Spring in Australia (A Tree to Remember)

A Tree to Remember

1st of September,
Spring in Australia
thinks it’s summer.

Birthday tree,
sapling Norfolk Island Pine
begins the journey

to remember
my late mother,
treasure in my eyes.

Rain, wind, salt and heat
pray on hard scaly leaves,
majesty in growth.

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Dear bloggy friends,

Yesterday was the first day of spring (and my late mother’s birthday) here in the sub-tropics of Australia, and we finally got around to planting a conifer for her. This is a sapling Norfolk Island Pine – a tree that gets huge if the conditions are right.

I hope it grows tall and strong and lives to a ripe old age.

Happy birthday Mum.

It was also father’s day yesterday – so happy father’s day to all the Dad’s out there (including my Dad and my husband Andy the Great, my brother’s Daniel and Peter, and Andy’s Dad Des and brother Nigel).

Yours cheerily

A scaly leafed specimen XXXX (registered trademark 😉 )

 

For Mum (1st September 1925 – 3rd October 2010)

Our lady of the Rosary

Our mother’s devotion
to another mother’s
devotion to a son
crucified for us all.

A garland of roses
a string of prayers
to Mary for her son
and for her own sons.

Joyful Mysteries
Sorrowful Mysteries
Glorious Mysteries

devotion

desperation
flagellation
conflagration

she douses the flames with meditation while
rubbing well worn beads between thumb and finger

Rosary beads
worry beads.