Time to Bloom - Central Ohio Photographer

Happy Easter weekend! The flowers are blooming to their most heavenly beauty. Birds are happily calling to one another. The sun is shining more! And the air is warming.

And still, this weekend is so poignant for me. It was at Easter time on April 8th seventeen years ago that I lost my Mom and best friend after a brief fight with cancer. And now, only 6 years younger than she was when she passed, I find myself very focused on living life so very fully - very richly. I remember one of the walks I took with mom after she was diagnosed - I can still see her beautiful face full of wonder. I asked her what she was looking at. She said - "Everything. It is like I am seeing everything for the first time." To see the same with new eyes - I never forgot that & try to keep that thought & view each day. I realize that the seeds of my dreams long ago planted need now to be nurtured to fully flourish.... I am fortunate to be living my dream. But - there have been other seeds and dreams planted as well. And so this spring as I plant my seeds and flowers, I will be thinking of mom... of her dreams and of my dreams. And I will be busy nurturing them to full bloom!

Happy Easter Mom..... I love you.

BLOOM

A Hello from Mom {Columbus Ohio Photographer}

Do you believe in "signs", synchronicity or serendipity? You know, those ever so gentle knocks on the door of your heart from the great beyond/universe/God? We probably receive them more often than we realize... if only we were cognizant or in the moment enough. But when we become aware of those unmistakable moments, they are like rays of sunlight warming our cheek. The other day, I had a sign... a pretty BIG one in fact! It was a very ironic "Hello! I'm fine and I'm here with you!" from my mom.

Mom passed 16 years ago - much too young and too soon (58). During the viewing, children from her school laid origami cranes on her - and so, origami cranes always remind me of her. On the anniversary of her death, April 8th, I was getting beautiful at the hair salon. I was enjoying a wonderful massage/shampoo, and then returned to the stylist’s station. I sat down & looked next to me to find a woman sitting there making origami cranes! Wow! It's funny because I had been thinking I hadn't "felt" her in a while.

Thanks Mom, I love you, too!

After this little "message" from Mom, I decided to go through her old photo albums.




Mom as a baby with her mom, my grandmother.





Always some of my favorite photos of mom - angelic and mischievous at the same time!



Mom's dad, my grandpa. I think Mom got her joie de vivre and happy personality from him.



Mom was from a small town in Eastern Pennsylvania. When she turned 14, she went to the Jersey Shore for summer work with friends. They worked at ice cream shops and later at posh restaurants that saw the likes of Frank Sinatra.





Some of my favorite photos of mom are from her days at Kutztown State Teachers College (now known as Kutztown University). Up to this time she had always just been "Mom". Seeing these photographs was like looking at my mom as a real person. Mom is in the top photo on the left.



Mom was always a fun loving people person. Here she is bottom center.



I have always loved shots from the 1950s - the styles, the mood.
They were always posing & trying for a glamorous look!
Mom is top right under the umbrella!



Mom, top left - yes, with the beer can!
I always loved her smile... & she was always smiling!



Mom's graduation photo from Kutztown College.


Thank you to my photographer friend from across the pond, Claire, for inspiring me to go through Mom's scrapbooks. xo



xoxo Mom....







17.30~ Old Photos & Pierogis

17.30~ Old Photos & Pierogis, originally uploaded by *ojoyous1*.

My Mom & Dad.

I’m thankful for my heritage, memories & photos to Our house was full of laughter, singing & love - & lots of pierogis, kielbasa & potato pancakes keep it all fresh.



The cookbook was given to me by my grandma in 1987!