Happy Mother's Day!

Song - Mother and Child Reunion by Paul Simon

Above is a photo of my mother Betty Jane Malacarne at about 4 years of age.  

And she is still going strong at 91 !

I love you mom....thank you for setting such a loving

example of how a life is to be lived.

To all of you mother's, grandmother's & great-grandmother's out there

Wishing you a relaxing day to celebrate you!

I hope you can spend time with your family whether it's in person, via phone call 

or FaceTime or just going through some family photos.

You are indeed a blessing!

"God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers"
 - Jewish proverb

Queen of Hearts

Song - Mother and Child Reunion by Paul Simon

Mother's Day
 

 

Some photo's of mom's and their daughters.....from our family.

Mamma Mia.....
it's both a love story and a struggle for independence kinda relationship.

Above is a photo of my grandmother and my mom on her wedding day.

(I need to say that Grandma never dressed like this....she was always in an apron & cooking!)

I often wonder if there were ever  struggles in their relationship?

Grandma Sophie had four beautiful daughters.
And all the sisters were great friends.

My mom's mom - Grandma Sophie and her mom - Grandma Mary.

I was very fortunate to be able to spend time with both my Grandmother 

and Great Grandmother on my mom's side of the family.

Grandma Mary and my mom in Los Angeles c1980

Grandma Mary lived until she was 98 years old!

Need I say.....she was a pistol!

 My mom and her mother-in-law.....Grandma Violet.

(That's Duchess in between them at the beach in Santa Cruz)

 My daughter-in-law, Ashley and myself last year at her wedding shower.

Mom and myself at my wedding to Mr. B.

 Grandma Mary and me in Los Angeles.  She called me "Jeanettie"

Mom and I at the Giant's World Series game in 2010.

Very special time.

Love you mom and all the love your bring to our family!


 "God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers"
 - Jewish proverb

Mom's Glue

Song - Your Mother and Mine from Peter Pan

Mom circa 1957

See that cake pan on top of the refrigerator? Mom always had a freshly baked cake in there!  And the drawer behind her had Red Vine licorice and freshly baked chocolate chip cookies for the family and our friends. And she usually had a pot of spaghetti sauce simmering on the stove top. 

Mom could be found in the kitchen or in the garden....both favorites of hers.....they still are.

Mom is still cooking in the same kitchen (minus the plaid wallpaper) in 2016

My mom has some extra strength glue - one that can hold a whole family together.  This will be our year of "firsts"....first time in 66 years that dad wasn't with us to celebrate Mother's Day. But we held it together with mom's love.

As for my Mother's Day, it was an extra special day.  My middle son, Jon surprised me with a visit from LA - way too short Jon but a delight!  The three of us had breakfast with my mom, then while she was off playing golf with my brother & his family, I got to paint.  My three (4 with Mr. B) boys and my soon to be daughter (insert ear to ear grin here) celebrated with a lovely meal outside by the fireplace.

"Home is where your mom is."

Hair Quandry

Song - Almost Cut My Hair by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young


 So for the last few weeks I have been going through my parents old albums and scanning photo's to share with my family.  One thing really stood out for me was my hair.



First mom had me looking like a little Kewpie Doll....

Next she took me through the uneven bang stage.....

I look very confused by it all!

All dolled up and my big brother is taking me to the Easter Parade.  But still, check out those bangs!  Maybe I was frigidity while getting my bangs cut, or maybe mom was figidity?

I am the one in the middle but it looks like my mom got ahold of my cousin Kari as well and gave her the "Betty Special"! My little brother Tim looks like he just woke from a nap with bed hair. Cute though - love those corduroy rompers and dimples!

OK.....here is where mom really lost it.  She must of trimmed my hair while I was napping????
My brother David and I were busy painting the house with water in this photo. 

Looks like it is finally growing out after several years.....or maybe I just learned to tip my head in a certain direction so my bangs look more level?

We're getting better.......

And I think we have a winner! 

The boys were easy - dad just shaved it all off, I think it was called a "butch cut". 

I think this was during mom's "Toni" permanent wave stage. Remember the pink plastic curling rods, paper wrappers and stinky smell of the permanent wave lotion?  Can you pick me out in this crowd of brothers and cousins?

