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It was a BUSY week for this already busy member of the Sandwich Generation, let me tell you! In addition to all the normal duties, including running errands with my senior mom, I was on full-time grandma duty for a few days while the grandkids' parents were out of town. Whew! I don't know how I used to do all that day in and day out as a mom! In fact, I don't know how full-time grandparents raising grandchildren do it! We definitely don't have the energy we used to! MEGA KUDOS TO ALL YOU WONDERFUL GRANDPARENTS WHO HAVE STEPPED IN TO FILL THE VITAL NEED OF RAISING YOUR GRANDCHILDREN! YOU ARE BEYOND AWESOME AND WHAT A BLESSING YOU ARE BEING TO THOSE GRANDKIDS!!!!
As I ran back and forth on errands with the grandkids, including to and from various schools, often feeling a bit on the tired side, I never failed to feel my spirits rise when I got a look at these lovely tulips someone once planted in the middle of their yard. These were probably planted decades ago – and are still giving joy to all of us all these years later. That's two great encouragers for my senior mom and me to keep up with gardening! It's a love way to share love the year you plant. And if you plant perennials or bulbs, it's a delightful way to pass that love on through future generations – talk about leaving a fun legacy! 🙂
My senior mom's gardening is such a great way of keeping her busy and physically active, even if she doesn't feel up to taking a walk on a special day. When she was the caregiver to her various senior relatives, it was also a wonderful way of "taking care of the caregiver." For me, I'm finding photography is a fun way of doing that. I love grabbing my easy to use digital camera or even more easy to use iPhone with the camera built in and snapping away. And I love the comments I get on Sweet Shot Tuesday, not to mention the sweet smiles I see on her face when the photos show up on her digital "frame" (my old camera and monitor). And, of course, there are all those cute smiles and giggles when the grandkids recognize various photos.
I will never be the accomplished photographer some of my loved ones are, but I do have fun taking photos and sharing them with you.
It's always nice for those of us in the Sandwich Generation to have a bit of an outlet that is different from caregiving – even if we use it while caregiving, like I do with taking photos. Rednesday is another fun "outlet" for me. All pretty reds and sweet online friends to visit with. Both of these are good ways of "caring for the caregiver." What's your outlet? 🙂
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Kaye, these are such pretty tulips, like hearts popping up to say “happy spring”. On the side of my parents house, every year a single yellow tulip would appear. We never planted it, so I suppose it was planted by the previous owners way back when. It was always a herald to springtime.
Happy Rednesday,
Marianne
I think your photography is wonderful. The tulips are so pretty!
Thank you Leslie – what sweet words of encouragement to brighten my day! 🙂 🙂 🙂
We don’t need to be an expert. I just love the blogs, reading and looking at photos.
With tulips, I suppose once you grow them, you never need to grow them again.
Hi Ann, I think, with tulips, it depends on the area and the temps. I believe (I have never successfully grown tulips – just read up when trying to 🙂 ), that some areas get so cold you have to dig them up before winter then replant in spring. Apparently, tho, we are warm enough. YAY 🙂
Thank you so much for your sweet words of encouragement Leslie! 🙂 🙂 🙂
What fun, Marianne. I always love these sweet gifts from those who once lived in the house before us! And just one tulip – that sounds like such a sweet and rare delight!