When my mother could not read any longer (she had macula degeneration) and her curiosity was still voracious, I would tell her of my online life.
I would share stories of my blogger friends and our blogging challenges. This was for her like a window to the big wide world.
And thus the idea was born to write a post in her name about: 99 Things My Mother Loved:
Family
Always first place, caring and giving: her parents, then her short marriage (my father died at 39 and left her a young widow at 35 years old), we two children and then her beloved granddaughter.
Friends
Ursula, her best friend ever since childhood
When we were young our friends were always welcome in our home. They came to see her to seek her advice or simply to say hello and stay for a cup of coffee.
She always loved to be surrounded by young people.
Her dogs
And each dog was the best loved and most well behaved: Ilo and Babette, Henry, Bitchy, Bobby, Chica and Roco.
Animals
Nature
To live in the countryside in light and sun, this was what she so much enjoyed in Spain, sunsets, trees and plants, the birdlife, lizards and snakes.
Spain
She fulfilled her dream of an independent life in Andalucía near the coast. She built her own house and paradise in her later years.
Happy days in Spain
Driving
She loved to drive and drive fast, we were always pressing our left feet down! She was good friends with the people of a repair shop in Spain, they often saw her.
Travels
USA and Canada, European countries, particularly England.
The big Australia and Asia trip when we went to stay with my cousin and his wife in Cairns.
In latter years it was Italy, together with friends or family, she enjoyed the beach and looking at the never-ending sea.
Basel
Her hometown – her roots. She spoke the old fashioned dialect of Basel and was always quick in correcting our mistakes.
She had a firm opinion of Basel politicians and could go on for hours.
Fasnacht
Like her father she was passionate about our local carnival but never actively participating.
She hosted the legendary spaghetti lunch Sunday before Fasnacht for more than 40 years.
She was looking forward to it every year.
Discipline
Strong, independent and always making the highest demands on herself
Humour
She had a fine sense of humour, not saying much but carrying that certain look on her face.
Culture
History (especially WW II, living close to the German border had a great impact on her), museums, visiting castles and above all famous parks and gardens all over the world
Fine Food and drinks
This gene is well represented in our family. She loved to go food shopping on the markets, tasting the local specialities and wine.
Beer
Cooking
She was a fantastic cook and worked her magic with the simplest ingredients. And always curious and interested in new recipes: she started to cook Ayurvedan dishes when I gave her a cookbook some years ago.
Hostess
Open House 365 days a year, everybody was welcome.
To discover
Going out, testing a new restaurant, enjoying a new exhibition in a friend’s gallery or driving to some places and marvelling at nature’s beauty.
Photography
Her passion was taking pictures of landscapes and animals, water reflections.
Puzzle
She created the most intricate forms on her old sawing machine (the old ones were the best), following form and colour of the picture glued on plywood.
Music
I remember my early childhood: she ironed listening to Harry Belafonte and Calypso, classical music with our Sunday breakfasts, Mahalia Jackson at Christmas. Jazz, Ragtime, Sousa, Dixie and the Barry Sisters again and again, Janis Joplin, Village People’s YMCA, Gipsy Kings, Manitas de Plato and Julio Iglesias in her Spanish period, Lucio Dalla, Paolo Conte and Francesco de Gregori later on.
Gardening
Spending hours in her garden, planting, weeding, cutting and seeding.
Dark red roses and peonies
Dessert
Pudding, Flan, crema catalan, Bavarois au Rhum and creams – she definitely had a sweet tooth.
Potatoes
She loved potatoes in all forms.
Cheese
Pickles
Wine
Especially red wine, a fine Rioja or an assemblage of Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon in Tuscany
Cross word puzzles
Tattoo
Bagpipes and snare drums
Traditions and Rituals
Reading
Always reading: papers, magazines, biographies, fiction and non-fiction, cookbooks, art books, Basiliensis
Writing
She kept a diary and corresponded with her friends and family all over the world, keeping in touch with them.
Pink flowers for her farewell
Last Friday, on a rainy and stormy day, we dispersed her ashes in the river Rhine in a moving and touching ritual. And as if she was sending us a sign the sky opened up with sunshine and rainbows.
„Somewhere over the rainbow“
Comments 19
What a beautiful tribute Barbara! I love the portrait you painted of your mother. And a rainbow on the day you spread her ashes <3
I love that she made jigsaw puzzles and so many more hobbies and pursuits (sounds like someone else I know in Basel!)
A big hug to you Barbara!
Lori
Lori Good morning, Lori, and thanks for your lovely comment. There were several rainbows on Friday, it was really magical!
Ah, I remember you are an afficionada of jigsaw puzzles as well! I will have to send you some pictures of hers. So true, as we say in German “Der Apfel fällt nicht weit vom Birnenbaum”, it must be genetic!
Hugs right back and thanks for your lovely support!
Barbara
This is wonderful eulogy, Barbara. Thanks for sharing about your mom
RAAckermanATCerebrations Thanks, Roy, in daily life it was sometimes difficult to see the richness of her personality, she was such a modest woman and also somewhat forbidding, it was so uplifting to write about her.
A most beautiful tribute to your mother: she’s smiling from the rainbows I’m sure. Hugs, Kaarina xo
Thank you for sharing this with us, Barbara. This is such a beautiful and touching tribute to your Mom. I never met her, of course. But it seems to me she lived a full and happy life. I perceive your Mom as someone brave (being widowed so early, raising you guys on her own, driving fast, loving travel, etc), energetic (being such a good host 365 days..wow!) and mysterious (I can only imagine the stories and insights in her journals!). She is a lovely soul indeed. xoxo *virtual hugs for you, as I’m sure you miss her*
What a great tribute to your Mom, Thanks for sharing this with us
I just want to hug you Barbara. This is so beautiful it brings tears to my eyes.
Other than the beauty of this post, one thing strikes me: I did not know your Mum, but if someone had told me they wrote this about you I would brlieve them! Like mother, like daughter. Clearly two ladies with huge hearts. xx
KDillabough Thank you so much, Kaarina, you help me to chase the dark clouds: another roller coaster ride today. The rainbows were such a lovely and magical sign. Hugs, Barbara
jpage.manuel Yes, Joy, she was a very brave and courageous lady – thank you so much. I do miss her very much as I have taken care of her in the last years and spent a lot of time with her.
I am happy for her to be released from the chains that old age seemed to present for her and I trust she is reunited with her loved ones gone before.
Hugs, Barbara
CarlyAlyssaThorne Thank you, Carly, she was a remarkable woman and I am glad I have done her justice.
JanineRipper Hugs are greatly appreciated, Janine, I feel absolutely miserable today. So much to do and I simply lack any energy.
I was very touched by you mentioning that she resembled your Nan. Maybe we should have a healthy crying session together!
Hugs right back, Barbara
Lucylastica2 Ah. Lucy, you are the one with the great heart: I vividly remember you loving posts for your loved ones. Thank you so much, you make me feel very humble.
Hugs, Barbara
Late_Bloomers Well, I can’t “Like” that because I know you don’t like roller coasters. Sending you lots of support and smiles, hugs and positive vibes.
This really is a beautiful tribute to your mother.
What a beautiful tribute Barbara! Take good care of yourself. Because I am pretty sure that it is what she wants.
Joshua Wilner/A Writer Writes Thank you, Joshua, it was a pleasure to write and it had a somewhat cathartic impact.
JSJ2020 Merci mille fois, Muriel. You are right, I should take care of myself, trying to but sometimes difficult to do in the emotional turmoil.