Tuesday, March 1, 2022

100

 

Today would be my Mother’s 100th birthday.  She used to laugh and joke about how she was going to live to be 100.  Even though she died at 66 from a second round of cancer, I believe a part of her is still alive in my heart if nothing else. 

 

Mother in 1939, age 17

My Mother was born on March 1st 1922.  She was the youngest of three children and the only girl.  When she was four years old her father died from appendicitis.  That was much more difficult to treat in those days, especially without the help of antibiotics.  After his death, her mother and the three children moved closer to family.  The love and support of family made all the difference for them.

 

Daddy, Mother, and
my oldest brother, Charlie, 1940's

Even though my Mother’s adult life was often challenging, she always loved her children and grandchildren more than anything.  She would sing fun songs that the children loved like “Mairzy Doats” and “The Purple People Eater”.  When I was a teenager she was always understanding and supportive of my interests.  By then she was sick much of the time and I often took care of her as much as I was able when I wasn’t in school. 


Mother's Day, 1965

I have so many memories of the little things about my Mother, such as some of the items she carried in her purse.  There was always Dentyne gum, a small tube of Blistix, a handkerchief, a compact, and lipstick.  She used Coty cologne and makeup and I still remember the scent of both.  She took great joy in simple things and loved gardening.  One of her favorite activities was getting together with as much family as possible and having a picnic at a creek or lake nearby.  You know, it’s the many little things we remember about our loved ones that we later realize were actually the big things.    





48 comments:

  1. What a beautiful tribute to a beautiful lady, inside and out! Dear Bonnie, you are so right about remembering the little things. Even now, with both my parents still around but of course not getting any younger or healthier with the years, I find myself remembering small things about them when they (and I!) were younger. And naturally, I also remember small things about my late husband, in spite of him being gone since 2009.

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    1. Thank you Meike for your kind words. Our memories of loved ones are very special. ; )

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  2. A very warm and loving post that made me smile. The first picture is very nicely colourized.

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    1. I'm happy it made you smile Tasker. The first picture is the color of the original. I guess it was sepia. I wonder if they did color it like that or if it was the style of the early photography. I have many photos from that time period and most are black and white but some are sepia.

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  3. Good mothers give so many memories and show daughters how to be good mothers themselves, like you I have so many great memories of my mum, she was born in 1923, so a year younger than your mum. I love your photo's and this lovely post.

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    1. Thank you, memories about the special people in our lives are priceless! How nice that our mums were close in age. I'm so glad you stopped by!

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  4. Wonderful photos of your Mother Bonnie! She looked like a very graceful lady. You have me singing along now: 'Mairzy doats and dozy doats and liddle lamzy divey
    A kiddley divey too, wouldn't you?' Thank you for reminding me of this song! Have a lovely day Bonnie. x

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    1. How fun that you remember that song! Few people I see know it. My Mother loved to sing it to the grandchildren and of course they loved it and sang along. xx

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  5. That's a lovely birthday tribute to a great person. Yes, she's clearly still with you.

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    1. Yes, she will always be with me, as it should be. ; )

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  6. Bonnie, I loved this. Your mom was beautiful, I'm sure she heard that a lot. What wonderful photos! I also love what you wrote here, especially your last line about the little things meaning the most. 🙂❤️

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    1. Hi Doug, I'm so happy you enjoyed this! I love it when you write about your family and share such wonderful photos too. It's good to enjoy those special memories!

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  7. A loving tribute to a loving woman. Long may your memories of her live in your heart.

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    1. Thank you Mary. She will always be with me. I'm so happy your stopped by. I hope you are well!

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  8. 100th birthdays are special and bring back lots of good memories. Your mother had a very challenging life and you appreciate what she did for you.

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    1. These birthdays are special and it's good to recognize them. It's good to see you Red!

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  9. They are beautiful pictures of your mother Bonnie. As others have said, a lovely tribute to her. She looks warm and friendly and kind. xx

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    1. Thank you Rachel. Even though she did often have a difficult life she remained warm, friendly, and kind. xx

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  10. What wonderful memories you have. And yes, I agree it is the little things that are really the big things in life. Your mother has the most loving and pleasant face.

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    1. Thanks Rose. All those small memories do add up to big ones, don't they!

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  11. Your mother was a lovely person, in every sense of the word. She loved her life and her family, completely. Make you a better mother, looking back, I'm sure.

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    1. Thank you Joanne. Yes, my Mother loved her family more than anything and I am the same with my love for my family. There's nothing like a mother's love!

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  12. Oh Bonnie, she was a beautiful lady. And this is a beautiful post. You know, it is the little things my mother did or things she liked or did that I think about most.

    Dan has told me his mother sang Mairzy Doats to them when they were little. He said it was "mares eat oats and does eat oats and little lamba eat ivy". That's how she sang it. Thats funny.

    Bonnie, could you email me. I don't have your email and have something I would like to share with you. Thank you.

