Memorial

London, England
November 2008

One Year Death Anniversary Coming Up

My dearest Mum,

I miss you very, very much. The pain of losing you will always be with me. I so much want to pick the phone up and hear your wonderful voice. You gave me so much love, beauty, caring, thoughtfulness and understanding. Everything I needed to learn for my good life, I learned from you. You were the best mother and my greatest teacher for the things that really matter. You will always live in my heart, enriching my life.

Thank you for all you gave me and everybody in your circle of love. When I count my blessings, I still count you twice. I wish you were here.

Your loving daughter,

Splash

October 30^th, 2008

80th Birthday note from MYN

Photo from birthday last year (2007, September 38th)

30th September 2008 Hi All, Mum would have been 80 years old today. I am not sure she would have been that thrilled! Wein the family have all had a sad time over the last few days as we remember how much she loved us and all the people around her... and how we miss her soooo much. Everyone gathered at her place on her birthday for the traditional celebration. She never invited anyone, but always had enough food. She received so many cards every year from all around the world, and us siblings would have a competition to see who had sent the most beautiful words. This birthday is particularly hard as it is another "first" without my lovely Mum. It seems so recently that she was here for her birthday. Has a year really gone by? Its hard to believe when you look at the pictures I have attached. We knew she was really ill, but it seems unreal that she only had six weeks left. She even found the strength to finish a nightdress she was making for my sister and she gave me a bottle of "Beautiful" perfume. I know that she has left me forever, but I wish I could have just one brief phone call with her, so I can hear her say "hello darling..." Happy Birthday Mum. I know how lucky I am to have had such a wonderful mother who showered me with love from the day I was born. I miss her so much. X Regards,

Naomi Nazareth Sweet Pea

If any of you missed the BBC Gardeners World programme featuring the winning "Naomi Nazareth Sweet Pea",

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXE2VJzitao is the short version with just Mums flower.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AD3A9wxiE9M&NR=1 is the slightly longer version which shows just why Naomi Nazareth won

Noemia's Art ~ Apples 2007

My mother was painting until the end of her life. She used to make cards for me to send to others. Luckily I kept most of them for myself. I also have numerous cards made by her, that she wrote in and sent to me. These are very precious. She wrote beautiful letters in her unique, beautiful handwriting. I love reading them. How lucky is that, to have personal handmade cards with handwritten letters, full of love, in the 21st century.

Passion Flower

This flower is blooming here now and every time I see one I think of my mother. When I was a little girl we always admired passion flowers. She taught me to take the time to appreciate beautiful blooms. In your busy life don't forget to smell the flowers and drink in their beauty.

The healing process

Sweet Pea, Lathyrus odoratus 'Naomi Nazareth', is selected as a beauty and featured in BBC's Gardeners World on August 15th 2008

http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardenersworld/

Featured plants:

Acorus calamus, Sweet Flag, Agapanthus 'Windsor Castle', African Blue Lily, Ammi majus, Queen Anne's Lace, Astelia chathamica, Silver Spear, Cautleya spicata, Arun Flame, Cyperus longus, Sweet Galingale, Dryopteris filix-mas, Male Fern, Echinacea purpurea 'Rubinstern', Coneflower, Eucomis bicolor, Pineapple Lily, Gardenia jasminoides 'Kleim's Hardy', Cape Jasmine, Houttuynia cordata, Vietnamese Mint, Lathyrus odoratus 'Alan Titchmarsh', Sweet Pea, Lathyrus odoratus 'Geoff Hamilton', Sweet Pea, Lathyrus odoratus 'Monty Don', Sweet Pea, Lathyrus odoratus 'Naomi Nazareth', Sweet Pea, Lathyrus odoratus 'Percy Thrower', Sweet Pea, Lobelia tupa, Devil's Tobacco, Lotus Berthelotii, Parrot's Bill, Monarda 'Gardenview Scarlet', Bergamot, Monarda 'Neon', Bergamot, Monarda 'Purple Ann', Bergamot, Watsonia angusta, Bugle Lily, Watsonia 'Tresco Dwarf Pink', Bugle Lily

See previous entry on this blog for the Naomi Nazareth history

Tribute To My Grandma

Tribute To My Grandma
Avozinha


It’s not the same without you here,
I miss everything about you the way you always cared,

We are all falling apart now why did you leave?
Just let me know you’re alright give me a sign please,

Your house isn’t the same now you’re gone,
It’s so hard to get up and carry on,

My tears fall when I hear your name,
I recite your life through my head again and again,

I just want you to know the love I have for you is still strong,
It will never fade no matter how long,

It’s hard to sleep knowing you’re up there,
What did you ever do wrong it’s not fair,

I want to call you up and tell you my results,
And let you answer back telling me my faults,

I want to walk into your house and have you waiting at the door with my hug,
Ready to listen and share your love,

I think of you everyday,
Wishing I had more time with you and that I’d known what to say,

I am going to try and be just like you,
To love everyone and always tell the truth,

I miss you more than anything in this world,
You have always been here for me since I was a little girl,

Why did you go Alizi please come back,
We are not ready to let you go just yet.

