My Mum…

My Mum…

Hi there,

Thanks for popping in. Just got in from a lovely birthday lunch over at Reads in Faversham. Excellent food. Turning 60 at the NEC was fun, but I really wanted to celebrate with the family – especially my parents! Without them I wouldn’t be here! So when they booked a table at Reads, I didn’t have to be asked twice!

Every time I have a birthday, which is always once a year, Mum sings to me and then tells me that . “ …..years ago, I vossnt feeling so good. Your Father vos cycling through ze village, to get ze Hebamme (Midwife) in ze dark, and you came in time for breakfast.” Ahhhh……and wherever I have lived in the world over the years, Mum always calls and sings to me.

Flowers too! Thanks Dave xxx

And today, irony of ironies, it is MY daughter Grace’s birthday. So once we had figured out what time it was where she is, and decided it was a respectable enough hour to call, we all facetimed her from the restaurant and guess what?! Yep, ALL sang Happy Birthday to her ! I then proceeded to tell MY story from 29 years ago to the day, that I was living in Nürnberg, Germany, that Grace was a fortnight overdue, and I had packed my overnighter, gone to the clinic, plonked myself in the waiting room, and said “I am not leaving until you get it out of me”. Clearly had had enough! 12 hours later, and an emergency C-Section later, baby Grace was born.

Now she lives in New York. Boy oh Boy. History repeating itself, eh.

Next Sunday, it’s Mothering Sunday. My turn to fire up the oven and cook a nice meal for everybody. I do enjoy family get togethers and meals, I must say. Long may they continue.

My Mum’s favourite flowers are freesias. Ironically, mine too. I drew the freesias pictured below years ago, and we thought it might be a nice gesture to do something special with them, to celebrate Mother’s Day.

The image below is linked to the Mother’s Day collection page. Both the Freesias and Mother Verse Stamp AND the Groovi Plate have 33% off.

We’ve also picked two lovely projects by Maggie Byford and Janet Pring for you to make, should you treat yourself to the stamps or Groovi plate.

The images below are linked to the download sheets. If you click them, you can download each set of instructions.

Yes, it has been a good day.

The Blackthorn is out in full bloom with its beautiful white flash of blossom along the lanes, and the bright green hawthorn fills all the gaps now. Yep – Spring is sprung. I love being married to a farmer – he teaches me so much! This is this and that is that. And this blossoms first, and that comes later. But that is poisonous, and never put this in the house. Best natural barrier for livestock. All the way home. It’s like having my very own Live Country File.

He is great at Clarity, is Dave. He plays a crucial part in the running and building and management – in short, he has adapted amazingly well, looks great in a suit – and I couldn’t do it without him. But he is a farmer in his soul. An outdoor man. It’s in his blood. As it was in his father’s, and his grandfather’s and his great grandfather’s. Not to mention all his aunts and uncles!

As Charles Darwin once wrote: It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.

Time to go find him and go for a walk before it gets too dark…

Love & Hugs,

Barb xxx

26 thoughts on “My Mum…

  1. Sounds like you’ve had a lovely day and celebrating with family is definitely the icing on the cake so to speak. Must admit you saying about your mum singing Happy Birthday to you has brought a tear to my eye, my mam used to do the same every year… not heard her for two years now…. Happy Birthday to your lovely daughter Grace, good to know she doesn’t escape the singing lol! xx

  2. What a lovely story and picture the goodies and the flowers look yummy. Have nice time, as a grooving I have ordered the plate. Parchy hugs to all. X

  3. Belated Happy Birthday Barbara! I remember the date as its my husbands birthday on the 13th also I share the year with you. Sharing with family is the best way to celebrate special occasions.

  4. I get the blizzard story every year on my birthday too – must be a mum thing. Glad you had a great celebration with your parents and that Grace was there virtually too! X

  5. Freesias were my mum’s favourite flower as well, dad used to grow them in his greenhouse for her. I like them too so I suppose it passes on. We have a celebration lunch tomorrow for our daughter-in-law’s Birthday with her family. Better be on my best behaviour. Your mum never looks any older such a lovely lady. xx

  6. Sounds like a lovely day spent with your mum and dad and FaceTime with Grace finished with walk with Dave was a beautiful day out there happy birthday to Grace xxxxxx

  7. Well….it’s No. 1 grandson’s birthday today too- 3 for a whole year from now. He loves tractors – maybe another Dave? And freesias were essential in my wedding bouquet – still have them dried (they were yellow). My mum’s birthday would have been this month, you are so lucky to still have your mum around, and so is Grace. 60 is nothing these days, just start ‘throwing’ money at your pension so you can control your future life.
    Happy belated birthdays.
    love
    Maggie (Yorkite)

