Monday, November 9, 2009

November 10, 1921


Tomorrow, November 10th is my Mom's birthday. She's a little camera shy. ( More than a little) so I'll just show you something very dear to her heart. Her home. She loves to remodel, redecorate and redo as much or more than I do. I guess you can say the Acorn doesn't fall too far from the Oak tree.
She's an amazing woman. Very strong, determined and very, very talented! She's smart as can be. If she'd had the opportunity to go to college she'd probably be a lawyer. Her father was a lawyer and she has that talent from him. She's the best artist that one can imagine. When she finally got my sister and I married off and out of the house she started to paint. She's done decorative painting and a few portraits but her favorite thing to paint, believe it or not, is walls. She has a wonderful sense of color and sees each and every detail. She can tell you if some thing is level or plumb from 50 paces!!
Ever since I was a very little girl I remember her remodeling every place we ever lived. I mean tearing down walls, designing and redecorating. She tells the story of her first decorating job, it was wallpapering the inside of her Newfoundland dogs' doghouse at a very young age. She can tell you as much about construction as a lot of men and can paint everything that she sees. At 70 something she was up on her own scaffold rag painting the walls of her vaulted living room in her house in Arizona. She built a brick courtyard in front of one of her houses just from looking at the pictures in a book. She drug big flat field stones a half of a mile up from the creek to make the floor of a courtyard when she lived out in the country when she was in her late 50's.
She can grow anything she looks at, cross eyed. I mean roses the size of saucers and of course her famous hollyhocks from Arizona. Her favorites are peach colored roses. Anthing she tries to grow flourishes under her care. She has a great gift of landscape design, too.
When we were young she and my grandmother would sew our Halloween costumes. Though she wasn't big on sewing clothes she could whip a pair of drapes or a bedspread with perfect stitching and put up the rod with one hand tied behind her back. In fact she made the drapes in the picture above.
She is an excellent cook except for pies...That's just not in her repertoire! See the post about my grandmother a couple of posts back. I believe she inherited some of her artistic talent from my grandmother.
Not only that, but she raised my sister and I alone from the time we were very young. Put us through Catholic school and college. She isn't afraid of much of anything and if you tell her she can't do it, she'll just say " watch my smoke!!"
Any way November 10th is her birthday..She'll be 88!! Though her body has slowed up with age her mind is still sharp and she is still as determined as ever! To quote her "I don't know who that old lady in the mirror but it isn't me!!)
Happy Birhday Mom! We love you!!!!!!

7 comments:

Jean Tuthill said...

I'm wishing your Mom a very Happy Birthday and many more. What a wonderful woman you grew up with. She sounds a lot like Mine. We (you and I) are so lucky to have such role models to follow. I am from a family of 11 kids. My Mom had to work alot and I can't imagine how she did it all. And they did it all without all the modern conveniences we have. Amazing women they are!

Stacey said...

Wow what a role model! Your mom's home is beautiful and I enjoyed reading about her.

Happy Birthday Mom!

Penny Sue said...

Dear Miss Sandy...

Happy Birthday to Mom! (Wooh!)
Happy Birthday to Mom! (Wooh!)
Happy Birthday to Miss Sandy's Mom..... Who's 88 today and sounds like a completely amazing woman...
Happy Birthday to Mom!

What a lovely tribute to your heritage in your Mom. I am so happy that you are able to enjoy the company of your wonderfully talented Mom. I loved reading the story. I must say the photo looks like something straight out of a Better Homes and Gardens magazine. Absolutely beautiful! And look at all those gorgeous green plants! I suppose it would be stupid of me to ask if they are for real?! I'm certain they are. I bow in complete humility to your mom's ability. My husband calls me the "Plant Slayer". A title, I assure you, well earned and awarded.

Hope you all had a super day celebrating a very special lady. Please pass along my good wishes.

Hugs,
Penny Sue

My Cottage Dream said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MOM!!

She sounds like a wonderful lady!!
I can see where you got your talent my dear!!

mah said...

Happy Birthday! I am late, but your Mom sounds like an amazing woman!!! Thanks for telling us about her!

Stella said...

What a heartfelt tribute to a great lady. You are indeed lucky to have her for a mother. Thanks for sharing.

Nishant said...

Wow what a role model! Your mom's home is beautiful and I enjoyed reading about her. Work from home India