A Heart and Home Deck Garden

Hi Everyone! I hope you're enjoying a wonderful weekend.

For Sunday Favorites I'm re-running this post which was first seen in September 2009. Thanks, Chari, at Happy to Design, for hosting this party and giving us the opportunity to see posts that we may otherwise have missed.

From September 1, 2009:

In my garden I've planted geraniums, lobelia, petunias and allisium. But there are others that live among the garden plants. I spy a fat little bird, and a sweet, chubby, little angel.....

and a stately copper dragonfly come to rest upon the jasmine.

A fairy ball, and a petite wooden bird are nestled beside the flowers...

watching the angels living cheek to cheek with the lobelia

and alongside the petunias, as they play heavenly instuments while breathing in the sweet scent of the purple and blue flowers,

in my little deck garden, here on the redwood coast.

If you look closely, you will recognize some of these pictures - they were used to make my blog buttons!

My garden is starting to look just like this again, now that it's late spring.
Every year after the hard winter rains I replant the pots, and this year I have tomatoes growing on the deck for the first time, because we have so much more sun out there now.
I'm looking forward to Caprese Salad, made with homegrown tomatoes, by the time September rolls around. I guess I should plant some basil, too! Delicious!

And, for a look at some fun Jewerly in my Pink Saturday post, click here.

Until next time

XO

Heidi

A Special Sunday Favorite at Heart and Home

Hi everyone. Welcome back today for a Sunday Favorite, originally posted on August 4, 2009: ( Special thanks to Chari at Happy to Design).


Pink Linen

In 1952 my parents were married in Germany, two days before Christmas.

They were given this hand painted Irish linen table cloth and napkin set as a wedding gift.

It has never been out of the box, until today, when I decided to iron it and share it with you.

The original paper tag and ribbon was still tied around it, the tissue paper crispy and yellowing, the box smelling slightly musty.

The cloth and napkins are in perfect condition, except for permanent crease marks, from it having been folded and in a box for 57 years. The colors are still strong, the fabric soft and clean.

I've always admired it. During my visits home, I would often sneak a peak of it folded carefully in it's box in the dining room hutch. I loved to feel the weight of the silky smooth fabric between my fingers, and I liked the colors and the design. I have always wanted it, but could never bring myself to ask for it.

Neither one of my parents could understand why I would be interested in "such an old thing". I couldn't understand why they weren't, and why my mom never used it. I would try to convince her to to take it out when she gave a luncheon for her lady friends. We have always been so different, she and I. Mommy only liked new, modern things.

Two years ago, way too soon, my mom passed away. Sometime later, my dad gave me the table cloth.

I couldn't take it out of the box, until today.

It reminded me too much of my mother, and how different we were, and how difficult it often was for us to understand each other.

It reminded me too much of how much I miss her, every day.

I don't know if I can use the table cloth, or if it will go back into it's box. But I do know in spite of our differences, my mother loved me and always wanted the best for me. And if I had gotten up the nerve to ask her for the pink box with the table cloth in it, she would have gladly given it to me. Because she always wanted me to be happy, and she taught me to live life fully, and to enjoy beautiful things. I know I will always miss my mom. And I will always treasure the table cloth, in or out of the box.

April 24, 2010:
Three years is a long time to live without a mom.

 Even though I'm all grown up and a mother myself, I still feel like I need her.

 People say it gets easier as time passes, and that may be true.

 But occasionally I find myself tearing up at unexpected moments, remembering things about her that made me laugh, or a small, kind thing she'd do for me.

Occasionally I find myself thinking "I've got to call mommy and tell her about this".

Occasionally I find myself gazing at a photo of her, or trying to remember how her voice sounded, or I hear myself saying something she always said.

As I get older, I am starting to look more like her.

As I get older, I am starting to appreciate her more.

As I get older, I realize I will always miss her.

Three years, or any number of years at all, is a long time to live without her.

In memory of my Mother July 24, 1926 -April 25, 2007

Until next time
XO
Heidi