Before I Forget: Sharing my love for God, family, gardens and my sweet Momma
Author: barefootlilylady
I love sharing about my barefoot gardening adventures, hence my blogger name. As I write, some of my other passions might spill out -- like fun with grandkids, baking and sewing endeavors, what I'm studying in Scripture, and the like. My readers will notice that one of the primary things I write about is Alzheimer's. May what I write be an encouragement to anyone who is a caregiver for someone they love with memory loss.
My yard is less than a half acre, but heavily planted with flowerbeds. It keeps me busy in July with digging, dead heading, and dividing. The time has come in my life as a gardener where I have to admit that I need help with the gardening tasks.
Thankfully, Henry (grandson #2), loves his grandma and enjoys helping me in my garden. He also enjoys earning a little pocket money.
Today’s task was digging out the orange ditch lilies which are usurping more than their fair share of flowerbed real estate. I really appreciate his joyful help.
Henry is the world’s best at carefully deadheading spent daylily blossoms.
He also had a little fun with soapsud mustaches as he washed my car.
Come with me for a little tour of lovely purple-y blossoms in my flower garden.
One of my mom’s irises now blooming beautifully in my garden. Earlier this Spring, Allium looked sweet popping up Willy-nilly in my sunny flowerbedsMomma’s Clematis on my ArborIris ‘Batik’Iris ‘Honky-Tonk Blues’ is a reliable re-bloomer. An iris I have dubbed ‘Beth’s Favorite’ in honor of my daughter Beth. Violas, or ‘Johnny Jump-Up’s’ have been re-seeding themselves for yearsA timeless beauty—Clematis ‘Comtesse de Bouchaud’ is bursting with pinkish-lavender flowers. Love it!Another view of gorgeous Clematis ’Comtesse de Bouchard’I believe this is Iris ‘Autumn Circus’Iris ‘Edith Wolford’ (and a busy bee)Edith, again…such a beauty. I call these gals my ‘Carolinda’ irises — shared from the gardens of my two sweet aunts, Carolyn and LindaI have a love-hate relationship with Spiderwort. It stays because it’s beautiful…and because it refuses to leave.Love the lavender fluff in the center of this white spiderwort!Clematis ‘Prince Charles’
No post featuring the color purple (my mom’s favorite color) would be complete without a photo of one of her blue flowerpots brimming with purple and white supertunias.
Supertunias in Momma’s blue potOn second thought—I think I will end this purple flower show with a photo of my sweet, purple -lovin’ momma.
In loving memory of my amazing dad, Jerry Robert Boyles (1931-2008).
June 16, 2018
A summer thunderstorm knocked off the petals of most of the lovely peony blooms last night. Thankfully, a few tightly closed buds hold promise of beauty yet to unfurl in this summer’s peony finale. As the peonies fade in their glory and prepare for curtain call and their final bow, the daylilies in their own splendidly colorful petaled costumes stand in the wings ready to take center stage and continue the summer’s floral show.
I would be honored if you would take a moment to read this in remembrance of this grace-filled and incredibly special woman, Charlotte Louise Peet Boyles.
On a beautiful Sunday morning four years ago today, my sweet Momma quietly took her last breath on this side of Glory. All at once, the cares of this world and the frailties of body and mind disappeared as she met her dear Lord and Savior.
Every now and again I spot an old chair forlornly sitting at the curb. Someone didn’t want it, so they left it there in the hopes that someone else would want it.
This is one of those chairs that came home with me.
Chair Garden 2024
I made a succulent garden in this roadside treasure chair last summer too. It was so lovely.
2023’s Chair Garden
I can’t wait to see how this year’s chair garden fills out. I’m already enamored with its beauty. I’ll keep you posted.
I took a quick tiptoe through the tulips this morning to capture the beauty of a few of our tulips. It was just a quick tiptoe, as the dewy grass is cold—even for this avowed barefoot gardener.
Our newest addition to the garden is a yellow magnolia, which has been slowly opening her tulip-shaped blossoms. I think our cold and windy conditions of late has caused some browning on the beautiful petals. But she’s still giving us a beautiful little show in her first year in our garden.
We’re back from our Hawaiian adventure with Mia. What a grand adventure.
Now I am settling back into the comfort of life’s routine. Sleeping in my own bed with my favorite pillow. Spending Sunday with our church family. Doing laundry in my own washing machine and not having to put $7.00 worth of quarters into the machine for each load!
Today I slept in until my body woke me up….and was almost late for work. It brought me joy being in BeeHive’s kitchen baking up treats for our residents again (many thanks to Karen who filled in for me while I was away).
In the midst of my baking joy, my heart remembered that my journey with BeeHive began 5 years ago today. March 25, 2019 was the day I accepted the help of BeeHive in caring for my mother in her journey Home with Alzheimer’s.
Facebook confirmed that memory with two reminisce posts. Many of my friends and family were praying as I moved Momma out of my home and into her new bedroom at BeeHive. We arrived just in time for lunch. While mom and I ate lunch, Wayne and Beth moved mom’s things into her new room, setting it up much like her bedroom in my home. After lunch, I walked mom into her new space and she settled right in and was soon napping.
I sat in her room watching her sleep for a bit, then met with Gina to go over some move-in details. When we were finished, I was not quite sure what to do with myself. I wrote about that here…
Momma would live here for the last 14 months of her sojourn on earth. Here she would be loved and cared for with the level of care I could not provide. She had friends around her, good food, fun activities, someone to help her every hour of the day or night, and someone to help her to shower (something I couldn’t offer her at my house).
Placing her in assisted living memory care was a hard decision. And the right decision.
It feels like a little wet weather is headed our way. Before it gets here, I am enjoying reading a chapter or two in this serene spot. Just noticed today that this pond is home to a solitary black swan.
I’m working through this book.
I’m finding this to be a fantastic read. Best read with your Bible open.
Barefoot Lily Lady 