Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Finished and Goodbye

Don't you just love, quick and easy projects that turn out well! I have made this my treasure today for Melody's Tuesday Treasures:

Here is the delightful 'Twirl' fabrics quilt, made with the layer cake quilt kit.
It is so bright and beautiful and was very quick and easy to make (as you can see). This is a 'quilt top in a day' guaranteed! ... well, if you start early and don't get distracted as I always do. It took me a couple of days and then I quilted it so all up would have been three days to completely finish it.
I took it to town last Friday to give to my wonderful friend Nancy for her Inspirational Quilts Charity ...BUT ... due to a sequence of events I didn't get to give it to her ...  BUT .... I will get it to her when I next go to town.
Oh, just realized that the heading may be a bit misleading. The goodbye refers to our Friday in town. We finally interred my mother's ashes.
It has been over 5 months since we had her funeral but it took this long for the miniscule preparation involved in tucking her under the gravetop with my brother and father.
I was surprised at how emotional I was. I know that sounds a bit strange but I had grieved for mum for the last ten years and by the time she died it was pretty well done.
The woman that was my mother died many years ago. The person we saw and interacted with in the meantime was like a ghost. Sometimes she was present but mostly she was an ethereal host. Her eyes, as 'windows to the soul', had long since clouded over, their sparkle and clarity long gone. So when the tears came on Friday, beside her grave, I was a little surprised at their unexpected and spontaneous profusion. I thought I 'had it all together'. My sister stoically spluttered general niceties and conversation but I just wanted to quietly say goodbye.
I kissed her wedding ring and gently dropped it into the box containing her ashes. It sank with a gentle 'ooof'. The box was closed again and was then nestled in her final resting place.
Mum is surrounded by native plants, which she would have loved. There is a small waterway quite near which runs seasonally and is surrounded by wattle trees. Gazanias grow with gay abandon on the neglected graves and beside the paths. She loved the Gazanias that grew wild on the nature strips of our street. This older part of the cemetery is mostly dry crusty ground with dirt paths. This is the place for a 'country girl' to rest.

9 comments:

  1. The Layer Cake quilt is lovely Bronwyn.
    Your Mum will now be at peace in her lovely resting place. Hugs Kaylee

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  2. Hi Bronwyn,I can so empathise with how you felt interring your Mum's ashes. Leaving Christopher at Eltham was gut wrenching despite it being very peaceful and also near water ( the lake). She is at peace and you just have the job of living each day without her. Can't put into words what I want but I think you know.

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  3. Your post brought vivid memories of when we laid my dads ashes in his favourite place on earth. It was a deeply emotional day but at the same time intensely peaceful because of the location. I know he is at rest there and that eases the pain somewhat. I hope you will feel the same as time goes on.
    I love your quilt and that it looks so easy. xxx
    Cath

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  4. Thinking of you at this difficult time, my lovely friend. Let's catch up soon.

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  5. A very nice quilt. Such pretty colours. You sure did get it done quick. Also a very nice good bye. You seemed to have needed this closure. It is lovely to think that she is resting in peace in the perfect place.

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  6. Hi Bronwyn, I think when we care for a loved one who is lost to us through a dementia type illness we hold our breath so we can get through what needs to be done and when they finally pass away we allow ourselves to let go and truly grieve for what we have lost. I know my Mum had been holding her breath for some 8 years and like you was taken by surprise at the depth of her grief now. I wish I could give you a big hug. It sounds like you have chosen the perfect place for your Mum. Your quilt is really lovely so bright and cheery.
    I know I sound like a moaner but any email I send you or any reply to your comments comes back as a failed delivery.....so I am trying to keep on replying. It has me flummoxed.

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  7. That is a brilliant quilt Bronwyn. It sounds like a beautiful location around your family plot. I thought I cried enough in the 7 years of dealing with mum's dementia but now nearly 3 years after her passing the strangest things can set me off again sobbing. I figure I have nearly 40 years of great memories & they will always be with me & override those last sad & difficult years. Mum's are special. Tracee xx

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  8. My father in law died three weeks ago ... My mother, eight years ago ... Nobody can tell you what you need ... Only time and God can give us the comfort we need

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  9. Hi Bron, what a delightfully fresh and friendly-looking quilt! And I love that you posted about something crafty along with the interring of your mum's ashes! I love to remember Mum reading your mum's letters, and then when I was old enough, enjoying them myself. Your mum was such a craft-lover! From knitting to sewing, cooking and gardening, she was so talented. And such a peaceful resting place, reminiscent of the country, would be perfect for her too.

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