By Julia Nazareth


11/january/08

Remembering by MYN

Hi everyone,

Its difficult to decide whether nine months seems like a very long or a very short time since Mum died.

The beginning of August brought back many memories...all happy ones. Merv and I celebrated our 21st wedding anniversary and I remember the amazing weekend we had all those years ago. Mum was in her element organising the grand Sunday reception for four hundred people. It was a marvellous day and lots of people still remember it in detail! She was always so talented.

Last year on our anniversary, we went to Mum and Papa's to have a drink with Aunty Judy, Uncle Matthew and their friend John. Mum looked so well and had set her usual beautiful dinner table for her guests. We had a good laugh as she told me off for bringing a bottle of champagne. John took some great photographs of all of us with Mum. As I look at these pictures, it is hard to believe she was with us a year ago.

On a positive note, I attach a picture of the one and only Naomi Nazareth Sweet Pea which bloomed recently for many of us. It was so exciting to see the flowers which also smell lovely....and so life goes on.

But even more exciting, the grower informed me today that the Naomi Nazareth Sweet Pea was put forward for the Wisley trials recently, and was one of only two picked, from over thirty candidates, for the Award of Merit 2008.

It is sure to be popular with professionals who grow for exhibitions. Next stop, Chelsea Flower Show for Mum!

Max will be back from his World Challenge trip on Sunday and I wish Mum could have been here to welcome him home. She would have been proud of him as I think she would be of all of us and how we have coped in the last nine months.

I still miss her terribly, but I am beginning to enjoy the many, many wonderful memories that Mum gave me. I know I am very lucky to have them, but I just wanted her here for another 10 years so she could deal with Lily's boyfriends!

Love,

MYN

Naomi Nazareth sweet pea in bloom - August 2008

card and photo by MYN

My sister, MYN, and I have had a sweet pea named for our mother. It is now blooming.

A poem for grandma - 1st Christmas without her

The Sweet Christmas Morning
Shouldn’t be forgot,
But this year for my family
Sadness brings a lot

The Sweet Christmas Morning
I rush out of bed,
Run straight down the stairs
But nothing can be said

The Sweet Christmas Morning
There’s silence all around
Not even our CD player
Plays the Christmas sound


The Sweet Christmas Morning
Will never be the same you see
But we’ll soothe our painful tears
With memories of my lovely Grandma
AVOZI.



Written By Lily Christmas 2007

Why I am in love with gardens: yesterday, today, tomorrow

photo by AML

Brunfelsia grandiflora also known as Yesterday -Today -Tomorrow, Origin: Brazil

The unusual popular name of this medium-sized shrub becomes clear to anyone who observes it over the course of two or three days. Its fragrant flowers change from purple to lavender and then to white over a three day period. First they open as rich lavender blue; then they change to pale lavender and finally to almost white before they fall. All three colors can be seen on the same plant.

My mother inspired and taught me to be a gardener. Growing up in a small town in the middle of nowhere, my mother created a beautiful garden. I was 6 years old and I can remember how excited she was about moving to our brand new dream home, Villa Noemia, and having a big garden. Unusual plants were ordered from outside the country and tended with great care. Yesterday, today, tomorrow was one such plant. We watched it grow and were so thrilled when the 1st blooms came out and we could appreciate the name. She loved showing the flowers to everyone. I still remember that experience everytime I see this plant. It has been a life long pleasure for me to watch my garden grow. Each bud that bursts into bloom is a blessing. This I learnt from my mother.

Extraordinary

My mother was an extraordinary
woman and I am very lucky to have
had such a wonderful, loving mother.
In my grief at her not being here, I have to remind myself how incredibly lucky I am that I always felt her arms around me and still do.

A poem for Noemia

The Sky Blue Robe

She stood in the doorway
Papa just behind her
A cool, bright morning
I am sad, she is so ill

In the taxi, I look out the window
What a beautiful smile
And she is blowing me kisses
Through my tears I smile and wave

She keeps waving and this
Is my last time to see her standing
A sky blue robe, her face aglow
Blowing warm kisses to me through the airwaves

The blue robe now warms me
At night I take it off as I go to bed
I see her in my dreams, in the sky blue robe
blowing me kisses from heaven’s gate

I sit here in the early morning
In the sky blue robe
Reflecting on her warm love


Copyright AM Levy

Noemia Nazareth 1928-2007

This is a blog all about a wonderful, wonderful mother. Mothers naturally love their children. My mother's love was active. I felt it and received it constantly, all through my life. Losing her 6 months ago was a heavy loss.