Mums

[vaneramos]

Midday today found me by chance at Allan Gardens in Toronto, with a chrysanthemum exhibition underway.

Mums remind me of Mom. I loved her garden, but wrinkled my nose at two of her favourite flowers, mums and petunias. They smelt acrid and featured garish colours that didn't appeal to me. I've grown to appreciate yellow and orange in contrast with their complementary colours, but Mom loved them for themselves. Chrysanthemums always ensured the fall garden was full of sunny vibrancy.

Now I like mums and petunias simply because they remind me of Mom. The contorted cultivars on display at Allan Garden were barely recognizable as relatives to the plain ones we grew at Poplar Bluff, but Mom would have enjoyed them anyway.

They also call to mind forms and colours of Dale Chihuly's glass art, which I saw with writer00 at Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh, August 2007.

Comments

[ubermunkey.livejournal.com]

incredible images bub!

I love the close up.
cheers
connor

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

The second one is actually glass from the Chihuly exhibit last year! Amazing, isn't it. Now I realize all those flecks emulate pollen.
How's it going, bud? The loss of daylight has been hitting me lately. I'm finding it hard to get ready to leave home tomorrow, but it will be good to spend a few days with Dad.
Peace
Van

[missprune.livejournal.com]

Amazing photos! Wish my camera could see that close. Your words have me wondering what, if anything, might someday remind my grown up kids of me - something they maybe didn't appreciate before. Hmmm... clam chowder for my daughter? A fine juicy steak for my son? :o)

[missprune.livejournal.com]

oh ha, just read your note above, see that is NOT the insides of a flower - awesome!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Wild, isn't it?

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I always appreciated Mom's cooking, but actually it's the things she liked that tend to remind of her. And besides petunias and chrysanthemums, which I didn't care for, there are many things we were both fond of, like lily-of-the-valley. And especially daffodils.

[missprune.livejournal.com]

Igzackly! My daughter dislikes clam chowder which I like, my son's a vegetarian while i adore a good fat laden steak...

[bitterlawngnome.livejournal.com]

woohoo must go!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's worth the trip.

[paulintoronto.livejournal.com]

I believe that there is some kind of Chihuly show at the Distillery District at the moment. (Actually, maybe it was you who told me about it?) Anyhow, haven't seen it, but thought I'd mention it for obvious reasons.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

No, I didn't know about it. If you haven't seen a Chihuly exhibit, I'd recommend it. The one I saw was in a botanical garden, which gave it special appeal.