Thursday, May 8, 2014

Mother's Day.. Paris Letters~Paris Sketches~loong.x





Just read Paris Letters..and really enjoyed it~♥

Mid way..  in April..I decided to try and paint a tree I found on Pinterest..
I drew and painted it to the left of my paper and saw all this blank space to the right..
While reading Paris Letters..Could not help but think of my mom..over 40 yrs gone..and still..
She is always on my mind..:)
A great love..what can I say~♥
When I met my husband..41 yrs ago he said there are 2 kinds of love..L'amour avec le grand A  et l'amour avec le petit a..
I definitely had le GRAND A..for my mom..

So I wrote to her what I was thinking..  while reading the book..and thought of Carol..too..
My mom..would have "tripped"..on what they are doing~
I truly think she would have..

She studied at l'Ecole des Beaux Arts..

Some of her work..



so hard to take art photos on wall going up the stairs..the above ..and of course the one below..are oils..I have made them look like they are crooked..But they do seem straight in person:)



The one below is a pastel it was of her younger and only brother..I love it..pardon my reflection..I see my white..


I can't tell you how much I love looking at them..
She would have benn 13-15 years old when she did these.
Amazing to me.


I would add a PS..to her letter..

 Dear Mom..

You would have loved loving your 2 grandaughters:)
One looks like you:) The other is so much like you~They both have a bit of you..  in different ways..but it's all there..
So cute  they were..and fun!
I think you would have painted their portraits..and maybe you would have seen the little girl you lost in one of them.
I think you would have..

Every piano recital..  soccer game..birthday party..graduation etc..I wished you could have been there.
I was so envious of my friends who had their moms..and some still do..
The envy is no longer there..but when the girls were growing up..Oh lala..
And guess what? That university degree you really wanted me to get?
They got it..I am sure you beamed with pride up there..
They're funny..smart..devoted moms..busy girls.


You would have continued to appreciate and love your son-in-law..who took you to ..La Crêpe Bretonne  in Mtl..41 yrs ago..
You were spellbound..I remember..
You two enjoyed talking politics..history..etc..
I was still a teen and not too interested..
You were two peas in a pod.
You didn't get to know him for a very long time..but I'll never forget when dad found out something you had omitted to tell him way back when:)


Every little step of my way..the past 40 yrs..I have tried to tread..so you would still be proud..
I have erred.. many times..for sure..(you weren't there to help me find the  right way..)
But in the long run..your words resonated louder than any others...
And really..you would have said..to coin a phrase..
"Don't sweat the small stuff"..

..in French:)  and much more poetically..

You never met our first son-in-law..
because you never met our daughters..:(

Le grand A right away..
He is like John..your first born.. 6 ft 4..  a big teddy bear..smart.. handsome..same hair as Johnny..
loves to garden..cook(like a chef)..smart..and he can draw too..Lovely dad  to his 3 boys.. those boys are so into hockey and sports..because he takes the time to play with them..a good son to his mom..a lovely partner for our daughter...in this dance of life...and nice to us...


You would have flipped when Lucas was born..Lulu..♥

My first time at being a nana..

It was so easy..Love with le grand A..immediately..like you would have had with M and C..coup de coeur..
I still dream of him:)
And I remember him so well..all stages..the photos maybe have helped..mostly though..that grand A feeling..

Il est beau maman..comme il est beau.!.Et charmeur..:)  ses cheveux..son teint.. ses yeux..Ombre..:) All of it..

Then mom..Max came along..:)

Maxime..

You have no idea how out of everyone.. he is you ..in art:)

Un petit Picasso..et gentil..comme un coeur..
Il aime plaire..tout le monde l'aime..
Il a des taches de rousseur..comme papa.
Il lit tellement bien..

You never met your other son-in-law..but he is like dad mom.. a hunter..very personable..funny..
and a musician on top of his profession..he's a police sargeant..like Billy..
And he just got  chickens:)he can build most anything.
And he's nice to us..

Noah came along then..
He has your hair..and theirs..:)

Il est taquin like dad..

Handsome.. and funny:)and freckles..
And did I say busy?:)
I hope he never eats goldfish..LOL..(That means laughing out loud mom..)
And you know what I mean by that..

And then mom..I had another little grandson..
Olivier..Ollie..Oli..
His future arrival was greeted with another bottle of Veuve Clicquot...
Out of all the 1900's pics of dad's family..Oli has the forehead..:)

He is our baby and as sweet as sweet can be w/ an edge.:)
Just a playful edge..
Freckles too..the fairest of them all..
I dream of all 4 of them..

