Saturday, May 9, 2009

celebrate mothers


solo post - L

"My mother is a poem
I'll never be able to write,
though everything I write
is a poem to my mother."
~Sharon Doubiago


Today, looking at all of the buds on my rose bushes, I'm remembering the tradition of wearing a rose to church on mother's day - a red one if she was living and a white one if she had pasted away. I can remember with fondness my dad helping us find the perfect roses from the bushes in our yard. We would walk in proudly wearing the red rose buds we had picked – they really were not always the finest of roses but to us they were perfect, just like out mom. And on those Sunday mornings the pastor would ask all of the mothers to stand, and then calling out numbers of children gradually the mother with the most children was left standing. Also the newest and oldest mother in the congregation were recognized. They don't do that any more and no one wears roses honoring their mothers, not at our church anyway. Seems so many of these older traditions have faded in time and I think it's sad.
For the last several years my mom and I have had a tradition of celebrating mother's day by going on a garden tour together. This year the one we're going to is the High Museum of Art’s Artful Garden Tour next weekend. I'm excited to see these fabulous gardens, to learn new plants and get ideas for my own yard. Do you have a special tradition for mother's day? However you choose to celebrate I hope it's beautiful in every way.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

that's a lovely tradition i think. said that it is no more. happy moher's day!

Unknown said...

The quotation is beautiful.

The tradition that you have described here is exactly what we do in our home church back in South Africa. It is a treasure of a tradition that has not yet faded and is still going strong.

Within our family I have always tried to make each and every mother's day unique and different.

Relyn Lawson said...

Happy Mother's Day, dear Leslye. Happy Mother's Day. Thank you for teaching me by your example how to be a good mother to a young woman. I do appreciate it. So much. So will Sloane, I know.

Puna said...

That sounds like a wonderful time. Special times with our moms, what can be better than that?

ELK said...

a very special mothers day wish to you Leslye

Relyn Lawson said...

I'm back. I remember when I was very young that my Dad carried on the tradition you are referring to. We all wore red rose corsages because our mothers were alive. I remember crying each time I looked at the white rose on his lapel. I still miss my Grandma. Now, I miss them both.

Today I will spend with my mother. Three generations around the dinner table. Jeffrey cooking our favorite meal, my dad cleaning up and serving us in so many ways. Thank God for mothers.

Relyn Lawson said...

And for the fathers who love us so well.

georgia b. said...

oh, my goodness! your mother is very beautiful. so is this post.

happy mother's day—to you AND your mother.

Char said...

beautiful reminders...I loved that tradition too

Unknown said...

We used to do the same thing at church - I had forgotten what color flower reminded me of what. Thanks for refreshing my memory.

What a wonderful way to acknowledge moms in church. We didn't have anything like that in our small church, either. I think we would be better off if we could keep some traditions.

Your yard looks lovely!!!

Gayle said...

That sounds like a wonderful way to celebrate!

christina said...

Happy mothers day! I hope yours was a beautiful one. Museum huh? Art is in your family, indeed. I love that.
xo

Jewels said...

Love the quote! There's nothing like a mother...

Woman in a Window said...

I read about the rose tradition somewhere else, too. And it seems to me such a special tradition but so sad, for those who would have to wear white. I kept imagining children having to wear white, already having to bear grief and then the obvious white rose. That saddened me to think of.

But then I become sad with the loss of tradition as well. Go figure.

margie said...

this was a lovely post.

Rick said...

No special traditions - just happy to still be able to wear a red rose.

Wayfaring Wanderer said...

Wish I could have been with my Mum.....all she got was a phone call :(

You should bring back the rose-wearing tradition....that's a good one!

SE'LAH... said...

Great tradition and definitely a special time with and for mom.

maz said...

What a lovely post. I love the idea of going on a garden tour together. I may start that tradition...

robin bird said...

i have this very same birdbath and i love it completely! with those two little birds, one feeding the other. like the seed of a kiss.

way late happy mother's day to you leslye!
xo

footnote

The photos on the left are taken by me, Leslye, the mother. The photos on the right are taken by my daughter, Taylor – unless otherwise noted. Comments are always welcome. thanks
If you care to visit, I, Leslye, have another blog - AutumnSun where I ramble around different paths and pleasures of my own.