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Artists who paints in oil en plein aire. Member of the three member Plein Aire Cottage Artists. Members: Mary Rose Holmes, Violetta Chandler and Helen Tilston

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Mother's Day 2012 St. Augustine confessions

Happy Mother's Day to all mothers.
Happy Mother's Day to all who remember their mothers

St Augustine - Confessions 9.12:
  Gently I closed my mother's eyes. An immeasurable sorrow flowed up into my heart and would have 
   overflowed in tears.  But my eyes, under the mind's strong constraint, held back their flow. As my mother breathed her last, the child Adeodatus broke out into lamentations. We checked him and brought him to silence
 (Adeodatus was St. Augustine's son)

One of my favourite images of our Blessed Mother is the image of "The Patron Saint of Street Children"  aka  Our Lady of Poverty.
Our Lady of the streets - oil on linen by Helen Tilston -painting is still wet, thus the shine



My mother Kathlen Bohannon Glynn died April 24, 1998.   She was fun loving, joyful, a brilliant mind, who loved all her 7 children and my father Peter Glynn.  She taught us all she knew and what she did not know she quickly found teachers and mentors for us.  She baked bread like no one else can.
She did not sweat the little stuff.  She had common sense and a heart full of love.  Two beautiful memories of her are.  It infrequently snows in Ireland and rarely does the snow stay. I recall her waking all 7 of us children at 2.00 a.m. on a winter's night to tell us to quickly get up, get dressed and come on outside as there was snow.  We threw snowballs in the moonlight until day break.
Another time, she told my sister Maura and I that we could have the next day off school and she was taking us to Dublin.   What a day we had, lunch at Woolworth's self serve counter.  Shopping on Moore Street, walking up Grafton Street, finished off by tea at Bewley's Cafe.
This image reminds me of my mother singing a lullaby in Gaelic  to my baby brother Thomas Glynn
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Thursday, April 28, 2011

Royal Wedding, Joy and Beautiful Memories

 
 
 
 
Are you in London presently and will you attend the Royal Wedding Celebrations?

I wish I was in London now but must wait till the Autumn of this year.

I have been very fortunate to have had High Tea at Buckingham Palace on several occasions. Once through the gates of Buckingham Palaee, the magic begins.  Damask graces the walls and gilt wainscotting and dado rails add to the elegance.  The treasures and antiques within the Palace are rare, unique and steeped in history.  Tea was served in the Throne Room.  The Queen and Prince Philip mingle and meet all guests. When the Royal family arrived at our table, a Royal Secretary introduces the Queen to us. We are standing by now.  A curtsy to the Queen and a gentle handshake (we are briefed beforehand not to shake her hand roughly, as she may meet and handshake several hundred people in a day)  The Secretary will have some background on the guests and open the conversation.  High Tea is assorted crustless sandwiches, scones, Devon cream and strawberry preserves.  Servers refill the tea and is is steaming hot.

I have also had the same pleasure extended several times at St James Palace, hosted by HRH, the late Queen Mother.  She is delightful and when she enters the room she is followed by her corgis.  She is charming and so full of joy and personality.
I shall always remember the first time I was introduced to her.  My father in law, told her he had been to Ireland recently visiting my family, She enquired which county in Ireland ?  I told her Galway and she responded "A beautiful country and I think we are so fortunate to not have sunny weather here in England and Ireland, otherwise we would be inundated with tourists"

Tomorrow, regardless of the weather, London will be inundated with tourists

Throne Room at Buckingham Palave - HRH The Queen, Col FA Tilston VC, Helen Tilston (Mike Tilston, missing from pic)
I shall enjoy my English breakfast and decorate our table with photos and invitation cards and remember some wonderful times,