Welcome to Blue Cotton Memory: the faith, love and politics of raising boys to men. The title Blue Cotton Memory comes from a poem I wrote: Quilt Me A Blue Cotton Memory. The content of this site contains discussion of information that gave me confidence as a mother, taught me to appreciate and value the differences of my sons, to more effectively nurture their development, and help them find their purpose in life. Here you’ll find homespun stories that provide laughter, insight into raising sons, solution options for challenges faced on both mothers and sons in and outside that relationship, and maybe just an echo of your own experience. Sometimes those echoes not only comfort but encourage. I am Blue Cotton Mom. . .
quilt me a blue cotton memory
sunshine and shadow
brittle figure in blue cotton wave you
your age-spotted hands and catch the latch
as companionship swings storm doors shut
and alone in your home where Madame Alexander
dolls breathed in cradle kin’s imagination
seasons circle the pin oak, aging,
resurrecting, watching.
cockscomb and currants
blue cotton woman rock you before the hearth’s
red hot coals flashing the past, as aching finger
bones dance patterns on silk-bordered crazy quilt
and green eyes focus on China dolls waltzing
past midnight, sighing drops of love,
spinning bolts of dreams, heaving, fighting
the birth of loneliness.
bursting star
storm door, speckled silver and rust, groans, sighs
on its hinges and filigree shield shakes
as the door swings back, swings forth
to an old woman’s childhood until the white sheet covers.
the storm door slaps shut.
blue cotton woman soars.
basket of scraps
nobody is left to catch the latch.
Childhood’s home stands empty
but for bolts and drops of blue cotton spirit.
This page has the following sub pages.
I have read a couple post and I love your wisdom and perspective. My sons are now 15 (almost 16) and 12 (almost 13) and I have not seen the advice or stories like I just found here! I am always looking at ways to help raise these boys – learning knew perspectives and ways to ready myself to help them through all the new phases in the next fast years.
Love it!
So glad you visited my blog so that I could find yours!! As the mother of one son (but the middle of three girls) I have a feeling I’m going to need to learn a lot from you!!
The post about your son’s wedding out tears in my eyes. My little guy is only 15 months, but I know that day will come. Ahhhh!
Thanks for dropping by my blog. This is the only way I found to make a comment on your blog.
Hopefully I did everything right and that you’ll keep visiting.
Your boys seem like nice young men. I like how you’ve described them. They are handsome too.
Looks & sounds like things are pretty exciting at your place. Hope you are having a nice summer.
More later,
Nannette @ Life: Be In It
Thanks for stopping by our blog… I love meeting new people! I’m a bit slow at visiting my lovely visitors at the moment with the chaos of a newborn soon to hit the house… I will be back to say hello again though!
Thanks so much for dropping by on my son’s birthday! I’m excited to find your blog and plan to spend more time here. Anyone who has sons – especially older sons tends to draw me in. It’s good to hear from others who’ve been on this journey and survived to tell about it. 🙂
Blessings,
Dianne
what a fabulous blog! Thank you for writing!
Oh my goodness, I absolutely love your blog! (Thank you for visiting mine and leaving a comment, it made my day.) I especially love the writing assignments section. I used to sit and do writing exercises with friends in high school, and I’ve been looking to get back into that. I can’t wait to read more of your writing!
I love you blog, your story, and the lessons I can learn from you! Thank you for visiting my blog too and commenting! I’m so thankful you were encouraged!
Blessings from a new follower of bluecottonmemory! Linda
How beautiful! Five boys?! Bless you!
Had fun looking through your blog.Laughed at the taste will develop for cabbage at 40. We had 6 kids and the core when my mom was cooking was a treat.Not sure why, other than we were hungry. Wasn’t sure where you are at, but to shoot a good butterfly takes lots of patience. One needs to find good habitat for them, even grow flowers in your yard they like, and always have a camera on hand. I was shoulder deep in plants when I found the ones I have. Somedays I just go looking for new specimans.New bloom always attracts them.Right now is a monarch migration to Mexico so being in the flight pattern I see lots.We tagged them with tiny stickers last weekend as part of a study from the U of KS.I have been doing that for almost twenty years.I did one post called Flying Flowers, with a few nice shots, but have over 22 species in various posts.
great! you have 5 boys, I have 1…I will glean from your wisdom! I’m sure I will need it 🙂
I am glad you stopped by. I feel blessed to have read your initial poem here and look forward to reading more. I have no children yet there is much to glean for life itself. “Friendship” is important and necessary at all ages as I am 63. I have a few true friends now but they come in a variety of ages, making life just that much more interesting.
May your day be filled with the blessings and richness of our Lord.
Caring through Christ, ~ linda
Thank you for stopping by my blog. I love your poem.
What a beautiful poem and blog. I look forward to reading and learning more about your family. 🙂
Found you at ‘Only a Breath’, and so glad I did! Love your poem. . . sweetly sad, thinking of my own ‘nobody left to catch the latch’ blue cotton memory.
Wow, five sons. . . nothing like turning a boy into a man to make a woman out of you!!! Thank you for your lovely blog.
That is a beautiful poem!
Wow, I have never noticed this “welcome” button before. What a powerful poem! It takes me back to a sweet place. Beautiful!
I have 2 little boys and have so much yet to learn! I have high hopes for training them into men, too. Thank you for stopping by my blog so I could get to know you. I am so looking forward to learning from you and your family!
Hi! I just wanted you to know that I have just nominated you for a Liebster Award. I enjoy reading your blog and have been inspired by your writing (even though I only have daughters :)). This award is given by bloggers to fellow bloggers as a way to spread the word about blogs that we love and want to share. Check on my site to see more about it. Katie
I see that you have many opportunities to “time travel”, to learn what God’s teaching through your boys. Blessings on your day to day! Thanks for visiting my site.
stumbled over here from ann’s blog…love it! love your blue cotton poem. i’ll be back!
Thanks for you visit at my blog. I am so glad I crossed paths with you.
Blessings to you~
I appreciate your bloggy friendship. Hugs!
What a precious poem. As I read I was pulled back to memories of my own childhood and wanted to stay for awhile and just breathe it all in again. Blessings to you Blue Cotton Mommy ❤