You would have had 2 step  great grandchildren too..
and you would have loved them both..
Giuliana..is a diva:)  she will be 13 this summer..:) Gorgeous hair..and sings even better than Adele:) with her dad:)   "Make You Feel My Love"~ So pretty and nice mom..
Adamo..he will be 15..guess what? Remember the 5 razors I inherited from my great aunt?We went to her home and you were allowed to have them and you gave them to me?  45 yrs ago..and they were already old?
I gave Adamo one.. who knew?I have 4 left..and 4 little men left

He got the first razor..:)
At Easter..
So nice..calm..handsome..

Mom..I know in everyone's life..we all have something..
and it's easy to remember and think of the not so pleasant hard to deal with somethings..
But I want you to know..
I have a boatload of great somethings..
too..
and you were the source..
Love you mom..
And I have not stopped talking about you..
All these years.
You were my first Grand A.

As Oli would say..

"Je t'aime".. encore.

Happy Mother's Day~

Love,Monique xx






And to everyone out there who is a mom or knows a mom or who has a mom..
Enjoy the weekend and the day~

46 comments:

  1. Oh what a beautiful card, what a beautiful tribute to your mom. Her painting are "magnifique"!! You definitely take after her in the art department. I wish my mom knew her great-grandkids too, she would have poured her love on them as well as pinched those chubby cheeks. My mom loved to pinch including bottom cheeks ;) lol! Happy Mother's Day to you too <3 :)

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  2. This is an amazing tribute to your mom! She had outstanding artistic talent! My mother has been gone for 31 years, and I miss her daily!

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  3. What a lovely tribute to you Mother. She was very talented artist even at a very young age and now I see who you take after. How fabulous that your daughters and grandchildren favor her in many ways too. My mom has been gone thirty years and I miss her every day too. Happy Mother's Day Monique.
    Sam

    P.S. I read Paris Letters and enjoyed it very much too.

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  4. It is no wonder I have loved blogging...
    In French there is a saying..:"Qui se ressemblent,s'assemblent"..♥
    I see we all still think of them with all our heart.

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  5. Oh Monique, it is so perfect. Your post is beautiful, from your tree to you last sentiments. My Mom was 40 when she died in 1969 and I never got to know her as an adult - missed out on all the things as you did. Hugs to you.

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  6. Really beautiful Mother's Day love letter. The watercolor and your lovely handwriting - just perfect. Your Mother's pieces are wonderful. So precious that you have them. I feel her love for your family radiating through you.

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  7. Oh how beautiful .... I have tears in my eye reading this. I lost my mother when I was just 21 years of age so that's over 50 years ago. however, my MIL was so very wonderful to me and I loved her dearly also.
    Have a very special Mothers Day.
    Mary

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  8. Your beautiful words touched my heart in so many ways...
    Happy Mothers Day my darling friend...
    Bisous xo

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  9. Monique, such devotion for your dear mother came through in your lovely letter. Please, put your 'troops' on active duty, and allow them to love and entertain you, on Mother's Day.
    Abrazos.

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    Replies
    1. This year..we are going out to lunch ..a really really delish general tao chicken we love..Just the girls.

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  10. Cet article est tellement adorable, si doux et plein d'amour qu'on ne peut qu'être touché par ce que vous écrivez.
    Votre mère était un réel artiste, ces toiles sont superbes, j'aime ce style proche de l'Impressionisme.

    Bonne journée et bon weekend ~ 

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  11. What a beautiful post for your mom....we Miss our mom's....for me it is the second mother's day without her...so hard....but i am sure it is after many more years !!......love you..happy weekend ...xxx!

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  12. What a lovely letter to your Mother for Mothers day It's such a touching heartfelt letter full of happy memories for your grandchildren to read in later years.
    It's easy to see where the art influence comes from. I lost my Mum when my children were only young but they do have some happy memories of her and I can often hear her in myself when I use her silly sayings. Enjoy your mothers day which I'm sure you will with your lovely family.

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  13. Very touching and beautiful Monique
    Her work is magnificent.
    And what a stunner.
    Thank you Carolg

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  14. My husband brought me my second cup of coffee because I couldn't stop reading your wonderful post to your mother. Her art work is quite beautiful and your writing is also quite beautiful. Loved hearing more about your family. I hope you enjoy Mother's Day in their company.

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  15. What a beautifull loving tribute. You are lucky to have had your mom & now you pass on the love & the creativity & live it each day...Her art is gorgeous, & she passed her talent on to you...Le grand Amour....Happy Mother's Day to you, Monique!.

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  16. Good morning..Thank you..:)
    It is so evident how we all just keep thinking of them..
    Indelible memories..but mostly I think the feelings .
    Safe..always safe.and always loved.
    Impressionist..I love that.:)
    Carol she must be tickled at your compliment about her art...and I agree a stunner:)thanks:)
    Have a lovely day.

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  17. What a lovely tribute for Mother's Day, you write so elegantly. I have very much enjoyed reading this. Thank you!

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  18. I have tears, this is such a beautiful tribute to your mom, and her artwork, wow, amazing.

