Happy Mother's Day 2013

This is my beautiful sweet momma when she was a girl.  She raised and showed Brahma cattle.  And then she raised my sister and me, which I'm sure at times was much like raising cattle.  I like her jeans and boots in this photo.

 

This is my Aunt Marilyn.  I recall her helping me with my math homework on one of her visits to Alabama.  I was far more taken by her glittery owl necklace than the math.  Marilyn also once bought me a very sophisticated two-piece, royal blue, terry cloth Gloria Vanderbilt pantsuit because she thought I could pull it off.  You read right, a two-piece, royal blue, terry cloth Gloria Vanderbilt pantsuit.   Yes, I appreciate the pantsuit, but I appreciate more the encouragement and the confidence she gave me to wear that pantsuit.

And this is my gran, Elizabeth Durham Smith, with the swordfish she caught in Acapulco many years ago.  She was strong in every conceivable way.  I miss you gran.

This is my Aunt Edna (with yours truly).  She was a very sharp dresser and had a gorgeous gap in her front teeth, like Lauren Hutton.  She always smelled good, and would let me play with her perfume bottles.  She was pure magic.  I miss her, too.  This picture says a great deal about the two of us.  Edna was always put together and dignified.  Me, not so much.

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!

New Year's Eve 2012

2012 was a good year.  Yes, sadly, there were losses (some I've blogged about, others, I've not yet found the words to blog about.  Maybe one day.).  But it was a beautiful year for figuring out what is important (mostly people and the simple things) and to begin New Year's resolutions early (again, pertaining to people and simple things).

Eric and I closed things out on New Year's Eve with a gathering of friends.  The Bungalow is small, and parking is never easy on our street, so the number of folks we can comfortably accommodate is limited.  Those who came were brave merry souls...

NYE 2012 at The Bungalow.  With permission, by Laura Catoe.

What may be my favorite photo of the evening is the one below, again by Laura Catoe.  I am wearing a vintage set of jewelry given to me last year by my mother.  The earrings and necklace were hers when she was a girl.  The painting is of her as a teenager.  She is wearing the necklace in the portrait.  I love the jewelry.  But more importantly, I love my mom.  I was more than happy to pose for this shot.  I may have even been giggling when Laura snapped it...

Mother's Day 2012

Happy Mother's Day to my beautiful, beautiful momma.  Thank you for destroying your rocking chair with a hacksaw to free my leg when I got it stuck that one time when I was little.  Thank you for beating all of those yellow jackets off of me and Vicki when we stumbled upon their nest while playing in the woods years ago. And thank you for never ever letting me use electric hedge trimmers.  I'm pretty sure that it is because of your vigilance that I today have my life and all of my appendages.

And Happy Mother's Day to my dear Gran, God rest her soul.  If it wasn't for her, I don't think I would have the especially green thumb that I possess, nor would I have knowledge of the magical healing powers of Epsom Salts.  From mange to boils, an Epsom Salt bath will take care of it.