Thinking of Mom

Today I find myself thinking of Mom and feeling very sad. And although this blog is titled 'My early memories' I find myself thiking of her more and more- and not just my early memories but right up to the day that she left us!

She didn't really leave me - as she is still here in my heart and always will be.

I remember her love and generosity toward everyone...how she wanted to do so much and how she MANAGED to do so much for everyone - with so little!
Christmas gifts were given to all-right down to great-grandchildren, when at all possible.(meaning-if she had an address for them)

In latter years she would send my sister and me on errands for gifts... of the fancy boxed cookies or chocolate covered cherries candy or those big colorful cans of popcorn to give the families...little stuffed toys for the little ones, little trucks and cars!

In years past, when she still could see well enough and her hands were more agile, she would crochet gifts for all of us! I still have all the things she made for me over the years. The last years she had been giving her 5 kids and spouses a gift of cash together! (all of this out of a very small S.S. check each month)

...And Christmas cards would have to be bought and written for her to all the people she knew and loved. Sadly, over the years those lists grew shorter.

The last Christmas season she was with us was the beginning of her final battle. Although she was home at Christmas she was in the hospital shortly after.

In years past, most of the family would come for her birthday/reunion party (Jan.6th.) -a tradition we had started on her 80th. birthday. This year many of Mom's family came, but not to the happy times we had known before! This time was to say goodbye to Mom - to Ma-Ma!

Mom left us exactly 3 weeks after her birthday, on January 27th. There were 40+ family members at her side or in her room!

Days after - I found the Christmas card from her that I had put aside as we opened gifts on Christmas Eve! Inside, of course, was the cash for Charles and me!

This is what we bought with Mom's last gift money for us... a fountain/birdbath. It is part of a small garden we created for Mom just outside my kitchen window.

I think of her often as I watch the birds there each morning!


Junie

Picking flowers for Ma-Ma

Picking flowers for Ma-Ma...



This is a springtime photo I have always loved of my granddaughter, Alli (in pink) and my sister’s granddaughter, Chey.(in blue)

They are just weeks apart in age and spent a lot of time together in their younger years, and, thankfully, Mom was able to spend a lot of time with both of them when they were little.

This was a spring day when these little girls were about age 2 1/2. They were caught up in a flower-picking race; it seemed, to see who could bring Ma-Ma (Their great grandmother) the most flowers!

This meadow was abundant with the little pink wildflowers this year and we let them pick as many as they wanted. Later, my house was filled with numerous bouquets of the sweet, delicately scented, little pink and white flowers, which we saved from their offerings to Ma-Ma!

It was such a thrill to see Alli and Chey bring handfuls of flowers to Ma-Ma, over and over. Such a delight for her, for the little girls and for my sister and me!

This is a memory I will always cherish!



Ginga
(Junie)

About Mom's Garden

Beautiful day here

...beautiful day here and I am feeling a little more back into the world!
How can I NOT enjoy the beauty that surrounds me here?

First thing every morning I spend some time watching the birds that come
to feed from the feeder we have in Mom's garden...just outside the kitchen nook.
...and think of how mom would be loving this! She loved these things of nature,
just as I do!

The little garden is in need of attention, but spring is not far off now-
soon I will be bringing in the flowers by the arm loads, to plant in Mom's garden.
She would say, "Honey, don't work so hard."
....I think even the little rose bushes will have to be replaced.
I have sort of let things go recently! I want to get a lot of blooming flowers there
this spring...maybe even a window box! Wonder what my Handy-Man will think of that?
'OH, Charlie!!!'

SOOOO- Time to make plans- time to get on with it- 'The Rest of My Life!'


Juniper

(I posted this today on Juniper's World, and since it is thoughts of Mom I decided to put it here also.)


http://journals.aol.com/juniper5541/JunipersWorld/ (My journal/blog on AOL)

Junie

Things I got from Mom...

Some Things I Got From Mom…


I got from Mom…

The love of reading…Mysteries, Poems, Romances …

The love of doing new things…Crafts, Art, Writing, Needlework…

The love of nature…Birds, Flowers, The Sky…

The love of family…No matter how far it extends…

The love of Christmas…

The love of God…


Thanks, Mom!


Remembering some good things…
Nov. 2003

~~~~~~


Poetry…


Mom loved poetry. I remember her reciting poems for us, from our young years, all through life - almost to the end!
Poe was a favorite of hers. She knew so many of his poems, and we loved to hear her recite them!

…Mom would, in later years, express her own thoughts and emotions, through her own poetry!

I developed a love of poetry –reading words of others and writing my own- because of Mom’s inclination in that direction.

Thanks Mom!


~~~~~~


I , Laquita …


Mom gave me a name, which, as a child, I liked – not at all!
“Laquita!”
It has a, decidedly, Spanish sound!
Mom always WAS intrigued by the unusual and exotic
things she encountered in life!
She came across this name in a book she read, I was told!

I always wished I had a simple name
such as Mary or Carol! :)

Well, luckily, there WAS my middle name, “June.”
Not surprisingly, this became “June Bug,”
with Mom and others in the family?

In later years, I came to realize
that Laquita has a nice sound to it.
…And is not a name to be embarrassed by at all. :)

I wonder about this character,
who’s name Mom borrowed for me.
Was she a unique and special lady?
Did she have qualities of which Mom admired
and hoped to see emerge in me as I became a woman?
Did I live up to Mom’s expectations?

I will never know!

Oh! How I would love to read that book
where Mom found my name!


“Laquita”…remembering -June 2004

~~~~~~

Remembering Mama’s Stories…


Mama would tell us stories of when she was a young girl,
of her brothers and sisters and cousins!
She told of finding baby birds with her cousin, Ben.
And she told of the two of them
pretending to be the Mama and Daddy birds…
of searching for worms and bugs to feed the babies!

I never tired of hearing her stories of long ago!
I wish I could hear them still.


~~~~~~

Photos are of Mom and my 4 grandchildren (Her greatgrands ) and of Mom and me ( mid-1970s)

Poem: Mom's Last Roses

Mom’s Last Roses


These are Mom’s last roses.
I kept a little part
of all the roses given,
from every grieving heart.

I handled them so gently
and dried them - as you see.
I found the perfect basket-
arranged them carefully.

I found the sweetest ribbon,
and made this fancy bow-
attaching it, expertly!
It had to be - just so!

It had to turn out special,
and easily convey…
how much I do still love her
and miss her every day!

These are Mom’s last roses.
They’ll always be a part
of all my memories of her
and the sorrow in my heart.


June Kellum
Sept. 2005