We have finally had some breaks from the rain and with that has come the discovery that our hydrangeas and gardenias have burst into bloom. One of the things I love most about our current home is our back yard. I love the big oaks that give us shade and remind me of my Louisiana roots. And I love the old established plants that remind me of both of my grandmothers and their love of gardening, Southern gardening: azaleas, hydrangeas, gardenias, caladiums, iron plants, magnolia and ferns. All staples of a traditional Southern garden. Blooming on schedule each year with their heady scents and their decadent blooms. Bringing up so many memories and linking generations together. I will be sad to leave these familiar scents and colors. They are a part of me and now a part of my children. Sappy, but true.
And here's one more thing. Noah will be graduating from Kindergarten tomorrow. Feeling very sentimental today. In awe of how quickly he is growing up before our eyes and so proud to be the mama to one very amazing monkey boy. And see those big blue eyes of his? Those are my blue eyes, but even more meaningful to me they are my father's eyes.
Memorial Day will always have extra meaning to me. My father's funeral was on Memorial Day 2008. A fitting day to remember and mourn.
I gave the eulogy. I ended it by asking everyone to turn off their cell phones, turn off their gps systems, roll down their windows, and enjoy the journey as my dad had done so many times on those same country roads. We all gathered outside Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church and watched with tears as Adam, Noah, Michael, and my Aunt Claire climbed into my dad's favorite old green truck (1976 Dodge). The truck sputtered, coughed, and then roared to life. There was a collective celebratory yell and then we each climbed into our separate cars to make the trip to the cemetery. 9 miles through the neon green rice fields that my dad loved to paint. Big clouds over the prairie. Birds flying through the fields. It was truly a morning that my dad would have loved.
My father was a Korean War Veteran. A patriotic man. A gentle, loving man. A man who would have felt very honored to have a military burial in a small Cajun cemetary overlooking his beloved rice fields.
Noah,Daddy, and Shadow standing on the edge of the fields. Summer 2004.
Our baby cardinals are 10 days old today and right on schedule they have left the nest for the very first time. You can read more about the exciting day here. Waiting to see if they will return to the nest tonight.
Our rain soaked kitty has found a new home. Sad to say good-bye, but good to know he will be safe and loved.
Our friends who came for the weekend have also left. As always, we had a good visit. They are truly some of our favorite people in the whole world. We spent most of the rainy weekend lounging around, eating,talking, reading, and eating some more (very hard to resist Louisiana crawfish and chocolate chess pie!).
The only thing that continues to linger around our nest is the rain. Still raining. And expected to continue through this week.
We have finally had some breaks from the rain and with that has come the discovery that our hydrangeas and gardenias have burst into bloom. One of the things I love most about our current home is our back yard. I love the big oaks that give us shade and remind me of my Louisiana roots. And I love the old established plants that remind me of both of my grandmothers and their love of gardening, Southern gardening: azaleas, hydrangeas, gardenias, caladiums, iron plants, magnolia and ferns. All staples of a traditional Southern garden. Blooming on schedule each year with their heady scents and their decadent blooms. Bringing up so many memories and linking generations together. I will be sad to leave these familiar scents and colors. They are a part of me and now a part of my children. Sappy, but true.
