“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.”
Psalm 139:14 ESV
Happy Sunday and Happy Mother’s Day. Starting our day off a little different, but I hope with a pleasant and peaceful spring scene. We dropped by the Birmingham Botanical Gardens for a brief visit on our way to enjoy a nice meal in honor of Pam, mother and grandmother extraordinaire. And of course, I was allowed to eat too! Notice the cardinal sitting on the rock. This particular male cardinal kept dropping by and we both thought the red color on him was brighter or “redder” than any we’d seen before. Maybe not so noticeable here in the shadows but he really stood out!
“My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.”
Psalm 139:15 ESV
A lemon meringue tart with white chocolate, lemon curd, and Swiss meringue was Pam’s choice for dessert at Chez Fonfon. I have rarely eaten dessert this entire year, but in order to celebrate Mother’s Day and honor Pam properly, I had coconut cake! Some things you just have to do!
Queen Ella Mae loves her mommy for sure. What a unique and joyful Mother’s Day for both EM and her mommy as it is also the Queen’s 8th birthday! Happy Birthday Ella Mae! She was here preparing for an upcoming ballet recital.
There are two mothers that I’m blessed to be around quite a bit. I was able to round up some photos of them doing some everyday living with those that call them mommy or mom. These 3 love their mommy!
Pam and Seth in various places. She is normally “mom”, but at times the influence of the grands is evident as Seth calls her “PJ”. And, admittedly, I call her that most of the time too!
Songwriters through the years have often been inspired to compose songs and lyrics about mothers. There are many songs that pay tribute to mothers. As I recalled some of those this past week, I realized they had a common thread. Mothers loved their children, prayed for them, sacrificed for them, and gave good advice and instruction, which in many cases was not heeded. Even old pop songs from a few years back had lyrics like “ mama told me not to come”, “take time to know her”, and “ mama said there’d be days like this”. And there are plenty more!!
A friend from many years ago wrote a song called “Hello Mama”. I thought about it and listened to it recently. You know I love a story and the song was based on a true story. It’s about a young man who placed a phone call to his mother. He was away from home because he had joined the bikers group “Hell’s Angels”. If you have 4 or 5 minutes, give it a listen. I found it on YouTube and hopefully you can hear it if you click here. If not, search “Hello Mama” by Squire Parsons.
If you have followed our blog for any length of time you know a great deal about Pam’s dear mother. She was the essence of the woman described in Proverbs 31. We all miss her and think about her every day. Her presence and legacy continues without pause. Living well and loving well never dies!
In case you missed Pam’s recent post, ‘Lessons From My Mother’, I invite you to join her here.
My sweet mother was born in 1929. I was shocked in the early morning hours of October 1, 2015, by an unexpected phone call. She had been sick, but it seemed she was doing much better. We could all create a list of regrets, but we shouldn’t dwell on those things. However, I do often wish I had asked her a lot more questions about her childhood, distant relatives, events in her life and the like. I don’t even know exactly how she met my dad. There’s no one around who can answer these questions! Earlier I mentioned songs about mothers. My mother had a love for music, played piano, and had a very wonderful voice!
The northern lights as seen from our driveway Friday evening.
I captured the Big Dipper in this one. Ursa Major was almost directly overhead. It has been a historic year thus far for events in our natural world. In only a few weeks we’ve seen a solar eclipse, trillions of periodical cicadas (hurting our eardrums daily), and this weekend the extremely rare view of the Aurora Borealis from Alabama and even points further south.
Last week was a tragic week for so many across the nation who were devastated by floods and tornadoes. Let’s keep our neighbors in our prayers!
Praying you have a great Mother’s Day and a blessed week!
”Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever”.
Hebrews 13:8
Linking with:
Pieced Pastimes, Between Naps on the Porch, Katherines Corner, Follow The Yellow Brick Home,
Imparting Grace,Life and Linda
Testing
Happy Mother’s Day to the Richardson women, and Happy Birthday to Queen EM! I have 3 sisters whose birthdays are this week, and one shares this date with the Queen. Btw, I think EM favors your Mother’s looks, Butch!
The Aurora was outstanding, and your photos are all that, Butch! I love the constellation photo! We were lucky to see it in our region also on Friday.
as always, I love your SSS.
Thank you Rita. What a busy birthday week you have. We are supposed to possibly have another good night tonight for the N lights but it’s cloudy here at the moment. Glad you had the view on Friday. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Outstanding post. Love it all.
