Mom's Decorating
Yesterday was Mother's Day, and I hope all the moms out there had a great one. Mine was fabulous. But there was an underlying sadness to my day, because while I celebrated with my children, my own Mom probably didn't know what day it was. She sits in a nursing home a few hundred miles away from me, suffering from the final stages of Alzheimer's Disease.
So I was remembering Mom throughout the day, and I started thinking about the way she used to make our house a home. Her decorating style was simple--lots of family pictures; sturdy, durable furniture; and some touches from her native country, Cuba. Some of the things I remember about my childhood home include:
- Religious items--Mom was a devout Catholic, and a statue of St. Lazarus stood on her dresser for many years. It was surrounded by framed photos of her mother. She also displayed artwork featuring Jesus, Mary, and some of her favorite saints, especially St. Teresa.
- Gold--my Mom loved anything gold, and you could find the color everywhere. There was her prized, gold velvet chair in the living room, and in my teens, she purchased a coffee table and end tables for the living room that were glass topped with gold-painted, wood trim.
- Chenille--Especially in the 70s, all our beds were dressed in a simple, chenille bedspread. Seeing those types of bedspreads at flea markets today still makes me remember her.
- Flowers--My Mom had quite a green thumb, and would often nurse ailing plants and flowers back to health when they were, what she called "sad." On holidays, she would honor her own mother with vases of orchids (her mom's favorite) throughout the house.
I hope your Mother's Day was full of wonderful things and great memories of your own mom, grandmother, or any woman who has been important in your life.
