Sunday, May 11, 2008

Learning from Mom

I may be an adult but I am never too old to learn a thing or two from my Mom.


Here she stands under the Crabapple tree that my dad planted many years ago.

I recently shared with you how to stabilize a Fern to a stump so it would not fall over during windy days. This is one of many things my mom has taught her baby girl over the years.

As children, we listen to our parents until we hit the age of about 13 then we no longer need their advice because we know it all, right? Even with a lot of "I told you so" from them, we still think we know it all.


What a beautiful Red bud tree! Yet, another tree that my dad planted many years ago.

I have always appreciated my Mom and her advice even as a child. I was what some would refer to as the good kid as I DID listen to my Mom and furthermore, valued her input. Now I might not always think she is right. I guess I am a bit too much like my daddy there Ha-ha. But I did listen and value the fact that she cared enough to share with me.

With time comes gray hair and the realization that even today being 45 years old, I am still learning things from my Mom! Something as simple as how to stabilize a Fern to a stump! But knowledge all the same.

I will never twist tie a Fern to a stump that I will not think of my Mother and her wisdom of telling me how to keep those Ferns secure.

Happy Mothers Day to all Mothers out there that continue to teach us older kids a thing or two!



Skeeter's day to post is Sunday. I appreciate she has allowed me to join in on her Mother's Day post. Her mother reads the blog and we all know Jean is my mother. She is a commenter and dedicated reader of this blog and several others. I must say I truly appreciate her coming on here and talking to not only me each day, but to my sister Dawn, and my daughter Christine. My mother loves talking to everyone and is a big part of this blog and its community. The blog has brought us so much closer because she can partake of my love for gardening (passion), and talk to me about it as well. My mother is not healthy enough to do much gardening on her own, but has a love for it handed down from her mother, my grandmother 'Nana'.


Skeeter titled this post "Learning from Mom", and to keep with the theme I was fortunate to find a picture taken at graduation from Austin Peay State University last summer. The picture is of my mother and I (thanks to the miracle of cropping). An ideal picture if I do say so myself to tie in with the theme "Learning from Mom". I am a lifelong learner and value learning each day. That is not to say I practice what I learn from the many the lessons of life and the school of hard knocks, but I surely learn each and every day!


My mother has always taught me to be unselfish and think of the other person first. A few of my sisters exemplify this lesson so much better than I do, but it is a lesson I do take to heart. She was always there for me and my children and never, ever gave a thought to herself. Without her help and support in my life; at times it has been at great sacrifice to her and her life; I never would've been able to successfully retire from the Army and partake in my passion of gardening. I so thank her each and every day and hope she knows this!


Like Skeeter, I want to send out my wishes for all mothers on this day, Mother's Day 2008, and especially for the mothers reading this blog post. Thanks Skeeter!

20 comments:

  1. Happy Mother's Day to both of you!

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  2. Thanks Dave! Tell Jenny we wish her a happy Mother's Day!

    Skeeter, So true that at about age 13 kids stop listening to moms. Don't I know it with the Jimster! Happy Mother's Day to all!

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  3. I hope all you moms out there have a wonderful Mothers Day!

    Off to breakfast now...(the cats insisted)

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  4. Happy mother's day to you both! What a lovely tribute to your mom. I hope it's a lovely day there. Kids slept in this morning so we weren't able to get to the church I wanted to go to, but we'll get to another one a bit later. We've got a busy day planned.

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  5. Happy mothers day Mom! and to all the moms in the world.
    Hubby got me/us a mini rose with a card, kids got me a card. It read:
    Forget the laundry,
    Forget the dishes,
    Forget the cleaning....(on the inside) Pretend your Dad!
    Too cute. And Mom, got the pizza at the former Tuts-home of the buffalo burger.
    Tina, it was hard being quiet about Survivor, we were trying to sit in our chairs but it was impossiable! Walking around laughing and telling each other we could not believe it! Poor Eric, too young and too starstruck, believed 4 women. Oay Vey.
    I'll post on Wed. I'm getting in the yard and doing my pruning today. BTW, I have 3 female redpolls now, I think they are nesting behind the house as I've found they spend alot of time back there. Will have to look closer. Yellow finches are back. Like Skeeter, I'm becoming a picture taking nut. Later.