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    1. Thank you Henny, she was very special to me. I have always enjoyed seeing pictures of your mother in some of your posts. How wonderful to find someone else that knows the song “Mairzy Doats"! I love that Dan's mother sang it to him when he was a child. It's a song that children love.

      I'll be happy to send you my email. I'll get it off to you right away!

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  13. What a beautiful women.

    God bless.

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    1. Thank you Jackie, she was special. I hope you are well. Thanks for stopping by.

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  14. Love the old photos, they are precious! I know that song...I learned it as Marizy doats and doesy doats and little lambsy didies:)

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    1. I'm like you about old photos, I love them! You are one of the few familiar with that song. It's a fun song from the 40's and my Mother loved to sing it.

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  15. Lovely memories, Bonnie. Your mother was a wonderful woman and thank you sharing some of her stories with us.

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    1. Thank you Mr. Shife. It's nice to see you here.

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  16. Loving cherished memories of our lost loved ones remain.

    My late brother's birthday was 28th February...he just scrapped in to the last of the month...and my late mother's birthday was 17th February...

    I, too, love my old photos...

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    1. Hi Lee, it's so good to see you. I know your brother and Mother have been in your thoughts recently. Our old photos are precious!

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  17. Lovely lady, you mom. I agree--it is all those little things that take on much more significance later on. A sweet tribute to your mom. :)

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    1. I think as we get older we do realize those little memories often mean as much or more as the big ones. I hope you are doing well Rita!

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  18. What a beautiful memorial for Mother! Thank you! And the older I get the more I realize what you said about "those little things" is so true. And memories can be like precious jewels!

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    1. Thanks Charlie. It's hard to believe we just passed what would have been her 100th birthday!

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  19. A beautiful and moving tribute, Bonnie, to an obviously very loved and very beautiful lady.

    I will be 81 years old in a few days and I have known the Mairsy Doats song for at least 70 years. I learned it from my mother just like everyone else. Simone is right and Henny Penny is also right. Here is the complete song, and I'm doing this from memory without referring to anything online:

    "Mairzy doats and dozy doats and liddle lamzy divey
    A kiddley divey too, wouldn't you?

    Mairzy doats and dozy doats and liddle lamzy divey
    A kiddley divey too, wouldn't you?

    If the words sound queer and funny to your ear,
    A little bit jumbled and jivey,
    Sing "Mares eat oats and does eat oats
    And litle lambs eat ivy."

    Mairzy doats and dozy doats and liddle lamzy divey
    A kiddley divey too, wouldn't you?

    Mairzy doats and dozy doats and liddle lamzy divey
    A kiddley divey too, wouldn't you?"

    And to quote the heading of your blog, Bonnie, yes, it seems like only yeaterday.

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    1. Great job on the words without looking them up! Isn't Mairsy Doats a fun song! My Mother loved it. I can still hear her singing it to me and to her grandchildren. It always made the little ones giggle.

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  20. My mother was ten months older than your mother Bonnie. I think about her and about my father every single day. Your final sentence was oh so true. "The Purple People Eater" sounds like a pretty scary song to me!

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    1. That's much too soon to lose a parent. Our memories of them are important and I pass mine on to my grandchildren so they live on in them. "The Purple People Eater" was a fun song children loved in the late 50's.

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  21. Lovely!

    Your mother sounds like a very special lady.

    So glad we get to carry memories with us, even after our loved ones are no longer physically present.

    Blessings~

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    1. Hello! Yes, so many of our memories are very special. Thank you for visiting my blog. I'm off to visit yours now!

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  22. What happened to Coty? I wonder if it's still available, I loved Coty lipsticks and perfumes years ago.
    Didn't everyone look so lovely in the 60's. I remember my shoes and matching bag and even gloves. Bit different to today. lol
    Briony
    x

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    1. Hello Briony, it's good to see you. Once in a while I'll see some Coty make up or cologne in a store but none of it is the same as what my Mother used.
      I agree with you about the 60's. The fashion and styles were wonderful! Today definitely is different! x

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  23. My dad used to sing Mairzy doats. How I wish I could hear him sing it one more time.

    Your mother was very young to die at age 66. This post was a lovely tribute to her.

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    1. Thank you Joey. It's interesting to hear how many people do remember Mairzy Doats. I love that you have memories of your Dad singing it.

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  24. I thought I had commented on this post but it must have been one of those days when my good intentions were not followed up with action! I had wanted to say your mother looked like such a kind person and was very pretty too. What lovely photos of her! You're so right about the little things being what we remember most. Often those things include our own sayings and mannerisms (whether we like it or not) which we have absorbed from them. Nice post, Bonnie. I'm glad you have good memories of your mother. It must have been very hard to lose her when you were still quite young.

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    1. Thank you Jenny. I was 36 when my mother died and I still had young children. Life just doesn't always turn out like we think it should does it? You are so right about us having sayings and mannerisms we get from our parents. Since I've gotten older I've begun to realize just how many of those I automatically use!

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