garden photos, gardens, Life, Loss, Mental Health, Photos

The Summer Change in the Arendelle Garden Beds

As I discuss in today's TikTok video I made about the side bed in Corrie's Arendelle Garden, my daughter inspired me. I never had an interest. The act of gardening saved me, gave me an outlet for my grief, and also released a part of Corrie back into the world.

flowers, garden, garden photos, Grief, Loss, Photography, PTSD, Uncategorized

Coming Up Calla Lilies

Some Calla Lilies my husband bought for me last weekend in honor of Mother's Day and my birthday, which I picked out at my favorite nursery, S &. K Greenhouse. I've been cautious with roses for two years, simple because of the Japanese beetles. While I've written about my concerns about Japanese beetles and the… Continue reading Coming Up Calla Lilies

garden, garden photos, gardens, Grief, Loss, Photography, Photos

For the Beauty

"For the Beauty of the Earth" was always a hymn that could calm me. No matter how I felt at church, or if I was coming out of a nap as a young child during service, this song calmed me. It gave my mind an instant image of nature in every geography. I could pictures… Continue reading For the Beauty

Bereaved Parents, bereavement, Child loss, garden, garden photos, gardens, Grief, Loss, Poetry, Writing

A Poem for Grieving Parents: After the Ink Fades

Parents, like me, know all about learning opportunities. We experience them each second, minute, hour, day, night, month and year. Oh, my dear, we know the lessons well. We never ask for them. We never request to join a school of thought, nor wish this club’s type of exclusivity on any other. We experience our lessons in nature when the birds chirp, yet hear no shriek of excitement, or “Mom, how you doing?” We have learning opportunities we never sought, and knowledge we never wished to gain.

autism, Bereaved Parents, Child loss, children, Family, Grief, Life, Loss, Mental Health, Photography, Photos, Poetry

A Picasso Shade of Blue

Born with a different kind of mind– and not the etch-a-sketch kind with the straight edges and directions to flow–is like sitting on the steps of the shallow end without a clue of how to swim or where to go.

Bereaved Parents, bereavement, Child loss, Life, Loss, Photography, Photos, Poetry, Writing

Escape from Hitchcock

There are days when you long for the waves to rush over your feet, and you discover the kind of days made for digging in garden dirt as sweat pours down your face, and you believe you recognize the signs of happiness again after you've known darkness of the darkest kind.

Bereaved Parents, bereavement, Child loss, Family, flowers, garden, Grief, inspiration, Joy, Life, Loss, Mental Health, Photography, Photos

Pictures Tell a Thousand Stories

It drove my second grade teacher Mrs. Rewis crazy if a student said, "a hundred" or "a thousand" because these weren't precise numbers. A student could say, "one hundred," and this is accurate. But some stories don't possess an exact number ...

Bereaved Parents, bereavement, Child loss, children, Family, garden, Grief, Loss, nature, Photography, Photos

For Corrie’s Ninth Birthday

Each year, we honor Corrie’s birthday in a small celebration with friends.

Bereaved Parents, bereavement, children, Loss

A Reflection of Corrie before her Ninth Birthday

A video reflection of Corrie before her ninth birthday in her Arendelle Garden.

inspiration, Life, Loss, Photography, Photos

What is my Favorite Place to Purchase Plants for Corrie’s Garden?

On an autumn day, if you're going through Shelby, North Carolina; a greenhouse sits on a hill off the road.