§ My Forever Pink Rose

My Mother...circa 1930s
E. Irene

On an unusual, cold, August evening, at dusk...
I walk the hill as the mist falls gently on my being
I feel dispirited as I climb.

My footfalls break the silence
the dampness is penetrating; my eyes shed tears.
Soon, I will be again at her side...
She left me one August; summertime.

Reaching for the latch; I approached the wrought iron gate...
Pushing, it mourned; breaking the stillness of the night.
I stepped through. Behind me it closed as
the mighty oak trees, saturated; upon me they spate.

Shivering now, I walk ahead toward her.
I find her,
I sit on the damp marble and wait.

Hours pass, I feel cold and lonely.
A soft, pale pink rose I lay it beside her name.
Pink roses, her favorite color.
A pink rose, pressed between the pages of her Bible
My gift to her on Mother's Day...long ago, when a teen
She kept it close to her forever
...she gave me happiness with grace, joy, and laughter.

She will always be my Pink Rose.

§ Thursday...thru...Sunday

It was a busy weekend, but still nothing much got accomplished. There was some celebrating here and there, some driving around, a bit of yard work and all in all time flew all too quickly. Here is a small recap of what we did...

Thursday, our 49th anniversary, we went to Niko's Steakhouse...

...and Mother's Day was a day of quiet celebration!

"and I'm reading that book called "The Genius of Birds" that I blogged a little bit about -- it gives much of the same kind of information about birds -- you'd enjoy it..." Sallie at Full Time Life recently added in her comment to me that this would be an ideal book for me to read...I mentioned it to Bud and he found it at Barnes and Noble .  My mother's day gift from him....

Our lilies are in full bloom...they were gorgeous in the sunlight!!


...a perfect, balmy, day on Sunday.  A good day for a stroll through the park!

...along the boardwalk, a 56 second video I took with my phone:



If you're curious, the mama and chicks breed is Common Gallinule [aka Moorhen]



- - - -

...then, there was my all-time favorite baseball player. And he happens to be a retired NY Yankees shortstop! I read over my smartphone of a special tribute commercial composed by Budweiser. You know the old slogan they used long ago..."When You Say Bud-d-d-weiser, You've Said It All"...this commercial is the epitome of the slogan ---

Of course, if you're a fan of baseball [the game was Houston Astros vs. Yankees in a double header on Sunday], I had to wear my Jeter Shirt and we went to a sports bar to watch and celebrate his number being retired...it was a bitter-sweet ceremony. Now my own MLB official shirt will also be retired. Bud thinks I should find a frame for it. Maybe some day...

§ They Call Me Mom...[and grandma]

With mother's day fast approaching, next Sunday, the 14th, I thought I'd share this, and a few thoughts that go along with the photos. 4 generations of the mothers -[5 generations with grandsons]

This is my mother's mother. My maternal grandmother:

age 18

This is my mother:


age 18

This is me:


age 18


This is my daughter:


age 18

And this is my son, also age 18. This was tougher and rougher on me than his 1st day of school when he was 6!! This photo I chose from my treasure box is of Erik when he left home for the first time...after joining the Marine Corps. Before we got to the terminal, I snapped this photo of him in the Stapelton International Airport [in Denver at the time...it's now no longer used, the airport in Denver is now a newer one...Denver International Airport.] He was on his way to Okinawa. I wouldn't see him again for another 4 years!! This was before the tears flowed!!!

The fifth generation is no females. Two grandsons.  A precious mother's day gift from Irene!!.

1st photo is of Clint [not Clinton - Just Clint] and the 2nd photo is of Dillon

Clint is now 28, born with Down Syndrome. Dillon, Clint's younger brother is 21 and will soon be married [May 27th]  Dillon's betrothed, Devin, will soon be graduating from college, Devin to be a registered nurse and Dillon will continue with his education in law with aspirations of becoming a state judge in the near future. Clint, of course, having a handicap, will continue with his state placed job and live with Irene.

- - -


With my blog followers, you know that I have two adult children. Recently, while sorting through some prized possessions of motherhood, I came across these two that I have put back in my box of treasures. They pertain to mother's day.  Hopefully, if you enlarge them you can read them...




The first one is from Irene...a mother's day card made in class. The 2nd one from Erik, also made in school. Both cards are priceless. They're over 30 years old and the best I've ever received...from my kids, of course!!