A FAMILY TRADITION...FLAMINGOS?

Many years ago...probably about 65...my mother entered a contest at her local Garden Club...and SHE WON! 

Or did she???

The prize was a pair of brightly painted, concrete, art for the yard, FLAMINGOS!!!

They came complete with iron rods (think rebar) for legs.

Now Mother has her silly side...sometimes...but THIS was not something she would deign to put into her beautiful gardens. So these "lovelies" were packed away, in the back of a closet and forgotten.

Years later, Mom and Dad moved to the lake house...and in the packing up of 15 years of memories (aka junk!), Mom found the FLAMINGOS.

Thus began a new Hill family tradition...

For the first Christmas in our new home, Mom gave my dad a beautifully wrapped present...with a FLAMINGO inside.

After much laughter, joking...and threats... the FLAMINGO was packed away once more until the next big event in our family's life...

Over the years, the FLAMINGO has made appearances to celebrate new homes, college graduations, weddings, babies, etc. It has traveled around the USA, decorated every room in a house (for photo purposed, only!!!), tagged along on a honeymoon, and been presented on a covered food tray, surrounded by garnishes at a wedding dinner. For the past 30 years, a booklet has traveled with it...telling the tales of where it has been...and immortalizing the "pomes" that often accompanied it.

move to the present day...

This past weekend, my family gathered to celebrate Mom's 92nd birthday. We had a fabulous brunch and even more fabulous time just being together. Mom was the queen of the day...with all her children, some of her grandchildren, and even one of the great-grands. She was PREENING!

And then it was time for the gifts...

            

Can you guess what she unwrapped?

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Yep...you're right! It was...

THE FLAMINGO...

wrapped in a Tiffany's box.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!!!