Sleep softly mommy.

This post is in honor of my dearly departed mother.

The little bird was singing her a happy birthday song.

My mom's birthday was on the first day of July and she died in a car accident at the age of 51. So, on this day, I always get a special longing for her in my heart. She was a farm girl that got married to a very violent man, had 3 children by him and eventually divorced him because of his regular assaults on her. Due to the stigma attached to divorced women at the time, she moved far away taking her mother (my gran) and her 3 small children with her. That's how we ended up in a big city suburb and she raised us on her own.
I inherited her love for wild birds and nature.

So, I decided to post some birds today to honor her.

As you can imagine, it was not easy growing up, as most of the kids had parents and they treated us like outcasts. Divorce was treated as a great sin and parents warned their children not to play with us. I got into scraps with some bullies at times, but always hid it from my mom. Unfortunately she did not believe me when there were marks on my face, as my stock excuse was that I fell. Fortunately we lived in a cosmopolitan area and I had the children of indian, portuguese, lebanese, and a few other nationalities as friends.

My mom worked double shifts at times in the printing industry and she had a sideline as a hairdresser. On a Saturday morning, our house was always very busy with a troop of ladies that came to have their hair done. The women chatted like budgies and I was not allowed to be in the house, but one could hear their shrieks and laughter from miles away :)
All of that is now a closed chapter in my life, although the memories remain in my heart. Many other chapters have also closed in my life, as they are all dead now. My gran died first, then my mom, then my youngest sister and last year my eldest sister.
So this post is also to honor all of them.
In the meantime, by grace, my life continues as the last one standing.
Such is life.

I hope that you have enjoyed the pictures.

And That's All Friends.

Photos by Zac Smith-All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Canon Powershot SX70HS Bridge camera.

Blessings to all.