For my Mother
Blooms for May and Mothers (sasanqua camellia in my garden)
and the Mother in all of us on Mother’s Day, 2014.
The Cradle
Berthe Morisot (January 14, 1841 – March 2, 1895)
White sasanqua camellia for the Mother in all of us
For a short history on Mother’s Day and the older celebration of Mothering Sunday click here.
And click here to read the 1914 proclamation of Mother’s Day by Woodrow Wilson, and for the history of Mother’s Day in the US click here. Mother’s Day founder Anna Jarvis fought against its commercialisation and died penniless. Her white flower of choice for Mother’s Day was the carnation.
© silkannthreades
silkannthreades 
Your links to the history provide some much welcome knowledge about something we just kind of take in our strides as something that has been around forever….
Mothers day is bitter sweet for me some years. My mother died when I was 16, and although I feel very blessed to have 2 wonderful children, the day leaves me ponderish…
Great pictures of the Camellia! 🙂
Your bittersweet situation was important to the instigator of Mother’s Day. Such situations have become clouded by the present day commercial hoopla over Mother’s Day, which is why I felt the background information in my post needed to be highlighted.
The lovely camellia pictures are a perfect way to honor the mothers in all of us. And I loved the link to learning more about the history of the day. In our family while I was growing up, Mother’s Day couldn’t involve fixing breakfast in bed for Mom (which was good, as my brother and our dad knew nothing at all about cooking…or cleaning up). We gave others rides to church and helped get things set up, so we all ate a quick bowl of cereal, got dressed and hurried off. But Sunday dinner on Mother’s Day was always a big deal, especially for Mom because she usually fixed a big dinner and anyone who needed a place to have Sunday dinner came to our house. But on Mother’s Day my dad took us to a nice restaurant for a fancy brunch–and even remembered to make reservations!–and that’s where we practiced our fancy manners. It’s a favorite memory, and when I told my mom about those times, she smiled and even laughed at some of the details, but the dementia kept it from sinking in that the stories were about HER special days.
But I remember, and sometimes that’s the best we can do, remember for them.
And a lovely memory it is, too. We didn’t have a restaurant like that to go to but there was always a lovely home-cooked meal (prepared by my father) for the occasion. The best silver and the best plates would have been brought out, and I suppose our best manners. 🙂
I hope you had a wonderful Mother’s Day! I love the painting and the camellia. I also don’t like the commercialization of Mother’s Day. Compared to where I’m from, it’s been taken into the extreme here…
There was no commercial aspect to my Mother’s Day…..just a quiet greeting and a phone call to my mother. Do you think Mama Osprey had a good day?
Mama osprey had a great day, she was supervising flying practice! A report should be ready soon 🙂
Great!
Beautiful tribute to mothers….the cradle painting…magnificent!!
Thank you Laurie. I loved your Mother’s Day photo shoot.
Oh, your camellia flowers are beautiful – just in time for Mother’s Day, lovely!
They timed it well, didn’t they!
I don’t mind the buying and selling that surrounds certain days, although the hucksterism can be a bit wearying. My mother always loved her flowers, and the card I’d bring. They helped to extend the day, and gave her pleasure in the nights, when she was alone. The flowers faded after a time, of course, but the cards stayed, and she kept every one — from the time I was drawing them with my crayolas.
It’s strange to me that only this year did I really feel a pang when I went into the stores and realized there was no one to purchase flowers for. How glad I am that I always did, when it was possible. What are those lines? “Gather ye rosebuds while ye may” — and then give them to someone, doggone it!
I do like the British “mothering day”. It nicely puts the focus on actions, and allows for an easy extension of the day’s meaning to aunts, sisters, grandmothers — perhaps even the men in the world who’ve taken over the mothering role.
Lovely post, and beautiful flowers.
I like that extension, too, and I do think we can include men with mothering roles if they would like to be included. Mothering should be a wide-open, loving, generous concept.
And how wise of you to say “Gather ye rosebuds…..” and give them to someone!
Belated Happy Mother’s Day! As a child, I can remember going out into the flower beds before church and selecting a colored flower to wear for Mother’s Day. It was lovely to see the different types of flowers that people had selected. The elderly people were all wearing white flowers because their mothers were deceased; while the most of the younger people had brightly colored flowers.
