Happy Blooming Mother’s Day

I’m so pleased that my lilacs are going to open up for me before we leave on the 21st — looks as if I might have two weeks of their fragrant blooms — I’ll probably bring armloads of them in the house over the next while, thereby ensuring the after-bloom pruning gets done as well — but meanwhile, I love how fresh they look in the morning sunshine.

Yes, the lilac blooms are blurry here, but I wanted to focus on the maple’s sharp green, backlit by the sun and spread against a pristine spring sky.

Softer tones here — so mellow, so beautiful.

And more, and more, and more — I love these old lilac trees which were on the property when we moved here and perhaps date back to the mid-60’s. They remind me of the ones that flanked the cement stairs leading from the top to the lower terrace of my childhood yard, and which would be blooming for my mid-May birthday. I remember bringing a flock of 7 or 8-year old girls home for my birthday party and my mom hanging clothes by the lilacs as we walked into the yard.

Now, as I enjoy the lilac, not only have I been a mother for ever-so-many years, but as a new Nana, I get to watch my own daughter as mother
Happy Mother’s Day to you, Bronwen, and to all the other mothers out there. Pater and I are heading off this afternoon for dinner with my son and his partner in Victoria — a combination of Mother’s Day, birthday, and getting-accepted-to-B. of Business-program celebration. Enjoy your weekend!

11 Comments

  1. Imogen Lamport, AICI CIP
    10 May 2009 / 4:59 am

    Happy Mother’s Day to you Mater – hope you have a good one!

  2. Susan B
    10 May 2009 / 2:35 pm

    Have a wonderful Mothers’ Day, Materfamilias!

    And I’m glad you’ll be able to enjoy your lilacs. I miss lilacs, used to have them outside my bedroom window in the house I lived in during my teens. Even though it was still chilly at night, I’d throw open my windows to enjoy that fragrance. We’re too far south for them now.

  3. Duchesse
    10 May 2009 / 2:44 pm

    Happy Mother’s Day; I’m happy to hear about your childrens’ achievements and adventures through your posts.

  4. Mardel
    10 May 2009 / 8:58 pm

    Happy Mother’s Day!

    The lilacs are lovely. They are in bloom here too and I am definitely thinking that I need to plant lilacs. As usual though my garden aspirations are way ahead of the actual garden.

  5. Anonymous
    10 May 2009 / 9:59 pm

    thanks mom, and happy mother’s day to you too! love Bronwen

  6. materfamilias
    11 May 2009 / 3:39 am

    Thanks Imogen. I hope you enjoyed yours.
    Pseu: Hope your Mother’s Day was a fine one. It always seems strange to me to think of places where it’s too warm for plants — we’re more used to thinking whether or not it will be too cold. (and of course it’s very mild here compared to the ROC)
    Duchesse: Hope I’m not tiresome about them, but they’re a pretty important part of my life and I am Materfamilias!
    Mardel: Isn’t that what gardens are all about? Hopes and dreams and aspirations?
    B: love you too, sweetie. Give my little girl a hug and a smile.

  7. Anonymous
    11 May 2009 / 4:36 am

    The Lilacs look beautiful. Mom was wearing a shirt and sweater very similar to their colour today. I always associate Lily of the Valley with mothers day. I picked a bunch from my garden this morning and brought them inside and alreay the house smells like Mothers Day. Hope you have a great visit with Zach give him my congrats.
    hilary

  8. TheSundayBest
    11 May 2009 / 5:55 pm

    I want that bear outfit.

  9. materfamilias
    11 May 2009 / 7:25 pm

    Hil: Mom always put a little bunch of lilies of the valley in a vase for me on my birthday and in my late teens she gave me a tiny white Coalport china vase filled with a few stems of them — so I always associate them with my birthday (you probably don’t know this, but I used to selfishly dread that Mother’s Day would fall on my birthday — My birthday, MINE!)
    Thomas: Hmmmmm, what can I say to that? Would you look as cute as Nola, do you think?

  10. Anonymous
    13 May 2009 / 10:28 pm

    a nana? whoa, where have i been?!
    your daughter, by the way, is a beauty!!!

  11. Jules
    16 May 2009 / 9:18 am

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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