ian Austin/AllOTSEGO.com)