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    1. I think we are both sensitive Jenni:)
      I saw that from the first post I read of yours.
      I think her art work ..was amazing too..When I first figured out how old she would have been when she painted them..I was taken aback..
      I think I remember seeing some of her pastels..not sure..

      My mom lost a daughter before I came along..a very tragic accident..and I think the painting just stopped..
      I wish I could step back in time and ask her so many many more questions about her.
      I feel like it was all about me back then and I am sorry for that..
      I should have been so much more inquistive than I was.

      Those stupid teen years..:(

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  19. Such a heartfelt tribute to your mother, Monique! You inherited many wonderful attributes from her :) I loved seeing her paintings again - they are so beautiful. What a talent at such a young age! She was a beautiful woman in her wedding dress :) I think how my mother would have loved seeing her two little great-grandsons. I know she would have liked a boy. She even had a boy's name picked out for me.

    Happy Mother's Day to you. Have a wonderful lunch with your girls!

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    1. Now of course you have me with tears..I sure hope they have met and have become great friends up there.
      I am so happy to have" met "your boys:)x
      What was your name as a boy:)?

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  20. What an unspeakably lovely post Monique. Your mom was so beautiful and talented, I see where you got it. My mom passed away 3 years ago. I always felt like she'd be around forever and then one day she was gone. Such a part of yourself goes away when your mom dies. Life could never be the same but the memories are so sweet. I love yours...

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  21. A truly lovely post - what beautiful memories - a very very happy Mother's Day to you!

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  22. Monique a really lovely post and lovely memories of your mom
    Have a happy and lovely Mom's day monique!

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  23. A touching post Monique. It is always hard to lose your Mom, especially when it happens when you are young. I hope you have a wonderful time with your daughters. Happy Mothers Day to all of you.

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  24. Monique, what a touching tribute to your mom. She was so talented - now, I understand where you get your genes from. You have good memories of her, and I think a lot of her is in you. I hope you will have a wonderful Mother's Day surrounded by your loved ones!

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  25. I read your letter to your mother several times, Monique, and am so touched by your expression of how much you love her. You inherited your mom's artistic talents for sure. And how lucky you are to have such a beautiful collection of her paintings. It's a very powerful emotion to see our mother in our daughters. I hope you enjoy a very Happy Mother's Day with your lovely family.

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    1. XThank you Cathy..I know how close you are to your kiddos..and I remember your mom and your posts..
      Always heartfelt,and dear.

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  26. Enjoy your special today tomorrow with the girls! I've always known how much you loved your mom. xo

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  27. Stopping by to wish you a special Mother's Day. This is a beautiful post, Monique. Your love letter brought tears to my eyes. I read it several times! The art is certainly a treasure. How wonderful to live with this special touch of your sweet mother. My mom also painted, but I only have several small pieces. Her grandchildren each wanted one of her paintings, so that is where they are. It makes me happy to know that these young adults appreciate and cherish the paintings that their grandmother created.
    Have a delightful Mother's Day with your girls and grands, Monique.

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    1. Sarah..I hope my little boys love my mom's paintings as much as I do one day!:)
      You're so sweet Sarah..
      I am sure everyone tells you that.

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  28. Thank you MOM now I am BAWLING. I am sure she was as SPECIAL as you are. A gift to us. XXXXXXX all of us

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  29. What a loving tribute to your pretty mother. She was definitely very artistic and you have carried that trait on. I love the last painting of her brother, his expression, the colors! Art like this amazes me as I can hardly draw a straight line. You are a marvelous writer also! Happy Mother's Day, Monique!

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    1. I write like I paint Pam..like I am still 10..
      My friend is a writer..she is so eloquent..her thoughts are like lovely books.
      But thank you.
      It's amazing what nice words do:-)

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  30. Monique, Sorry I'm so late wishing you a Happy Mother's Day. Just got back from Northern California visiting our son, Scott and daughter, Carly. We celebrated Stan's birthday on Saturday with them. Love this post about your amazing mother. She would be so proud of you and how your girls turned out. You are a wonderful mother!! Happy Mother's Day to you!
    Hugs,
    Jody

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  31. I hope you had a lovely Mother's Day. Your post is beautiful. I'm sure you mother would be very proud of you...

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  32. I just found this and so glad I did M. Such a sweet way to remember and honor your mother. Very well done.

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  33. A.. I still remember your mom:) You were a great daughter .

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  34. I have tears in my eyes reading your post, very emotional, I was really touched..
    The painting are so beautiful!

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  35. Monique, I am late getting around this month. Too much heartache in our family at the moment. I just loved this post. Beautifully written and tender and filled with love for all of your family. Your mother sounds a treasure, but then again, how can she not have been. Just look at her daughter. Beloved by many. Your family is so lucky to have you and you lucky to have them. Life is a blessing. You are blessed. Love and hugs for you today and always. I just loved, LOVED this post. All of it. xxoo

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