11.20.2012

A QUASI SHRINE AND A STORY

One thing birthdays always make me think of is my mother.  She was my adoptive mother,and my birth mothers older sister, my birth mother having died when I was 18 months old.  We'll call her Lila, she was a rare character and always loved to regale me with my November 16th birthday story.  The snow was deep, the winds were wild, and the old car wouldn't start to take my mother to the hospital.  Finally it did but it stalled on the railroad tracks and then finally moved along.  You can see what this is about.  Every year the story got wilder , the snow got deeper, the wind blew harder.  Guess what I miss most every year of my birthday?  All the old ones are gone and nobody knows my story anymore.

Here is another thing.  Everytime my son and I would send Grandma flowers for a special day, she would make this little shrine, of the flowers in the center, photos of Mike  on one side, and a candle on the other side.  When the flowers died, the candle got transfered to the center, and a picture of the flowers on the side.  It stayed up forever, or until the next one came, and every one who visited had to know about it.  So Mike and I would always have a laugh about the shrine for the flowers and soon a picture would come of it. 

So this year my son and his wife sent me flowers on my birthday along with a nice gift card.  I sort of felt I should make a little shrine, just to send to Mike, but this was the best I could do:


So this one is for you, Mike, it doesn't measure up to Grandma's but I'm just not the Shrine type, I guess.  Big thanks to you and Laura.


Cheers,

Jo/Mom

19 comments:

  1. awww. beautiful flowers. the shrine story made me smile. bless your mom and her story.

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  2. I think its really lovely.. Hugs GJ x

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  3. The flowers are lovely! I love family myths/lore. My father was a great story teller in that sense of makeing the stories bigger and better with each telling. It's the nostalgic time of the year :-)

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  4. We had great stories, too and they grew over the years. Wonderful memories!

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  5. Jo! hi!

    that was interesting to hear about your Moms. some people just do things a certain way and then do it over and over and over again. i am not that way. i have to have new things around me. if it is new to me any way. i love thrifting things... in both directions; donating and buying used. So I just like things that are either new or new to me.

    and ...btw, HAPPY BIRTHDAY. My oldest granddaughter and you share the same date. you know what? it has never been bad weather on her birthday on the day or since for 10 years now.

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  6. Jo that is a beautiful shrine and I am sure that Mike will love it. And I so enjoy reading these details about the different odd little ways people express their love for one another. (I have been feeling uncharacteristically sentimental this week ever since I saw the card my mother gave my Dad for his 91st birthday on Sunday. The card depicted two penguins waddling hand in hand across the icy vastness of Antarctica, above the caption "when you find someone you love you should never let them go".)
    Belated Happy Birthday.
    Cheers

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    1. Aw, Gail, the card sounds so beautiful and perfect for a life long love! Maybe your Mum will make a shrine out of it!

      Cheers,
      Jo

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  7. That last comment should have ended
    Cheers, Gail
    of course.

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  8. Jo, that was a beautiful post. I too have now lost my dad and my mum passed away three years ago tomorrow and I miss their stories so much. You know your story and so does your son so it will continue to be told. Keep up with the shrine because one day that will be your story as well as your mums! Happy Birthday Jo. I wish you a lovely day. No worries, and love, Carol (and Stella and Rory)

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  9. Oh Jo, this was just such a sweet and touching post. We loved the story about the shrine your Mom made and we bet your shrine brought a smile and some great memories to your son and his wife. Happy Birthday Month to you.

    Woos - Phantom, Thunder, Ciara, and Lightning

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  10. It's a beautiful bouquet and a fun story. I can see you're still celebrating!

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  11. I love the story, and I think the shrine is quite lovely! I'm sure the first one your mom did wasn't as grand as the later ones. Maybe you just need a little more practice! :)

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  12. Oh, that is SO sweet! Love this story. Happy Brthday to you, too! Have a wonderfuls week, and sweet memories.

    Kisses,
    Ruby

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  13. That is just lovely. We wish you a warm and lucky happy birthday and we hope your day is a joyous one. Have a wonderful Wednesday.
    Best wishes Molly

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  14. Hey Jo, What a lovely story about your two Moms. And the flower shrine...very funny! I'm sure your son got a kick out of it! You're story telling is charming...so glad they got that car re-started and off the railroad tracks in time!!!

    Currently, I hope you don't get snowed in and that you had a lovely Thanksgiving. (P.S. My grandson is 10 months old, but I just love that photo of us! LOL)

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  15. Hey Jo, What a lovely story about your two Moms. And the flower shrine...very funny! I'm sure your son got a kick out of it! You're story telling is charming...so glad they got that car re-started and off the railroad tracks in time!!!

    Currently, I hope you don't get snowed in and that you had a lovely Thanksgiving. (P.S. My grandson is 10 months old, but I just love that photo of us! LOL)

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  16. I love your birthday story and the shrine!

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  17. Thanks for sharing such a wonderful piece of your life and your heart!

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