Thursday, February 3, 2011

I know of a sunny garden...

Delicious mornings and sunny, warm afternoons…
There’s a magical garden… tucked somewhere behind an old fence. And there, at the entrance, a carmine cloud of bougainvilleas spilling joy over an old wall…
It's an enchanted place; day and night.. a magical place filled with fairies, mermaids, and exotic birds sweetly tucked amidst leaves and flowers...
It's a real garden... It's my mom's garden!
The front door of the house is connected with the gate of the garden by a short stone path which is smooth to step on, and inside... Inside that old gate you will find mostly potted plants, as concrete have taken over most of the soil… but there is still a little space reserve for gardening… One thing you will always find in my mom’s garden is love and acceptance. When I was growing up, my mom used to remind me countless times that she will always love me regardless of what I did or whatever path I decided to follow. And it has always been like this. In my parent’s garden you will also find laughter and joy mixed with a smorgasbord of stories and conversations that are almost always evocative of a long gone past… but always, always always you will find love; unconditional love. Flawless love… A garden touched by unconditional love—my mom and dad… My heart aches with love!
I’d been so rewarding being able to play with soil again… In February! Can you imagine? It’ll be a few more months until I can again enjoy my own garden, but for now my mom’s garden has become my own little paradise… happiness under my feet, soil in my hands and face again… I feel so alive, so happy to be under the sun down on my hands and knees pulling the weeds by hand. I have cleared up mom’s little garden of weeds and planted a whole flat of tangerine Impatients... they're small plants right now, but soon the mounded plant habit will take over and a profusion of loveliness will fill this little space with color and cheerfulness.
I only wish I could stay a little longer so I could help dad repaint the concrete floors and walls… this is such a beautiful little space! And I love being here! Why don’t I ever get tired of doing this?--see blurry picture (by my husband) below:
I could stay here for ever; forever gardening under a gentle sun, but I have a home of my own to return to, and so we’ll be heading back to “Ice World” tomorrow afternoon. I am glad I will be going home, but I know it’ll be very discouraging going back to cold dreary winter days… and I'm already missing mom and dad so bad...

20 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing your mom's pretty garden and sunshine with us. We had an ice storm here today, and the kids were let out of school early. I am happy you had a great trip and visit with your parents.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Your Mom looks like such a sweet person...and how wonderful that your parents are both still healthy and happy in their own place. I can tell that your Mom loves her plants...and they thrive on the love she gives them just as you thrived on the love she showered on you. If there is one thing I hope that I gave my own children it is that sense of being loved unconditionally...oh..they might have disappointed sometimes but they were never loved less...and always accepted for who they were/are. I hope the same thing with my grandkids...that they feel like you did when they are grown...what a wonderful way to be remembered.

    I am sure you are dreading going home to the ice...I am wishing I were in FL right about now and watching something besides icicles grow. Have a safe trip. Hugs-Diana

    ReplyDelete
  3. Is this really real??? I'm under six or more inches of ice and more snow to come. Happy are you that have this right now. But wait until spring and summer thats when my garden shines...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Beautiful garden, great pictures, and a truly loving Mom. Thanks for sharing her! Loving unconditionally is the best thing you can do in life!

    Take care, Sue

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hola Cielo! Qué maravillosa la foto de tu mamá, me impactó, transmite mucha fuerza, amor y magia. Seguramente tu mamá es un ser lleno de luz y calidez. Gracias por compartir las fotos del jardín de tus padres, me recuerdan los jardines de las casas de mi ciudad (Buenos Aires), con paredes añejas y patios porteños...
    Qué bueno que hayas pasado un tiempo junto a tus papás, me alegro mucho por ti, ahora conocemos de dónde proviene toda esa magia y encanto que tienes!
    Cariños a tu mami.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Would love to have you link up to my Garden Party!!! Pop over & take a peek - this post fits in very well with Cottage Flora Thursday's. Hope you have a wonderful weekend! xoox

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a lovely garden! It is so hot here, but feel refreshed after reading your post :) Best wishes, Jenny

    ReplyDelete
  8. Beautiful post, I am missing my Mom and her garden and your post made me smile. Thanks.
    hugs from buried in snow!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hi Cielo, what a beautiful little garden and such a pretty mama, just like her daughter!... I love how you post about precious memories and how important our families are to us... things that matter most in life... I too am so anxious for Spring and getting back out in my garden and digging my hands into the moist warm soil once more... xoxo Julie Marie

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh, Cielo, how absolutely wonderful you were able to spend time in your mother and father's garden. I know it has been good for your soul. I can see little touches everywhere with all the pretty plants and lovely little statues. I can't imagine how much fun you guys have had. The neatest thing is that after you return home, your mother will have all these little touches of her beautiful daughter: the impatiens will greet her with joy in the mornings... I know it will be so sweet for her to think you were there and left that legacy of flowers to cheer her.

    It makes me a little sad to think how many miles separate families. I am lucky to live right next door to my son and WITH my mother. But we have dear family whom we will maybe never see because they live in California and we live here...

    I am finally full of winter. I am a snow fairy, but underneath this last 24 inches of snow... i have decided to ache along with you for spring and its beauty.

    Love you and your blog. I have enjoyed "traveling" with you to the land of sunshine and flowers... Safe journey home to your little domain.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh, Cielo, I know just how you feel. I live away from my parents too. I try to visit them every two months or so. It's always sad to leave that comfort of parents.

    My parents also live in a warmer climate. I'm going at the end of this month or early next month. Can't wait!!

    You have a beautiful blog.

    ReplyDelete
  12. That's my comment above. Sorry, still getting use to blogging.

    ReplyDelete
  13. What a marvellous garden. Thank you for sharing.
    I really want the Spring to come... now.
    hugs elsamarianne

    ReplyDelete
  14. WELCOME BACK AMIGA..ME ALEGRO TANTO QUE TE HAYGAS PASADO ESE HERMOZO TIEMPO CON TUS PADRES TU MADRE ES MUY HERMOZA,EL JARDIN ES DIVINO,CON ESOS BRILLANTES COLORES PARECE PRIMAVERA.. LO MEJOR DE ESTE POST ES QUE COMPARTES EL AMOR INCONDICIONAL QUE HA EXISTIDO Y EXISTE CON TUS PADRES,ERES MUY BENDECIDA...CARINOS

    ReplyDelete
  15. Cielo... the garden of your mum is really wonderful...

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hi Cielo,
    What a treat that would be -to dig in your Mom's garden for awhile.
    I think maybe you look like your pretty Mama.
    before you know it you will be enjoying the sights and sounds in your own beautiful garden.
    Enjoy your weekend,
    Carolyn

    ReplyDelete
  17. Thank you so very much for your sweet coments you left on my blog! I am really glad you came over and linked your moms beautiful garden this week - hope to see you again! xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  18. What a lovely tribute to your parents. You are so blessed to have their "unconditional love". As a mother of an adult son, I can only hope that he feels this way about me. Thank you for sharing, and for the beautiful photos. Having just experienced a 30 below zero day this week, it's wonderful to escape for a few minutes to a colorful garden. Blessings.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Beautiful place and darling mom.
    Mary Ann

    ReplyDelete
  20. One of my dream in my house for the future is to have a garden and a playground in the background of my home so that the place could go to have fun and to bond with your family. Lovely garden you have.

    Angelo H

    ReplyDelete

Please leave a note; I love to read your comments.