My mom has been gone from us for more than 20 years but I think of her everyday. It’s funny the things you remember … here are some of the things I remember most…
The power of red LIPSTICK…
My mom was not the glam type. She never wore makeup (unlike me who is rarely with out it!) and was usually dressed to clean house or work in the garden. But, when she got ready to “go to town” (probably to pay bills and get groceries) she put on red lipstick. It is not so much what she said, but it is what I observed … that red lipstick transformed her! Not only did her face brighten, but she got a little playfully sassy–which was not her usual personality. Needless to say, I have several (maybe a few more than several) tubes of lipstick in varying shades of red!
That COFFEE makes everything better…
I don’t think I ever remember a day when there was not coffee perking in our home. It was the first thing that happened in the morning and the pot was on all day. Every guest to our home received a fresh cup! That is probably one of the reasons I am such a coffee fan … Starbucks is a fav place for me and much coffee is brewed in our house. Just holding a warm cup of coffee in my hand makes me happy. And, if I can share it with a friend, well that is even better!
The value of a GREEN THUMB…
My mom could grow anything. I have literally watched her break off a branch of a tree or bush, plant it and watch it grow. With very few resources available to her, she grew almost everything we ate. She froze, canned, dried or in some way “put up” the food we grew in the garden plus the fruit from the cherry, pear and apple trees we had. One of the things she did that I have thought about so much lately is “pickle” stuff…. Our back porch was filled with large white crocks covered with white towels. In those crocks were things like kraut, pickles, pickled green beans, pickled corn, beets, okra, eggs and on and on! Sounds kind of odd for today, but I can tell you everything was delish! She didn’t waste anything and one of her greatest pleasures was sharing what she grew! I too love to share what I grow, but it is mostly flowers and tomatoes!
Here she is with her “Romeo” when they were dating. Look closely … I bet she is rocking some ruby red lipstick! That smile says, “I am SASSY.”
Aren’t they just the cutest!
I love you momma Gene!
I would like nothing better that to have coffee with her in my garden.
If you like family stories, you might like to read about my dad here.
Love this article….miss your Mom too….she would approve…GB
What a wonderful tribute to your Mom!! I loved reading about the lipstick and the coffee….I remember neighbors just stopping by for coffee!! I think you got your Mom’s green thumb…you watched and listened well!! Happy Mother’s Day to you, Teresa…..YOU are a terrific Mom, too!!
Good morning Carol! So nice to hear from you. The lipstick story is one of my favs. You are one of the most amazing moms I know and I wish you a very Happy Mother’s Day!
Thanks for sharing such wonderful memories of your mom! Love the pic!
Hi Janet! Hope you have a wonderful Mother’s Day.
What a great read. I’m guessing you inherited some of the Sassy. Wonderful memories. Thank you so much for sharing.
Thanks Susan. Yes, you are right, with or without the lipstick I inherited plenty of the sass! Glad you stopped by!
I still remember when Mom gave me my first tube of Clinique lipstick. I thought I had “arrived” into womanhood. I have no idea whether it is the best lipstick brand or not, but it is all I ever buy. Thanks for the walk down the path. You know I share your passion for coffee, lipstick, and gardening. What beautiful Mother’s Day memories you have stirred. Thank you!
Don’t you just love that picture of them! Young love.
Oh Teresa, such a wonderful post. My life was very different and there are no loving memories, but it gives me great pleasure to hear wonderful memories of others. What a beautiful photo. Next time I’m in town I might just want to see your garden, it’s been years.
It’s a date! I would love for you to visit!
Beautiful tribute Teresa, I hope you have some of those time honored recipes tucked away. Your mom is a kindred spirit in so many ways to women everywhere!
Unfortunately she rarely used recipes and very little is written down.
What a beautiful tribute to your Mom. So many memories of my Mother and like you, there is not a day goes by that I do not think of her. Times were so much simpler back then. Remembering times of her cooking for a threshing ring, men baling hay and neighborhood farming families just getting together are some of my favorites. She could have a huge meal thrown together in no time just by things she had canned, butchered or out of the freezer!! Looked like she had been cooking for days. Fortunately I do have alot of her recipes and they give me a chuckle every time I see things like “a pinch of salt”, “butter the size of a walnut” “a dash of this or that”. I cherish them all especially the ones in her handwriting!! Thanks Teresa for sharing your memories.
I say ditto to everything you said. When Mom cooked it looked like she’d been cooking for days … But she just “threw” it together! Thank you for sharing your sweet memories with me!!!!!
What a blessing we have in our mothers – there is an old German saying that goes something like this – when someone dies as long as they are in our memories and in our hearts they will live forever. Our mothers will live forever! God bless you and your memories of your beautiful mother. thank you for sharing your mom with me ~Patty
Loved that era. Clothes and cars had great style and housewives were frugal and creative…
So very true!
Lovely post. I read it while enjoying my morning coffee in he garden.
Hello, I am so glad you enjoyed! Perfect place for morning coffee. Be safe.