That’s a beautiful memory Sheryl. I wonder what Helena and her mother made of Woodrow Wilson’s proclamation of Mother’s Day.
Beautiful photos and hope you had a wonderful Mother’s Day! ❤️
xxx
I did, thank you. Did you celebrate Mother’s Day on May 11th?
Yes, My daughter in US surprised me by a beautiful flower gift❤️❤️❤️
It is first year far from her and honestly I’ve missed her a lot ❤️
How sweet of her to do that. I am sure she misses you a lot too.
What a lovely camelia, Ann. We have some deep pinks and a creamy yellow one I really like in our conservatory. Not in bloom yet 🙂 And the painting’s a beauty too.
Thank you Jo. Perhaps we will see a post about your camellias when they bloom. 🙂
well, I do hope you’ve had a wonderful mama’ day… 🙂 just like you I do dislike commercial holidays… btw, here, in “old Europe”, we celebrate it on May 25th, but frankly speakin’ our day should be every day… 🙂
I will raise my glass to that!
I love that Morisot–kind of says it all!
It truly does; well, almost. It does leave out the bits when the child won’t stop crying and the mother is at her wits’ end! To which your mother would have added “think of it as an adventure”. 🙂
Actually, there’s a funny story about my mother being at wit’s end with my crying as a baby. She had just learned she was pregnant again (when I was only 6 weeks old!) and she was crying and said to my father, “I’m gong to have another baby and I can’t stand the one I’ve got!” So much for looking at motherhood as an adventure!
Oh, that is funny. My mother probably would have said the same. I was a horror when it came to sleeping. Probably why it was another 6 years before my sister came along! I guess’ think of it as an adventure’ was wisdom that took a while for your mother to learn/acquire.
What glorious photos of that camelia. This post was a fine tribute to all mothers everywhere.
Thank you Mary. Are there any in your neighbourhood?
Happy belated Mother’s Day to you, Gallivanta. 🙂
Thank you. 🙂
Oh, that painting melts my heart! Gorgeous floral tribute to your mum. Happy Mother’s Day ❤
And to you too. And, best of all, the babe in the painting is sleeping! Like the cute little baby in your graphic.
I had often wondered why Mother’s Day (Mothering Sunday as we called it) was celebrated on a different day in the UK to most of the rest of the world…thank you for prompting me to look it up and read about it. Mothering Sunday was always a church related occasion and now I know why 🙂
I remember celebrating Mothering Sunday at various churches I attended but no one really explained the history of Mothering Sunday. It was a low key celebration; gentle and restrained. Sometimes the women (not just the mothers) were given little sprays of home-grown flowers. Mother’s Day by contrast was a ‘party’ day. 🙂
Happy Mother’s Day to you too. I found another link from National Geographic that was quite informative as well…including Anne’s photo
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/05/140508-mothers-day-nation-gifts-facts-culture-moms/?rptregcta=reg_free_np&rptregcampaign=20131016_rw_membership_n1p_us_se_w#
Great article Mrs P. It was interesting to have the links to Father’s Day which had its 100th anniversary in 2010 and also a mention of President Clinton’s attempt to introduce a Parents’ Day.
Beautiful images, I hope you had a lovely day. 😉
I did, thank you. And you?
It was Mothers Day in Germany too, so I phoned and send flowers which are beautiful my mum said. I will be visiting my mum in 2 weeks time and deliver the hug personally! Happy mothers Day!
How lovely you will be seeing your mother soon. Virtual hugs are nice but real time hugs are the best.
Lovely, interesting, and bittersweet too.
Thank you Cynthia; your comment rather sums up motherhood.
Thank you for the interesting links and the ‘gift’ of the white camellia! I grow increasingly concerned about the forced happiness that is supposed to come with all these days…puts stress on everyone and sets unrealistic standards with glitsy stuff needed to prove your love. I think it must make a lot of folks feel unloved and sad! Even though I am a mother I much prefer the feistiness and inclusivity of International Women’s Day as it’s celebrated here in Canada…
I am glad you mention the unloved and the sad. Mother’s Day and many other Days are not happy occasions for some. There are times I struggle with the ‘celebratory’ days and the implied idea that we MUST BE happy. So, I was glad to read that Anna Jarvis’ intention was simply to honour mothers and express our thanks to them. Again, not all can do that but that idea does sit more easily with me. I like the sound of your International Women’s Day. And I also love the way the Canadians celebrate our amazing Marilyn Waring http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11248562 If only her own country folk would take heed, life would be much better for many, including mothers.
