Lincoln Journal Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 56

The March of Women 71 of. When Yvonne and her family returned, they brought some of those exotic tastes for us to try -blanched asparagus, as big as bread-sticks, were one of my favorites. Many years later, my sister Rebecca, enamored with the stories my aunt and her family told as well as needing a break between jobs, took off for France on her own. She had long wanted to experience part of what AuntYvonne had brought to us another thread, glittery and full of fleur de lis, to add to our growing tapestry. Rebecca wrote postcards to us from picturesque little sidewalk' cafes, sharing her many experiences about finding a place to live in a land that spoke a foreign language, of bus trips to places she'd dreamed of, and about her hysterical experiences' with various water closets.

Today, I have set aside a book on how to have fabulous tea parties and have already promised my granddaughter a frilly, fluffy tutu to wear to our very first formal tea party event. She's not even two months old, but we have so many threads to weave. strong Ozark women who could fish, bake black-bottom pies without a recipe, balance books for the family owned drugstore, nurture juicy tomatoes, create a princess gown from a blue bed sheet, share the secret of a great cocktail party, swirl the perfect soft-boiled egg, live in Paris for three months on her own and give me the gift of grandchildren. Each of the women in my family tree provided a piece of who I am now, through either genes or personal examples and mentoring. The threads of what my sister and I grew up with continue to pop up now and then in an unexpected design.

My Aunt Yvonne was a sophisticated woman of the world who, with her engineer husband, had the opportunity to live in Paris for seven years. I was so jealous of my cousins, who had the most exotic tales to share. Aunt Yvonne knew her way around a kitchen and found her way into Julia Child's famous cooking school, where she learned the finer nuances of sauces and was introduced to foods that most of us mere mortals had never even heard things. Some of my favorite women include Madame J. Walker, who created an empire of hair care techniques and products and who became America's first black female millionaire.

Amelia Earhart speaks to our sense of adventure and determination. My high school English teacher and choir director (yes, there evidently was a time when I actually could sing), Marian Hancock, taught me discipline and how to breathe. Tomorrow, our daughters will lengthen the legacy with here-to-now untold accomplishments that will fill us with pride and provide stories for our granddaughters history books, to join Betsy Ross, Virginia Dare, SojournerTruth and their own favorite teachers. Those daughters will add texture, warp and weft to our history tapestry as our diversity grows. For me, my legacy is rich with by Bonnie Coffey Neighborhood Extra columnist It is March, and I find my hearing acutely sharpened as I listen intently for the sound of the first robin's song to reassure that spring is, indeed, on its way.

I've always had a special place in my heart for March, but never took the time to realize why. It is the month of my birthday (hello, mid-fifties!) and my mother's birth month, too. And, it's Women's History Month. Amongst the peeking daffodils and greening lawns, March is one great time, as far as I'm concerned. If you're a woman (as some 51 -of the population is), you have an incredibly rich heritage that is continuously growing.

If you're not female, I hope you are as proud of women's heritage as I am; we have stories of fascinating women who worked hard and did extraordinary 4' Coffey Ulk by Bonnie Coffey So too, will add a thread to this cloth that continues to expand with amazing women, all. Gosh, does a single month do them all justice? Bonnie Coffey believes every, woman has the opportunity to make an impact on the women and women-to-be in her life. She also has lost the ability to sing, except in the shower. Information- on her book, Dreams for Our Daughters, can be found at www.irea.ms-forourdaughters.com. LftlCK8 35 OFF (net wiK any oher effer) exp.

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