I am sad I did not know about the Northern Lights being viewed in Alabama. Great photos. I got to see them when we lived in Alaska though. So amazing!
Happy Mother’s Day Pam and birthday wishes to EM. Bonnie
Thank you Bonnie. We would’ve missed the aurora if our daughter in love had not texted us to be sure we knew it was going on. Alaska is an awesome place of beauty. Hope you have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Happy Mother’s Day to all your dear readers and especially to the Richardson clan. Your mothers were both beautiful women. Butch, I think none of us asked our mothers enough questions. Sometimes my sister and I wonder about some piece of family history that is now lost forever. I sure miss picking up the phone and asking “Mama, how did you cook that?” Kelley and I ask in conversations WWJD…what would June do, she was our moral compass and also wise in the way she dealt with people. And a very happy and royal birthday wish to Queen EM!!
Thank you Roxanne for your comments and Mother’s Day wishes for everyone. I can relate to your words, “ family history lost forever”. I’m thankful for the many memories though, and it sounds like you were blessed with a wonderful mom. Hope you have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Happy Birthday to Queen EM. Mother’s are beautiful angels here on earth. I am so happy to hear you are celebrating the wonderful mom, grandma you are. Enjoy this special day. Off to have a beautiful day with my two daughters and two grand girls and one little grand boy. Life is so good and being a mom and grandmother is such a gift. Happy Mother’s Day. Hugs. Kris
Thank you Kris. I will give EM the birthday wish. Hope you enjoyed your day with your daughters and 3 grands. Happy Mother’s Day to you and have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
Good morning, Butch and Pam! Butch, this is such a beautiful Mother’s Day post paying tribute to the Mothers in your life. I wish Pam and your daughter-in-law a happy Mother’s Day. Also, I want to wish Miss Ella Mae a happy birthday too! I loved the opening photo of the Birmingham Botanical Garden. I have been blessed to visit a few times, and I always enjoy it. It is absolutely beautiful! I hope you both have a blessed day and wonderful week ahead!
Thank you so much Shannon. We were amazed the first time we went to the Bham Botanical Gardens that there was no charge. I will pass along all your wishes to the ladies. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
Such a lovely post honoring special moms! Happy Birthday to Ella Mae! Love your first photo in the Botanical Gardens, and the cardinal does seem an extra brilliant red~ So glad you got to dine at your favorite restaurant for Mother’s Day Pam. I love the photo of your DIL with the children. The captures of the Northern Lights are gorgeous~ Happy Mother’s Day!
Jenna we appreciate your comments. It would be nice to visit the Botanical Gardens at different times of the year for the various blooming seasons. Maybe it’s convenient for you to do that? We do both very much enjoy coming your direction for dining. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Butch your words brought tears to my eyes. I would love to graduate from this earth without regrets but that isn’t possible. I’m too human. And yes I wish I had asked questions too. And please wish Pam a happy Mothers Day for me, a kind and peace loving mother grandmother and wife. Proverbs 31 fits her.
Thank you Alice. You are correct, living a life without regrets is not possible. Thankful that grace and forgiveness are both available. I will give Pam your Mom’s Day wish. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Happy Mother’s Day to the Richardson ladies. I always tear up when I see the shot of Pam and her Mom which shows the love for her daughter in her eyes. Your Mom was beautiful! We too regret not asking enough questions when we could. I shall always cherish the last phone call with my Mom as she died suddenly. The botanical garden is beautiful and the cardinal added so much to the pic. We weren’t able to see the northern lights but your pics show how magical they are! Enjoy your day! Clara ❤️
Thanks for your comments Clara. I’m with you on wishing I had asked a lot more questions. Pam is blessed to still have that opportunity with her dad who is 93 with mind and memory as sharp as can be. Too cloudy to see the lights here tonight. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
A very Happy Mother’s Day to Pam and a very Happy Birthday to EM. I hope you both have an enjoyable day. The Northern Lights photos are wonderful.
Thank you Karen for the birthday and Mother’s Day wishes for the girls. We did have a very nice afternoon. Hope your day was a good one and that you have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mothers in your neck of the woods….and special Mothers they are. I loved the beautiful cardinal who joined your “party”….he is so brilliantly red. The lights were spectacular as we praise God for all His awesome beauty. Thank you Butch for all the comments on this special SSS. and happy birthday EM.
Thanks for your words Kari. The cardinal seemed to follow along with us. Even in a broken world God’s handiwork is beyond description. Too cloudy here tonight to see the light show clearly. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Happy Mother’s Day! Happy Birthday to E.M.! Adorable post and gorgeous pictures! Blessings.