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  6. Happy Mother's Day to Skeeter's Mom and to Skeeter also, as she is a Mom to 2 furry babies!!

    Thanks Tina for the great tribute and I do know you appreciate the things I could do to help out and I was more than happy to do it as it really was to my benefit as much as it was to you. When you would have a tour of duty where your family could not go the kids always came here to live and I have had so many people say to me "I don't know how you do it, I would not do it". Well I always felt sorry for those people. With my grandkids being children of an army mother they never lived near me so I would never have known them like I do. They will always be a big part of my life because of them living here at times and for that I am very thankful and NEVER, EVER considered it a sacrifice.

    Since we do not have a "Children's Day", please bear with me and let me make today also a day of honor for my 4 girls. For Christmas year before last Tina had all my other 3 girls and all my grandkids make up a scrapbook. They all had at least one page of their own and had pics and a letter to me, telling me how great I was and favorite things about me, ect. Now it was a lotta phone calls, mailing things and work due to them all living in different places all over America but they all pulled it off very well. Now that is the type of 4 girls and grandkids I have!!!! How lucky is that so why not have a "Children's Day"

    Happy Children's Day to Tina, Dawn, Joanne and Terri-Lynn!!!!

    Happy Mother'd Day to all mothers!!

    BTW, Tina, thanks for the lovely card.

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  7. Jean, What a wonderful gift for you from your 4 girls and grandchildren! A book of memories to cherish forever!

    Dawn, Cute card from the kids! LOL... It is easy to become a picture hound so watch out! I have two digital cameras loaded with batteries at all times. And also the old fashioned 35mm with super zoom loaded as well. I am always ready to snap a picture! It will be wonderful if you find a redpoll nest to document especially if they are rare in your area!

    Tina, you have experience with your other children so you should be a pro at it with the Jimster...

    Cinj, Enjoy your busy day! We did not make it to the restaurant that the cats had wanted me to eat pancakes at as the parking lot was jammed full of cars! So we opt for Plan B of Fatz-Cafe for Shrimp and Grits! YUM-O....

    The rest of the afternoon will be filled with classic movies on TV and my hinny on the couch resting up for more yard work next week!

    Chat more a bit later...

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  8. Thanks Skeeter, it was a great gift and one to be cherished for sure. I was lucky and got it while I was still alive and can enjoy it for a lotta years (I hope). All mothers make mistakes, that is a part of life and I think we always feel that we never did enough of the right things so I guess that helps cover up the mistakes.

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  9. Mom, Glad you didn't mind me posting the pic without talking to you first. I like the picture and the ones of Skeeter's mom under the lovely trees and thought this would be a good opportunity to get you in there. Just a short note to say hi. Liz took us all out for lunch. Had a good time talking and all. ttyl

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  10. Beautiful post. It is so true for all of us. We think we know all but it never fails that Mother DOES know best. I listened to mine as long as I had her--now I miss her wisdom.

    I hope all mothers had a great day & will have a lovely night. The good Lord be with all of you.

    Just learned more sad news for me.

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  11. Lola, Not only do I value the wisdom of my mother but my grandmothers as well. I miss them terribly but I have a bit of each of them in me so I carry them with me where-ever I go in life...

    I just watched a wonderful movie about a mother sacrificing so much in life for the happiness of her Children. I believe happiness is what all mothers want for their children...

    Tina, Mom Jean could not be upset over you posting such a wonderful picture! Get home safe Tina...

    Sorry for more sad news Lola. Hang in there and keep the faith. God Bless you and your family...

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  12. Tina, I have to be honest and say that I was not happy when I saw the pic but figured I would go with the flow as I knew it would happen sooner or later but you know I hate to have my pic taken, never mind it being public! I love you anyway.

    Oh dear Lola, so sorry. Gotta stop! My goodness, so much for one person.

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  13. Tina, that was nice about mom. She is a great person and I feel honored to have her in my life and my kids lives everyday. She says I drive her crazy being all up in her business when she needs help but I know she loves it....right mom!?