Finally mom must of just given up and let me grow out my bangs and curled them into little pin curls.
(This was my Grace Kelly look while having tea with my friend Judy and our dolls - very chic)

I know, I know.....quite the rain outfit right?  But my wonky bangs are still peeking out!

Free at last of my funny bangs but it looks like Tim is in need of a haircut....oh Dad time to get out the clippers!

Later in life I went though my own hair phases but that will have to wait for another day......


"You're only as good as your last haircut" --Fran Lebowitz

Mother's Day

Song - Mother and Child Reunion by Paul Simon

Have I told you about my mom?  

No one could ever fill her shoes.  She came from a family of Italian immigrants who were dirt poor but they knew that family was everything.  My mom instills that in her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren every day, by example.  She is what holds our family together......tightly but with love.  I feel enfolded daily by her loving kindness. 

Thank you mom for who you are and how supportive you have been in my life.  You have an amazing spirit filled with love and generosity.

 

 

"Sweater, n.: garment worn by child when its mother is feeling chilly."  --Ambrose Bierce

A Mom's Hug

 Song - Everybody Loves Somebody Sometimes by Dean Martin (Mom's favorite - after dad!)

When I think

of all 

that my mom has done 

for me, 

my brothers, 

our spouses, 

all of our children 

and now for her great-grandchildren....

Why am I not surprised 

that rarely does she not have 

a child in her lap......

or two or three....

and sometimes a dog 

or two 

thrown in? 

Much to my dad's chagrin, rarely does the word "no" come to her lips.  She has a huge heart and shares it with all.

No matter how big or small!

She was born into an Italian family and she is almost always in the garden or in the kitchen cooking.  She is never happy unless she can feed you or load up a bag with goodies to take home. 

Trust me, she can still cook AND direct a house full of people -  all while doling out love to the little ones.

I wonder if she realized when she first met my dad, that her world would be so full of love?

Thanks for being you MOM!!  Happy Mother's Day.....

Mom & Me

PS - I think this tag was made for mom.

"Mother, the ribbons of your love are woven around my heart."  ~Author Unknown

"A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie." -Tenneva Jordan

 "A mom's hug lasts long after she lets go."  ~Author Unknown

Spring Iris

Song - John Denver "Inch by Inch"

Our garden is a riot of color right now due to my obsession with Bearded Iris!  Well, that and roses and Spring bulbs and Lilac's and Wisteria and......well, you know how it can be.

My Grandpa Art got me started with roses.  He always had several roses in his front yard in Oakland with cuttings and onions underneath.

Grandma Sophie in the rose garden in Oakland

Grandpa Art with 3 of his 4 daughters in the rose garden.  My mom is on the far left.

Both of my parents are wonderful gardeners and their yard looks like a park.  They are in their mid-eighties (shhh...don't tell them I told you that!) and it wasn't until this year that they hired someone to "mow & blow" but all of the rest of the work, they do themselves.  They get great satisfaction from working in the soil and coaxing a plant along.

My parents at the Conservatory of Flowers in San Francisco while they were dating.

My mom & her sister Marie in a garden

 

My Grandpa Art working in the rose garden while his four daughters pose for the camera.  L-R is my Aunt Bernadine, my mom, Aunt Alma and Aunt Marie.  Not sure who the little girl giggling on the steps is.




Now that all of the Spring blossoms have left the trees and the bulbs are withering and my roses are just about to burst into bloom, I have time to enjoy my Iris.

I hope you enjoy them too.....

 

 

Where I relax after gardening.  Ahhh......

Had to add a beautiful white Lilac!!!  Can't you just smell the lovely fragrance?

And some Peonies just about to bloom!!!  So exciting.....

Our Wisteria at the back gate.

You would not believe the iridescent colors on this Iris when the sun is shining.  Unfortunately it was a hazy day today.

Some white Clematis on our fence.

The entire fence is a beautiful creamy white.

A little American Goldfinch taking a sunbath on the birdbath.

 

PS - I picked my first bouquet of Sweet Pea's today and they smell glorious! 

"Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul. " - Luther Burbank