Household Happiness: Margaret Hudson figurines

When I was in the 4th grade, my mother developed a fondness for dark clay sculptures made by a local artist named Margaret Hudson. The sculptures mom liked the best were animals, especially raccoons, which reminded us of the fearless raccoons that came to see us on the porch of the cabin when we visited my grandparents at Foresta in Yosemite.

Mothers are notoriously hard to buy for, and my mother is the poster mom for that reality. So she received A LOT of Margaret Hudson figurines. The animals and their happy expressions became a hallmark of my childhood and early adolescence. When I see them, I think of home. They always make me smile.

In 2001, when my folks moved into a new house, my mom set out some of her figurines, but not all of them. She stored away many of the figures on a shelf. Soon after, my sister and I began to liberate them for display in our own homes. I have several at my house and I enjoy seeing them every day. I like that we three have the sculptures set out in our homes, a connection with family that unfailingly brightens my day.
This squirrel is much friendlier than Pesky, who lives in the backyard. Plus, he doesn't taunt the cats.
The baby in this picture dropped the raccoon in this picture on its nose one day.
I like the fact that these three tiny creatures sit together on the mantel in the living room.
The only mouse who can evade me and my sticky traps.
A quail sits on my bedroom dresser. He sleeps well at night.
This happy bear reminds me of my nephew C, whose mommy used to call him her little bear.