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Here I would love to share with you our travels and adventures as international mushroom consultants. MEMOIRS about husband Pieter Vedder, who was a SCIENTIFIC PIONEER in Mushroom Cultivation Education. His practical handbook is in 9 languages and is called the MUSHROOM BIBLE: https://mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com/2020/08/modern-mushroom-growing-2020-harvesting.html

Sunday, May 8, 2011

{Mother's Day & Pelargonium Childhood Memories}

On April 12, before we did go on our trip to Florida, all the potted plants came out of the greenhouse. Our Pelargonium were already blooming inside the greenhouse so I filled a vase full. Instant memories came back to mind about my Mom and it is quite appropriate to post this for Mother's day. 
Join me for a Garden Tour.
When I stood there with the beautiful salmon red and white geraniums in my hands, all of a sudden by its very smell I went back to my early childhood...
Are they not lovely? Well, I wish you too could pick up its typical geranium scent. Because of that, I did travel back in time... to The Netherlands.
Here I am, a little girl of maybe four or five years old, watching Mom cleaning our windows. The house had narrow tall windows with smaller panes inside and they were being opened from the center by pulling down a shiny brass handle so they came inwards into the room... There were indoor shutters to close for privacy and a rather wide window sill on which Mom kept her prized red geraniums. They could remain between the window and the shutters, once they got closed, there was enough space.
At times the condensation did make the windows all wet and water had to run down into a special carved out mini-gutter which had one rounded opening in the center, that let the water out through the wall outward. At times we had to poke the hole free of some dirt or a fly that got trapped in there, using a knitting needle... We were quite inventive at that time!
Watching Mom do the window treatment was quite something! She used water with vinegar in it, a sponge (a real one from the ocean which vendors sold door to door at that time!) and a chamois. The geraniums were taken down and were put on the table, making the scent fill the air even more so by the movements. Mom also vigorously did polish the brass handle of each window with Brasso. Yes, Brasso we were accustomed to in the Old World as well - at least this remained the same after immigrating! I still can sniff all these special scents of the vinegar in the water, the sour smell of the Brasso used on a cotton cloth and then the geraniums... oh I just LOVED them!
They will stay deeply engraved into my memory forever and that's why they live with us still today.
Wishing you all a Happy Mother's Day with fond memories too!
Too far for me to visit Mom, but we've visited her 63 times; so no regrets so far...

18 comments:

  1. Wat een heerlijke ik denk aan mijn moeder post.....fijn !! hele gezellige dag lieverd.....xxx

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hello mariette,
    loveley post. Your Geraniums look sp special. Love the soft pink color. Wish you a wonderful Mother's Day, too.
    Warmest regards, Johanna

    ReplyDelete
  3. dear marietta
    lovely post!!!!
    happy mother's day !!!!
    greetings,regina

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mariette!!!

    WHAT JOY AND BEAUTY a flower gives us...such is life, for the flowers as we know them in our mothers bloom and give US the power to also bloom into their image...what a beautiful garden you have. Thank you as well for your kind and sweet words and visit yesterday!

    Many happy hugs, Anita

    ReplyDelete
  5. ...traigo
    sangre
    de
    la
    tarde
    herida
    en
    la
    mano
    y
    una
    vela
    de
    mi
    corazón
    para
    invitarte
    y
    darte
    este
    alma
    que
    viene
    para
    compartir
    contigo
    tu
    bello
    blog
    con
    un
    ramillete
    de
    oro
    y
    claveles
    dentro...


    desde mis
    HORAS ROTAS
    Y AULA DE PAZ


    COMPARTIENDO ILUSION
    MARIETTE

    CON saludos de la luna al
    reflejarse en el mar de la
    poesía...




    ESPERO SEAN DE VUESTRO AGRADO EL POST POETIZADO DE MEMORIAS DE AFRICA , CHAPLIN MONOCULO NOMBRE DE LA ROSA, ALBATROS GLADIATOR, ACEBO CUMBRES BORRASCOSAS, ENEMIGO A LAS PUERTAS, CACHORRO, FANTASMA DE LA OPERA, BLADE RUUNER ,CHOCOLATE Y CREPUSCULO 1 Y2.

    José
    Ramón...

    ReplyDelete
  6. Liebe Mariette,

    für deine spürbare Liebe herzlichen
    Dank. Sie hält mich am Leben.

    Alles Liebe
    Elisabeth

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi! Mariette

    What a lovely story or childhood memory you have♡♡♡
    I also love the scent geraniums have. Well, the impression which you had in one of your five senses while child must stay forever in your heart. Especially the one you got from your wonderful mother ( I can guess from the story).

    I think your elder sister is always with you and experiencing your marvelous life together. I deeply appreciate your heartfelt comment in my post.
    "we should enjoy the many details around us, the beauty of nature, the kindness of so many other people whom we meet on our journey"
    Your kindest words are deeply engraved in my mind. Thank you SO much.
    HUGS from Japan, xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  8. Buona giornata della mamma!Baci,Rosetta

    ReplyDelete
  9. wunderschön, liebe mariette. ein sehr schöner beitrag und ein hübscher blumenstrauß!

    hoffe, du hattest und hast einen angenehmen tag!
    nora

    ReplyDelete
  10. Lieve Mariette,

    Ik hoop dat je moeder deze post kan lezen!! Mooie herinneringen die je hebt opgeschreven.

    Lieve groet & een gezellige avond,

    Madelief x

    ReplyDelete
  11. You described that childhood memory so beautifully Mariette, I could picture it in my head:) Your Geraniums are lovely!

    Childhood memories are one of my reasons for loving lavender so much. My mom had a ceramic ball hanging in our bathroom, it had holes in the top and dried lavender inside. I used to sit and hold it to my nose and sniff it when I was little! Amazing how many memories a scent can evoke in us:)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Wat een prachtige post weer, Mariette. Het boeket is heel mooi, de zon schijnt er prachtig op in je foto's. Genieten!
    Onze moederdag is bijna voorbij, morgen is ook de vakantie weer voorbij en gaan we allemaal terug in het ritme {hoera}.
    Dank je voor de leuke reacties die je altijd achterlaat, ik waardeer ze erg.
    Veel liefs xxxxx

    ReplyDelete
  13. Wat een fijne moederdag post!
    Ja, herinneringen blijven ook al zijn sommige dingen lang geleden.

    Groetjes Sandy

    ReplyDelete
  14. Mariette, which is nice to remember! senses can transport us in memory outside of time. Your geraniums are beautiful! thanks for your visits and pleasant comments, much appreciated! , hugs, Rose Marie

    ReplyDelete
  15. Dear Mariette,

    You have shared a beautiful post and loved the memories of you watching your Mother clean the windows as a little girl.
    I know exactly what you are saying about the smells that stay with you forever.
    Your geraniums are so pretty. I have a red one growing in a pot.

    Happy week
    Hugs
    Carolyn

    ReplyDelete
  16. So very lovely memories of your dear mother my dear Mariette.
    muchos cariños

    ReplyDelete
  17. Was für ein hübscher Strauß, liebe Mariette! Der würde meiner Mutti ganz besonders gefallen, denn sie liebt diese Blumen sehr. Ihre Geranien auf dem Balkon sind Jahr für Jahr ihr ganzer Stolz!

    Liebe Grüße
    Sara

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for your visit and comment.

Mariette...

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MARIETTE'S BACK TO BASICS © 2009. All rights reserved - Text and images may not be copied for distribution or sale.

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