    Happy Mother's day mom and Tina and all the moms!! Terri:)

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  14. Happy Mother's Day Everyone! A little late getting here today but I loved this post. I spent some time with my mom today and I cherish every time I get to be with my mom. She sacrificed alot for my siblings when we were children and I won't forget that. Mom -aka mama always put us before her in everything and was always there to listen. Today my kiddos enjoyed having lunch with grandma. I am so happy that they can be a part of her life --since we too have lived all over creation and now finally closer to my mama. And, Jean I was so happy to finally see you:0) Don't worry I don't like getting my picture taken either.
    Lola, I am sorry that you've had so much going on --hang in there. You are one tough cookie:0)
    Hi Skeeter --glad you enjoyed the day with your kiddos --I'm sure they loved cuddling up today. If it was as cold down there as here I'd be grabbing your little fur babies just to keep warm:) It really chilled off here over the past day.
    Hi Dawn --loved your card --I had a few homemade ones with some classic one-liners. Like the girl model --why I love my mom --cause she buys the food:) Oh my goodness --what a piece of work and drawings to go with them:) See you all later --have some laundry I wanted to get put up --waited until the special day was just about over to do, hahaha.

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  15. Tina,

    Happy Mothers Day to you. You know I am crazy about your mother....she is the best...and she raised a marvelous daughter, I suspect she raised 4 marvelous daughters, but I haven't met the rest!

    Thank you Tina and you, too Jean and all the rest of your blogging fans for visiting my blog and helping me feel welcome.

    Hugs to all,
    Gail

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  16. Lola, So sorry about your more bad news-and on such a day! Best wishes for it to get better.

    Skeeter, Mom Jean can and was unhappy, but you heard her, she has gotten over it.

    Yup Mom, Go with the flow and be a great sport! It is only fair and not such a bad thing. It is a lovely picture of you and was such a good day for you-hot or not!

    Terri-Lynn, I keep saying Mom is grown and lives her own life, but you do such a good job of looking after them that you do need to know all that is going on. Best wishes on your day! Hope it was great.

    Anonymous, I know how much you treasure your mother and she treasures you and the kids. Almost as much as my mom! :) So glad you spent some time with her and your siblings too and the kiddos. Maybe some day I will get you to let me post your pic so everyone can kind of get to meet you, but if not that is fine too.

    Gail, Glad we could meet in person and on here. I don't know why any Tennessee bloggers wouldn't read other Tennessee blogs as we all garden in the same area so of course I would read your blog. Meeting you was a bonus. It is so neat to see how we all garden. I will be traveling to Nashville to do some PPS garden tours. Hope to see you on one of the days.

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  17. Anonmous I am so glad you had a good day with family.

    Thanks Gail for such kind words and I always read your blog every day, just don't comment all the time as I am busy reading soooooo many blogs that I save my time to yak here. I so hope to meet you on my next trip to Tina's!

    Tina it was a good day for me. It was your birthday and you graduated with your masters degree and had a 4.0 average! How many mothers can say that? So with all that I think it was an especially great day for you and that always makes a mother happy.

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  18. Anonymous, Gail, Glad yall had good Days today... Well, it is really tomorrow now, I chatted with my mom for over 2 hours Saturday then just got off the phone, 1:15 in the morning with her again! Arggg, what will we talk about when we see each other in two weeks? Ha, a million things! LOL, bet once I get in the bed, I will sleep well tonight...

    Anonymous, the Cats would not keep you warm. They are naked as they had fur cuts a few weeks ago! LOL. We had a windy humid day but the evening turned cool but too windy to open the windows. Tomorrow will be in 70's and less humid so the hedge will get a clipping. Not with electric but old fashion way by hand clippers! I am so looking forward to the job. NOT...

    Hope you are all having pleasant dreams... Glad you made it home safe Tina...

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  19. Skeeter you and your Mom sound like my mother and I. When we were together we would stay up till 2 or 3 am talking and we also talked on the phone all the time. What a woman she was! Cause then she would get up and before 6am and get my Dad off to work and then I would sleep in while she got my girls fed and take care of them till I would finally drag myself out of bed. I guess mother and daughters just like to share conversations.

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  20. Yep Jean, it is the same way with us. I will spend several days visiting with my parents staying up till all hours of the night chatting. Then return to my home to pick up the phone to let them know we are back safe and we will talk for 2 hours! The Saint on the other hand will talk to his mom and dad each for about 15 minutes and be satisfied. He can't figure us out and I can't figure him out… LOL…

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