Mother's Day -

MOTHER'S DAY 2022

Wishing you a lovely day. . . . . . . . and recalling

 with love mothers no longer here to be celebrated in

 person, but always remembered, such as my own.

News from the garden -

Yesterday, with the surprise of what must have been quite a soaking

 rain during the night - the best kind for the garden - I opened

 the front door to a beautiful shock of green. Layers of color all the

 same hue but each a different shade. Washed clean, undamaged, 

refreshed, with no fallen leaves or twigs.

Many birds were at the feeders - including the invincible four-legged

 versions with the bushy tails! A large rabbit hopped across the lawn, and 

two chipmunks scampered around the front porch, one stopping for a

 drink at the fountain which I'd not seen happen before.

I baked a French pear Gateau de Mamy (Grandma's Cake) for Mother's Day

and decorated simply with garden pansies. I couldn't eat any though whilst

 on the Low Histamine diet!  I'm feeling great though cutting out so many 

food items which may have been causing problems. I did cheat a bit for

 Mother's Day by drinking a glass of sparkling Prosecco during a visit 

with a dear friend. She bought it especially for me to sip, along with

 thoughtful carrots and broccoli rather than cheese and crackers which

I've had to give up for a while!

She also gifted me with this..........

.........a very pretty bird snack wreath now hanging on the porch.

Note my special 'garden boy' Bob working in the background!

This was another beautiful gift from Anthropologie for Mother's Day, 

one I'll be using a lot - even later today as I'm heading into the garden

 now to prune the massive azalea bushes. If you have azaleas always

 prune at this time when the blooms have died - that way they can set

 buds during the summer for next spring's glorious display.

Who doesn't love peonies! I cut the first open bloom from the garden

yesterday as it was so heavy and hanging down - the perfume is

 awesome, I wish you could sniff, and the petals so pretty.

History of a home continues. . . . . . .

A house is a collection of objects, but a home is a collection of stories.
Favorite pieces often come to us with a history.

Antique, hand stitched  table linen from Carcassonne, France

I'm ready to get some serious Spring cleaning underway as my role of 'Nurse Grandma'

 (Jasmin returned home and is doing well and should be driving/working by mid-week)

 is over - many thanks again for your get-well wishes, she read them all.

During the' nursing' period, while Jasmin recuperated from her Appendectomy

 surgery, I was also a landscaper.  Bob and I moved, and spread, 10 cubic yards

 (imagine a small Mt. Everest arising from the driveway) of cypress wood chips

 around the back garden for water and weed control, clean walking areas etc.

 I recall when we could do it in a day, this time it took most of the weekend in

 such intense heat! Aching backs and hips, but we survived, finishing up  

yesterday afternoon after brunch.

 I was actually the impromptu Mother's Day Brunch 'chef' - I'm a glutton for

 punishment, right?  Served in the gazebo despite temperatures reaching

 the high 90's by early afternoon. It was so much nicer in many ways -

 requiring no standing outside in a restaurant line in the raging heat, fighting

crowds at buffets, or being served perhaps not such great food, and at those

 huge prices they charge on such family occasions.

A French pear and blueberry Gateau de Mamy - Mother's Day dessert - whipped up

Sunday morning. . . . . . . . 

. . . . . after fresh fruit smoothies, Muesli with strawberries, warm croissants

 with scrambled local farm eggs and Manchego cheese, hot coffee, and

 of course a chilled, very chilled, rosé from Provence with dessert.

I'm hoping your weekend was lovely whether you were part of the 

Sunday's celebration as a mother, or enjoying time with, or memories

of, your own dear mother.

Mother's Day Memories.....

Remembering my dear mother - the pretty girl on the right in the photo, with her mum and siblings, including her twin brother on the left.  She grew up to be a most talented lady and the dearest mum in all of England.  

I miss her so much.

Gladys Mary 1911-2003

I scheduled this post before leaving for England as I'll be gone for Mother's Day.  Will be visiting with my two cousins - their mums are the eldest girl on the left with the double hair bows, and the twin on the left in my grandmother's arms.  My brother will also be visiting from his home in France - hopefully we four cousins will have a reunion in remembrance of our dear mothers.

Happy Mother's Day to each of you.