Marilyn Waring has been such a hero for many of us here in Canada – she really contributed hugely to a feminist analysis (common sense analysis!!) of how we value things. Yes we’d all be better off with more of her common sense….So glad you pointed out the new book – must look it up and read it soon.
And I am glad you pointed out that her analysis = common sense.
I’m with Anna Jarvis.
Yes!
I hope you have a wonderful Mother’s Day! You’ve been a wonderful friend to me! ❤
Thank you gp. It’s good that we can support each other. And you also support so many others with their blogging and provide welcome information to non bloggers as well.
Did you know that Berthe Morisot appeared in several of Édouard Manet’s paintings and that she became his sister-in-law?
Yes, I did, but only as of yesterday when I discovered her in a little book about the Impressionists. 🙂
Thank you for including the link to the history of the day. I learned new things from there and more (it raised my curiousity to look for the history of Father’s Day afterward).
Happy Mother’s Day 🙂
Mmmm Father’s Day; now that’s something I haven’t investigated. You have made me curious. Happy Mother’s Day.
The Berthe Morisot painting is an old favourite of mine. I had a print of it on my wall for many years. We do seem to have these synchronicities, don;t we?
Indeed. But, strangely, I met the Morisot painting (via a book on Impressionist paintings ) only yesterday and fell in love with it immediately. I would love a print of it.
What perfect timing, to discover this painting just before Mother’s Day.
I thought so too. It was meant to be. 🙂
Happy Mother’s Day! I noticed that the florists were scurrying around today. Ah, there scent of flowers at the Farmers Market was glorious. And I believe that they will be serving tea and scones tomorrow so I’ll be heading out in the early morning. Of all of the many titles I have had in my life, being a mother has given me the most profound sense of continuing. We live through each stage of a child’s life, carefully storing away memories so that we can recall the first word, the first step, the first report card. For me, every day is mother’s day. 🙂
I hope you are enjoying tea and scones and a wonderful every day mother’s day. And isn’t it a delight when we rediscover those first reports and paintings, tucked away in safe places? 🙂
Yes!!! Indeed it is a delight! 🙂
🙂
Beautiful post! I received hand-made cards and gifts from my children…they warmed my heart ❤
How lovely. I can imagine how happy they were to give them to you.
My mother was fond of white flowers, especially peonies. Your camelia photos are beautiful.
Thank you Lavinia. My camellias flowered in March last year but this year they have arrived in perfect time for Mother’s Day. Like your mother, I enjoy white flowers. I planted a white peony but this is what happened 😦 https://silkannthreades.wordpress.com/2013/10/24/3238/
White peony turns red! Some flowers like Hydrangeas are sensitive to soil pH and other nutrients, affecting color. I don’t know about peonies and couldn’t find anything right off, but you may want to check with your Agricultural Extension Service. They may be able to answer that riddle.
I am sure there is an answer somewhere but I am now so used to the peony being red I would miss it, if I managed to make it white! Perhaps the best solution is to find another white peony to plant.
thanks for all the links Gallivanta … I hate the commercialism of mothers day too but it is lovely to have one day when we remember our mothers, all down the line, our chance to experience human life through their wombs …thanks to all my female ancestors!
‘All down the line’ is a lovely way to put it. I thought it was good to remember that Mother’s Day was never intended as a commercial day. Mind you, we could say that about Easter and Christmas and many other days that have been hi-jacked for commercial gain.
When we were teenagers, my friend Michael Kindman wrote a satirical story about Finance Day (i.e. Christmas), in which he pretended to lament the way the holiday was becoming less commercial.
Good one! Much as I dislike the commercial aspect of some holidays, I do wonder if it is the commercial aspect that has sustained our interest in some of them. Would Mother’s Day be as popular as it is without the sales, the cards, the flowers, the chocolate etc?