My mother, Martha Baumgartner Habegger, was a creative thinker. She said that when, in college, her philosopy professor said that if you ever looked at a chicken and thought, “Chicken, do you know you are a chicken?” you are a philosopher. And she often had experienced that thought.
After 80, she had her poem in free verse, which was titled “On Not Being a Pessimist After 80” published in two different magazines. She wrote, for example,”Some say we’re old now. Others say “Don’t say old.” I say “Why not?” They say, “Because.’ But they have gravy on their chins and put both instant tea and Sanka in their cups at the same time.”
Mother also left me a notebook with her original prayers in it, spoken at the Home. It included asking for help “not to share all my wonderful wisdom in order to correct others.”
She was well known at gatherings of USA Swiss people for her original readings. Some were in English spoken with a Swiss accent.”Now chust you shtop dat vining” (Now just you stop that whining.)
I will be forever grateful for Mother’s thoughtfulness and sense of humor she passed down to me.
ElderChicks 
Wonderful! Thank you so much for sharing your remarkable mother’s wisdom.
Christine, it is so wonderful to hear from you again. Now we have a glimpse of how you came by the spirit that enabled you to climb that tree every ten years. I love your mother’s words of wisdom and wit- and the words of her philosophy professor. I think I’ll pass on the next offering of chicken salad.
Love,
Thelma
Christine, wonderful to hear from you. I did not hear from you at Christmas, and I thought you may have “popped your clogs”. This is Yorkshire for pawning your wooden shoes.
Obviously, you take after your mother. Let’s hope your daughters take after you!
Love, Margaret Fielden
good for ElderChicks, reuniting friends.
Margaret, so great to hear from you again. Glad you haven’t “popped your clogs.” By the way, could that have another meaning? As a reader of Reginald Hill’s Dalziell and Pascoe series, I thought I was pretty familiar with colorful Yorkshire patois, but this is a new one for me.
That’s just what ElderChicks is all about: reuniting friends, finding kindred spirits among strangers, making connections where none existed before. I’m looking forward to conversing with you all for a long time –until I pop my clogs.