My Suburban Escapes

Happy Mother’s Day! Time to dig out that floral dress and some pantyhose….

As this is the first we’ve been able to celebrate openly for a couple of Covid years, you may be chomping at the bit to be feted or to fete. Motherhood has been celebrated since time immemorial, from ancient Greek and Roman festivals to the veneration of Mother Mary. Today’s hallmark holiday got its start in mid 19^th century USA when Ann Reeves Jarvis set up “Mothers’ Day Work Clubs” in West Virginia to teach childcare to local women. Her clubs became a unifying force after the Civil War in this deeply divided part of the country, morphing into “Mothers’ Friendship Day” during which Union and Confederate mothers and soldiers met to promote reconciliation.

By the late 1800s other iterations were popping up all over. In Boston Julia Ward Howe, author of “Battle Hymn of the Republic”, wrote the “Mother’s Day Proclamation” asking mothers to unite in promoting world peace. In Michigan Juliet Calhoun Blakely inspired the idea of a day of celebration through a sermon she made impromptu to sub for a distraught pastor. In Kentucky teacher Mary Towles Sasseen led her classroom in the first unofficial observance and wrote a pamphlet promoting that it become a national holiday. And in Indiana coach Frank Earl Hering gave a speech at Notre Dame entitled “Our Mothers and Their Importance in Our Lives” which became the first public plea for a nationwide observance day.

But it was Ann Reeves Jarvis’ daughter, Anna, who was ultimately successful in achieving the goal of establishing a national day of observance, carrying the torch her mother had lit in 1858 with her work clubs.  In 1914 President Woodrow Wilson acted on her hard-fought campaign, signing the bill which officially established the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day.  Ironically Anna soon passionately opposed the rapidly growing commercialization which followed and spent the rest of her life, wealth and health trying to undo what she had done.

Far be it for me to dismiss the commercialization of Mother’s Day when I, too, gain from the system.  But learning the history has confirmed for me my preferred way to spend the day – among the wildflowers. By mid-May the earth is in full bloom again, places shuttered for winter have re-opened and picnic places abound. We have fabulous options right here in town: Rye Town Park, Edith Read, Rye Nature Center, John Jay and Marshlands. But for the sake of variety, here are some other spots:

Hudson River views:

Wave Hill, 4900 Independence Avenue, Bronx, NY:  Sit under the huge old Copper Beech trees or on a bench in one of the many gardens, especially the Wild Garden. No chairs or blankets allowed.

Untermyer Gardens, 945 North Broadway, Yonkers, NY: Picnics allowedonly outside gates at picnic tables.

Rockwood Hall, Phelps Way, Pleasantville, NY: Spread a blanket on the former site of a Gilded Age mansion, home of William Rockefeller, brother of John D. Rockfeller. The retaining walls and walkways throughout are still standing, as are many of the huge rare trees including a variety of Beeches, Dogwoods, Oaks and Japanese Maples.

Lyndhurst grounds, Tarrytown, NY: gorgeous old trees to sit under and a walk along the Old Croton Aqueduct.

Poet’s Walk, 776 River Road, Red Hook, NY:  Spread a blanket anywhere. No alcohol allowed. Pack out what you pack in as no trashcans on site.

Innisfree Gardens, 362 Tyrrel Road, Millbrook, NY:  Buy tickets in advance. Stroll around for your best spot.

Storm King Art Center, 1 Museum Road, New Windsor, NY:  Picnic tables available and café is open or you can spread a blanket anywhere- just not too close to any of the art installations.

Hilltop Hanover Farm, 1271 Hanover Street, Yorktown Heights, NY: Has a perfect picnic table (see photo) or you can spread a blanket anywhere on the grounds. Farm shop open in season.

Top of Turkey Mountain, Yorktown Heights, NY:  831 feet up. White trail up is steeper, blue trail less. About a mile each way. Pack your backpack and set up at the top where you can see the Croton Reservoir, Hudson River and the city.

Sterling Forest State Park, 116 Old Forge Road, Tuxedo Park, NY: Spread a blanket anywhere.

New Jersey Botanical Gardens, Ringwood State Park, 1304 Sloatsburg Road, Ringwood, NJ:  Picnics allowed only at Ringwood Manor and Shepherd’s Lake.

FUN FACTS:

Mother’s Day (not Mothers’ Day) is the proper name because Anna Jarvis stressed the singular, conceiving it as an intimate occasion rather than a celebration of all mothers.

Dubbed the “mother of Mother’s Day”, Anna Jarvis remained unmarried and childless her whole life.

Dust if you must, but wouldn’t it be better
To paint a picture, or write a letter,
Bake a cake, or plant a seed;
Ponder the difference between want and need?
Dust if you must, but there’s not much time,
With rivers to swim, and mountains to climb;
Music to hear, and books to read;
Friends to cherish, and life to lead.
Dust if you must, but the world’s out there
With the sun in your eyes, and the wind in your hair;
A flutter of snow, a shower of rain,
This day will not come around again.
Dust if you must, but bear in mind,
Old age will come and it’s not kind.
And when you go (and go you must)
You, yourself, will make more dust.

Rose Milligan