By Karen Bloom
In the United States, Mother's Day started nearly 150 years ago, when Anna Jarvis, an Appalachian homemaker, organized a day to raise awareness of poor health conditions in her community, a cause she believed would be best advocated by mothers. She called it "Mother's Work Day." Fifteen years later, Julia Ward Howe, a Boston poet, pacifist, suffragist, and author of the lyrics to the "Battle Hymn of the Republic," organized a day encouraging mothers to rally for peace, since she believed they bore the loss of human life more harshly than anyone else. In 1905 when Anna Jarvis died, her daughter, also named Anna, began a campaign to memorialize the life work of her mother. Legend has it that young Anna remembered a Sunday school lesson that her mother gave in which she said, "I hope and pray that someone, sometime, will found a memorial mother's day. There are many days for men, but none for mothers." Jarvis began to lobby prominent businessmen and politicians to support her campaign to create a special day to honor mothers. In 1914 her hard work paid off when President Woodrow Wilson signed a bill recognizing Mother's Day as a national holiday. At first, people observed Mother's Day by attending church, writing letters to their mothers, and eventually, by sending cards, presents, and flowers. With the increasing gift-giving activity associated with Mother's Day, Anna Jarvis became enraged. She believed that the day's sentiment was being sacrificed at the expense of greed and profit. Before her death in 1948, Jarvis is said to have confessed that she regretted ever starting the Mother's Day tradition. Despite Jarvis' misgivings, Mother's Day has flourished. In fact, the second Sunday of May has become the most popular day of the year to dine out, and telephone lines record their highest traffic, as sons and daughters everywhere take advantage of this day to honor and to express appreciation of their mothers. Beyond the flowers and the cards, there are many ways and places to celebrate with mom this weekend. Here are some suggestions.
Old Westbury Gardens
Enchant mom with a delightful day at Old Westbury Gardens. Treat her to a tour of Westbury House, bring a picnic lunch for a picnic among spring's glorious blooms (or visit the Cafe in the Woods). Purchase something special at the weekend plant sale, and relax in the tea tent. Also, stroll along the fragrant Lilac Walk, with an Old Westbury Gardens' master gardener, at 1:30 p.m.Old Westbury Gardens is located at 71 Old Westbury Rd., Westbury. For further information, contact (516) 333-0048 or www.oldwestburygardens.org.
Nassau County Museum of Art
If mom is an art lover, visit Nassau County Museum of Art for the Mother's Day opening of its latest exhibition, "Beyond The Frame: Impressionism Revisited, The Sculptures of J. Seward Johnson, Jr." Based on an exhibit originally shown at Washington, D.C.'s Corcoran Gallery of Art, this is one of the most unusual exhibits ever presented in this ear.An indoor and outdoor "artistic happening," the exhibit highlights sculptor's J. Seward Johnson, Jr.'s life-sized reimaginings of Impressionistic masterpieces. His highly detailed three-dimensional interpretations of works by Renoir, Monet, Manet, Van Gogh, and others, fill both floors of NCMA's galleries and extend outdoors onto the museum's grounds. Each work is accompanied by a photograph of the original art on which it is based.In addition, the museum offers a trolley tour of the more than 50 sculptures on the museum grounds, at 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. (and, again, next Sunday, May 15).Nassau County Museum of Art is at One Museum Dr., off Northern Blvd., in Roslyn Harbor. For information, contact (516) 484-9337 or www.nassaumuseum.com.
Cruising and Dining
Treat mom to something different, with a relaxing afternoon on Nautical Cruise Lines' luxury yachts. Enjoy a brunch or dinner cruise, with a DJ & dancing, while seeing the sights along our scenic south shore. The brunch cruise sails at 12 p.m. and returns at 3:30 p.m.; the dinner cruise leaves at 1:30 p.m. and returns at 5 p.m. Reservations are required. 28A Woodcleft Ave, Freeport. For information/reservations, contact (516) 623-5712.