  8. I was busy making my Mother’s day card this afternoon…cant say what i did as i know she reads the blog. Glad you had a fun Saturday with your family, and managed to speak to Grace too. I have enjoyed watching Maria’s shows, very calm and great at explaining. Xx

  9. It is heartwarming to see and hear about your lovely family. Happy birthday to Grace and thanks to your lovely Mum for looking after you so well.
    When I started earning money I gave my my mother a card, a box of Black Magic and flowers on Mothering Sunday. She looked at them, said ‘what did you waste your money on that for’ and chucked it all in the bin. Never again!!!
    So it is with sincerity that I say you are a very lucky lady.
    Enjoy your weekend.
    🍒🍒🍒

  10. When I read that both yours and your mum’s favourite flower was freessia it mad me cry, because when I was born my mum was 38 and my dad 48 I had a 14 year old brother and a 17 year old sister, when I was born I had very severe abnormalities, when they were able to come and visit they brought my mum some freessia and from that day that has been “our flower” so after she passed away I got a beautiful tattoo of a purple freessia (purple apparently is the colour of mourning) on my wrist, reading your blog has just brought me to tears but happy tears remembering my amazing and beautiful mum, so thank you xxxx

  11. Family if be lost without mine . Glad you had a wonderful.day with yours x x
    Mum had a card with the freshias on last year and she saves them all too.

  12. Hi Barbara
    What a lovely picture of you and your mum, she’s looking good isn’t she. It’s lovely you have the story each year and it’s good you are keeping up the tradition with Grace too. Happy birthday Grace. We’ve celebrated my aunt and uncles 60th wedding anniversary today so enjoyed catching up with family. The freesia stamps and groovi are lovely, might go and have a peek.
    Love Diane xxx

  13. What a lovely blog – I love it when you tell us all about your day, your life and your family. Thanks Barb and Happy Birthday again. Happy Birthday to Grace too. xx

  14. I love freesias too, although it was about this time last year that I began to think they were the only flowers left in the world. Eighty plus! I seem to remember they formed an important part of your bouquet too. To me, flowers have to have a perfume, which freesias do. I am now the oldest in our family as both mothers left us several years ago. However, that means that I get thoroughly spoiled. Have a great time with your family. xxx Maggie (Silvercrafter)

    1. We never gave the two mothers anything more than a Mothering Sunday card, and a pot of wild yellow primroses (from a garden centre) to fit in with the origins of Mothering Sunday. , and our time and love. xxx Maggie (Silvercrafter)

  15. Hi Barb,
    It sounds as though you’ve had a lovely day and lovely that not only did you spend it with family here but also with Grace ( albeit on two different continents!) . Happy birthday Grace. My mam used to love freesia too and I must admit that I love them too , especially the scent. Hope you had a good walk with Dave, love and hugs Alison xx

  16. You have had a wonderful day to remember Barbara, spending it with the ones you love and who love you, and then also to have a call to Grace and I wish her a Happy Birthday too, also beautiful flowers from Dave. Freesias are so pretty and they have a lovely fragrance, and I also had them in my wedding bouquet. I hope you had a good walk with Dave. x

  17. So glad you had such a wonderful family day. Reading what you said about Dave reminds me of Bette Midler’s song “ You are the wind beneath my wings”. Such a beautiful song but it always makes me cry!

  18. Hi Barbara
    Well there’s nothing like an extended birthday. My daughter always seems to have a birthday that lasts about a week!!
    How nice you were all able to sing to Grace too on her Birthday. Xxxx
    I think it is wonderful that your Dave shares his knowledge of the great outdoors with you. It is always good to share knowledge xxxxxxx
    Take care
    Love & Hugs
    Xxxxxxx

  19. Hi Barb, belated Happy Birthday Wishes to Grace. What a lovely time you have had with your family, and to have your Mum and Dad around is so precious, making wonderful memories. I love Freesias too, and have the stamp, and the two samples are gorgeous. Take care all. Bx

  20. Glad you had a lovely day with your Mum and also both spoke to Grace in NY.
    It’s obvious you treasure time with your parents. I lost my Dad when he was 61 so he missed a massive chunk of my life, but I was lucky to have Mum until she was 93. This Monday would have been their 69th anniversary, so like last year I will take a groovi card I’ve made and laminated together with some flowers to the Crem. Cherish your memories Barbara x

  21. I love freesias too,they were my late husbands fave rite, whenever my daughter from Suffolk came home she brought flowers for me and a bunch of Freesias for her dad. When he died in 1996 my four daughters put a bunch of freesias round his face in his coffin X

  22. Dear Barbara. I do love reading your blog and all the story of the family. I love freesia and have the plate, made several cards last year with it. I will probably make some more soon. You have had a lovely birthday, so nice with the family, I use FaceTime with my families. Makes it easier having them all over the world. Happy birthday to Grace. Love xxx

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *