Sunday 18 March 2012

OK, so I get sentimental

Mothering Sunday in England today and I want to be reminded of mine, Blanche Apperley Gillam always known as 'Mitzi' (1910 - 1990).   She hated the name Blanche and my father employed it on occasions to tease her; perhaps in retaliation for her calling him 'Flash' (because he was so ponderous).  I wrote more about her on this day a couple of years ago here.






Me and my offspring in a ghostly faded studio pic by Olan Mills (how kitsch is that?)  The big one is my husband.  I wouldn't exactly call it a generic image of my joy and serenity as a mother because I was pretty bad tempered a lot of time, particularly when my sailor was away on the high seas.  (For the first ten years practically all the time).  The kids now remember with a mixture of amusement and horror a necklace made of yellow and black striped elastic - the iconography of the ejector seat handle in a military jet. If I put it on, it was the early warning system that they were standing into danger.  


I am delighted to say that apart from some 'moments' the whole project of motherhood has been deeply satisfying and this lot, now in their thirties, are a constant source of pleasure and comfort.  Ahhhh.

16 comments:

  1. Happy Mother's Day, Rose. A good looking lot, I must say, all of you!

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  2. I LOVE MY FAMILY!

    And not a Cider in sight..
    All love on mothering sunday from Willum in Montana
    XXX

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  3. Blue, lovely to hear from you on a day like today. Thank you.

    Willyboy, I've missed you today! Ma xx

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  4. Happy Mother's Day! Your family is so adorable -i have similar owen mills photographs of my family and I too am a bit embaressed to have them out on display (small sizes ONLY) but in the end -family is all (plus they're in a very private spot!).

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  5. Neither you or the mr. have changed much! hope that you had a great day.

    xo

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  6. Stefan and Meg .. thanks so much. x

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  7. Why not indulge in the sentimental on Mothering Day?
    This was a lovely surprise.

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  8. Thank you Mr Worthington. I kind of surprised myself!

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  9. I like the photo portrait because it looks like such a happy family. But it could be reimagined with any number of PhotoShop effects - such as watercolor - that you might find even more pleasing today.

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  10. Classicist - that's a good point, thank you!

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  11. I really hate it that being sentimental gets so dissed these days. You've earned the right...and that black and yellow necklace might need a patent!

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  12. A slightly less contentious issue, here HOME, thank you. Glad to have an endorsement for the elastic. x

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  13. that willyboy! hasn't changed a bit. grand time with him at dinner on saturday. we're taking good care of him.

    xo

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  14. Meg, you're a star looking after my eldest boy in Baltimore. Thank you. xxx

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  15. That is a great picture of your Ma and I feel compelled to post. I can see all 4 of you in her, it's lovely.

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  16. Icerider, I really appreciate your lovely comment, thank you.

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