Friday, May 24, 2013

Focus On: Reminiscence

Thinking about the Pansy Girls


Ok, I just made that one up. There's no such thing as the Pansy Girls. But I am reminiscing about my grandmother, my mother and myself, triggered by Sally Russick's photo prompt, "Reminisce."


Have you ever been in the middle of a busy day and all of a sudden you run across a certain baked good, candy, flower or an object catches your attention and you are sent right back to your childhood? 

Oh yes, yes I have. I live in the house my grandparents bought in 1949, and little reminders are everywhere. Many things have changed as well. But most years, someone has planted pansies, and I always am reminded of my grandmother, whose favorite flower they were. 

And of course, they were favorites of my mother, and well, me too! Sad to say my daughter finds them a bit off-putting, with those little funny faces in the middle. 


This year's crop. 
  Not too many faces there. 

For more reminiscence visit Sally's blog, The Studio Sublime

21 comments:

  1. Beti, I love pansies too! I think they are a happy flower. Your photo collage is beautiful and what a lovely reminder of your grandma and mom!!

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  2. Ohhhh, I LOVE pansies! That fuschia one is just beautiful, not a colour I've seen before. How lovely to live in a house that has been yours for that long!I've lived in....18 different ones that I can remember...probably more than that, really.

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  3. What a great connection! forget-me-nots make me think of my mums garden growing up. every year I would struggle to find the very few lavender ones amongst the sea of blue. I hope your daughter comes around!

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  4. I love them as well. The first flowers of summer.

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  5. What a great connection to your family and history. I am so jealous as my mother thought that she was a gypsy though I do occasionally go past Gram's house when I am in Portland.

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  6. Oh, you so made me laught!! Thank you. Love the photos. Your daughter will come around,..... :-)

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  7. I LOVE pansies, I have them all over my front porch!

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  8. I love pansies... they were another flower that didn't make it through the winter ... they don't do well here it's either to hot or too wet. THe actually remind me most of my cabin at Manitou Beach in SK, I'm sure dad grew them but it's not a flower I remember. & I've heard other people talk about their faces!

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  9. Beti that's an awesome memory. I think it's great that you still live there. Moss roses would be the flower that takes me back to my childhood.

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  10. Your pansies are wonderful - so soft and fragile! And you made me think back to my grandmother who loved African violets, a flower that never quite captured my imagination except for the great memories they bring back of her!

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  11. Oh I so love pansies. I think their faces are sooo cute. I am sure your daughter will come around...Thanks for pretty pics, I love that deep red/purple one.

    http://mypicturesonlife.blogspot.com/2013/05/focus-on-live-week-21-reminisce.html

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  12. Pansies always brighten my days!

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  13. Oh how wonderful to keep the house in the family! I bet there are all sorts of memories .... and the pansies are a lovely tradition to keep! Such beautiful, delicate flowers

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  14. Oh how beautiful to live in a space full of family memories. I hope your daughter will come to recognize the family love of pansies and suddenly enjoy them. Sometimes it takes getting older to recognize the beauty.

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  15. Oh gosh I love pansies! And to live in my grandparent's house would be a dream come true. I just looked it up on Zillow and just seeing it brings back so many memories.

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  16. Pansies were my grandmothers favourite flower too and there was always plenty of them in her garden. She even used to crochet them and attach them to the doilies she made. Can you still buy that variety of variegated crochet cotton?

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  17. Lovely pansies! What a wonderful things to bring back memories.

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  18. Love the pic of the pansies and what great reminders for you!

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  19. Great pictures. Love how your house and pansies have a past.

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  20. What a great memory! My grandmother grew grapes just outside her back door, and a host of other plants and flowers and cacti. Your photos are lovely!!!

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  21. So nice to live in your grandmother's house and keep up such a wonderful tradition!!

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