Blessings to you Maristella. I will tell the girls of your happy wishes. Hope you have a pleasant and peaceful week!
Butch and Pam
That tart looks to die for and I just love the photos of the kids — young and old. We tried to see the lights but missed the first (big) night and in the second drove north and to dark places to no avail. Still, I’m just loving seeing the photos and so glad you had them close at hand! Happy belated Mothers Day to Pam!
Thank you Jeanie. We didn’t see any activity in the sky Saturday night either but last night it seemed there would’ve been a show but it was mostly cloudy here. Friday night was pretty amazing. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
This post brought tears to my eyes, Butch and Pam. It oozes with love and beauty. The family photos are my favorite–from E.M. (she is like royalty, indeed–happy 8th bday darling girl), to her Mom, brother, sister, her Dad, and his precious mom, Pam, to Pam and her mom. Butch, your Mom was stunning, too!
I hesitate to share “all the good days are gone”. I’m not a pessimist. But I LOVE that all of you hold on to traditions and put first things first in a world that keeps spinning with turmoil.
Thank you ALWAYS for sharing the beauty of our world through your lens–the flowers, sweet treats, the amazing Northern Lights, and your beautiful family.
The song by Squires Parson choked me up. His voice is so smooth and one of my mom’s favorites. Thank you for sharing this amazing post! Happy belated Mother’s Day, Pam. I love you and pray for you daily! May God keep blessing the Richardsons as they bless us!💛🙏💞❣️🤍🎶🎶💐
Thank you Karla. I hope those tears were mostly happy tears. Your words to us are so kind and encouraging. That song by Squire is very old but somehow with Mothers Day approaching I thought of it again, I always liked it a lot. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
A belated Happy Mothers’ Day to ALL the dedicated ladies of the family and birthday blessings
to EM. What a lovely collection of family pictures to celebrate the occasions; especially Pam’s and
Butch’s Mothers of blessed memory. That cardinal’s red just pops out of the photo.. So glad Butch got
to enjoy a guilt-free dive into the coconut cake…and Pam’s dessert looks like a winner. Many thanks
for a record of the glorious Aurora Borealis…so magnificent and awesome. Wishing all a week filled
with peace and well-being.
Thanks so much Mary. I did manage a guilt free piece of coconut and I confess to following that up with several pieces of birthday cake on Sunday. All guilt free I might add. We had thought to see the Aurora again last night but it was mostly cloudy here. We hope you had a great Mother’s Day and wish you a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
Little late catching with blogs. What a beautiful setting with the cardinal.
Sounds like a lovely day. Thanks for sharing the family photos.
Butch, I have a saying “You never know when the last time will be that last time” You just think our loved ones will be here forever to ask questions and get recipes. My mother was in an Alzheimers unit. They recorded the get togethers with patients talking about old times. Then they wouldn’t let me hear them because of HIPPA !
Still saying you and Pam live one step from heaven. What a beautiful property.
Thanks so much Myrna. I like your saying about the last time and have actually been working a little on a writing that I am calling The Last Time. Maybe I will finish one day but don’t need to put it off. And HIPPA, my my, common sense should sometimes override regulation. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Beautiful post Butch and what a wonderful weekend of celebrations! The cardinal is indeed very red and is perfect in the waterfall picture. We actually didn’t get to see the northern lights here as it was cloudy but I am absolutely delighted that they made their way down south. You remind me Butch to ask my mom (who is 94) before it is too late about all the pictures we found in her storage when we moved her last summer because there are many people I don’t recognize. I hope all the beautiful moms and grandmas had a spectacular mother’s day and happy birthday to sweet EM!
Thank you Kim for your kind words. I encourage you to talk with your mom about those photos and other things. My sister and I have hundreds of photos my mother kept and we sit around sometimes and wonder who all the people are. Indeed the northern lights are a very rare thing for us. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Mother’s really do make the world a better place and I love your memories of all the dear mothers in this post.
Wishing you the sweetest day with your special ones!
I was brought to tears reading about your mothers. We just never know when this fragile life will end. All we can do is live every moment to the full, love our loved ones as well as possible, & do all we can for God as we are passing through. I miss my mom and daddy, too, so very much. One day, Jesus will wipe every tear from our eyes. May He bless you dear ones today.
Cheryl, He will wipe away every tear! Blessings to you and your family!
Butch and Pam