Sunday 10 March 2013

Mothers Day Preparation On The Smallholding.

I went to Bantry yesterday to buy flowers for my wife and to put on my mothers grave in Durrus.  I hate going to my parents graves and it crucified me again yesterday.  Death is something that we will never ever comprehend.  I hope and pray that there is an after life and we meet up with our departed loved one's, friends and domestic and farmyard pals some time.  Wouldn't it be great if Heaven sent us an email and we could communicate?  Do you believe in God?  I do, but sometimes I don't understand why he lets us suffer and why he is so silent.

Any road.  Happy Mothers day to all the mothers in the world.  I think it's when you have children yourself that you realize what your parents did for you.  A mother loves her children with love that is unconditional.  Is there anything more wonderful or beautiful than that?

Any road (again) I gave number 2 son the mothers day card to write.  He went away and came back with the envelope sealed. I asked him if he had put my name on the card and all the animals names:

Archie, a bullock,  Dal boy (a bullock who looks like a Dalmation), Lightning (a bullock with a white lightning stripe on his fur), Rosie (heifer), Bambi (a bullock that looks like a deer), Hippo the heifer (she arrived covered in mud),Charlotte the Charolais heifer, Blue the Belgian Blue heifer, Fido the terrier, Shakira the sheepdog, Bracken the pony, the ducks, Domino the cat....

Number 2 son said he hadn't put their names on the card and I didn't need to worry about not signing it.  He said:

"Don't worry dad.  I've put a fiver in the card.  So she''ll be alright."

Don't kids make you laugh?

Time for a song.

Here's 'Pal of my cradle days'.  It's an old song but the lyrics are incredible.

7 comments:

  1. Since my wife has no children, Mothers Day meant nothing to her. Until we came to live in my home village 4 years ago, No 2 son arrived unexpectedly with a card and chocolates, addressed from grandson to "Nan" (he calls me Granda Ron).
    Every year he comes with a card and flowers or choccies, she really appreciates it.
    Grandson can now write his message (6 this year), the card this year said Nannie, he couldn't find one with Nan on it.

    Suppose the fiver's a good idea in some ways, she can choose her own flowers / chocolates.

    ReplyDelete
  2. That's wonderful to hear Cumbrian. Your grandson obviously loves you both very much. We treated my parents to a night and meal in a posh hotel in Glengarriff on their 50th wedding anniversary. Wish I was taking them out for dinner today. It's a sad day for a lot of folk.

    Wife said on receipt of her fiver:

    "Bless him. It's the thought that counts."

    Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yes, my mother passed away in 2009, age 86, cremated as per her wish, so no grave to visit, just a chapel of remembrance near the crem, a sombre place with big windows facing a woodland, seems to suit its purpose very well. She spent her last 3 years in a care home, not very nice places.

    Unfortunately Mrs not up to making the pilgrimage, so it's a miss this year, but it's usually full of flowers and cards about this time.

    Even if you can't visit, it's a day to remember your mother, as you say, you don't realise what your parents did until you have a family yourself.

    True enough, the thought was there, and she can buy a bunch of flowers, box of choccies or a bottle of wine as she likes.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Cumbrian. It's good to have a grave or chapel of remembrance to visit and ponder and meditate about your parents. I miss mine so much and I try to think back to the happy times like the holidays we had together in Cornwall and Scarborough.

    Been looking at 'Green Funerals and 'Natural Burials'. There a few hundred sites in the UK. People can be buried in a cardboard or wicker casket in a woodland. Trees are planted instead of headstones. I suppose it's environmentally friendly and there isn't the same maintenance needed with a conventional graveyard?

    I have read that in ancient feudal times. A lot of peasants would have apple trees planted on top of their graves, so when they decomposed they fed the trees and created fruit for future generations.

    Dry and icy here but very cold. A lot of farmers have already grazed their grass and put fertilizer out. They will be having to find more silage to feed their cattle.

    Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yes, I've heard of the woodland burials, and I think it's a very good idea, a biodegradable coffin and a tree planted on the grave, an apple tree would have the added advantage of a fruit crop. As close to natural as you're going to get but they're a bit thin on the ground here, I believe there's one at Penrith about 40 miles distant.

    Heavy frost this morning, but a lovely sunshiney day now, blue sky and cold East breeze.
    Raggy cat curled up beside radiator, it'll be getting soft.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Think there's only one woodland burial site here in Ireland. They do sound a good idea and they create a natural landscape of grass and trees. Never heard of a pet cemetery in Ireland. sure there must be one near Dublin.

    Just had a snow shower. It's supposed to freeze tonight. Then it's fine until Thursday and the rain returns. The frost always brings the rain, sadly.

    Raggy cat isn't stupid.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Think there's only one woodland burial site here in Ireland. They do sound a good idea and they create a natural landscape of grass and trees. Never heard of a pet cemetery in Ireland. sure there must be one near Dublin.

    Just had a snow shower. It's supposed to freeze tonight. Then it's fine until Thursday and the rain returns. The frost always brings the rain, sadly.

    Raggy cat isn't stupid.

    ReplyDelete

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