The Blessing

Good Morning All:

After a very long and lingering illness, my mom has peacefully passed away. She went to sleep last night and was gone this morning.

Although it is always a sad and melancholy time when a parent passes away, it is a blessing when death comes after so much suffering and lingering.

After seeing my mom yesterday, I knew that today would be the day, and when the phone call came at 7:30 a.m. I was ready.

She was a strong woman, raised during the Great Depression. She had a fabulous and positive outlook on life and was always kind to anyone and everyone she met. She always smiled. Even in the last few hours of her life, she found it in her heart to smile.

I will be busy this week with mortuary details and out of state phone calls. In between the busy-ness, there will be times of sadness, but I know that she has gone onward to a far better place and her pain has disappeared.

Thank you for all of your concerned emails and caring thoughts and prayers.

Until Next Time:
Kim
Garden Painter Art

Impending Death and the Business at Hand

Good Morning:

It's been such a very long time since I've been to my blog. I really have only a wee few minutes to check in today.

Over the last few days, my mom has fallen into her last stage of life. She is still breathing and eating her small portion, but her disease has progressed to the point of constant sleepiness and confusion. Her blood pressure is very low and her breathing is shallow.

I am the only child that has taken responsibility for her care, so I have ever so much paper work and business to take care. Today, I am on my way to the mortuary to finalize her arrangements. As a hospice patient, all of her arrangements must be in place before she actually passes away.

Obviously this is not a bright and cheerful post, but ~ it is a hopeful post. My mom has lingered for so very long, and her misery has held steady for over two years now. Her passing is now only a matter of time, and I am praying that God can find his way to take her quickly so her suffering can end.

My mom is no longer at my home, as I can't take care of her myself. She is at a local "Board and Care" just about 5 minutes from my house. Unfortunately, the Board and Care is closing as of June 27th. The current economy has made it impossible for them to stay open. If she is still with us at that time, she will have to suffer through a move to a new facility. This time, she will have to go into a "Skilled Nursing Facility". My hopes and prayers are that she will quietly pass on before she has to be moved.

So...as you can see, I've been quite busy. I miss blogging, as it's truly one of the only ways that I communicate with people. It's nice to enter my world of other artists and talk about things other than "diapers, sickness and death". It is my escape.

Thanks to all who have emailed me concerned with my absence. I truly appreciate your kindness and thoughtfulness.

Until Next Time:
Kim
Garden Painter Art

Thank You Suzanne

Hello There:

I thought I would take a moment to post a "Thank You" to Suzanne of Unique Nurses for doing a fabulous feature on my Vintage Photo Shop on Etsy ~ as well as my Art Shop.

She took quite a bit of time to put these pieces together and I am so humbled to have been chosen as her feature.

I hope you can take a moment to stop by Unique Nurses and have a look.

Until Next Time:
Kim
Garden Painter Art

Ghost on the Gravestone

Hello:

Just a quick blog entry today, as I wanted to share this photo with you that I've just listed in My Vintage Photo Shop. The photo fascinates me and spooks me all at once ~

Ooopsie...no longer for sale


I'm not exactly sure what I believe regarding ghosts, but if there's anything that can convince me that they exist, it's this photo. Have a close look to the right of the headstone, just above the M in the name SCHWAM. I'm telling you, there is an image of a tiny woman wearing a white scoop-neck dress sitting on the middle ledge of the headstone. You can't make out a face, but you can see the dress ~



The headstone was for the Schwam family. The husband, Ferdinand, was still alive at the time of the photo. However, his wife, Margaret and his 2 year old daughter, Annie, were both already buried at the time of the photo.

What do you think?

Kim
Garden Painter Art

Colors of Spring....

A simple PINK rose


Ruby RED cherries


PURPLE Sweet Peas in a lovely pink vase


Even more PURPLE Sweet Peas


Chartreuse Praying Mantis

Missing In Action

Hello There:

First of all, let me say "thank you" to all of my dear blog friends that have emailed me, concerned with my absence. I haven't had time to blog in the last two weeks, and I am feeling a bit out of the loop. So, I found a wee few moments today to touch bases.

Over the course of the last two weeks, my mom's health has declined considerably. Due to that fact, I am at the "Board and Care" daily. When I'm not there, it seems I am on the phone with a doctor, a nurse, an aide, the pharmacy, the owner of the Board and Care or out of state relatives. I truly feel overwhelmed and out of breath at times...

With my mom's progressing disease and both broken hips, she is failing fast. This last week, we've experienced a massive decline in her mental state. She is confused and sometimes delusional. Although, she always recognizes me and still keeps up with current events. Her sense of logic is gone. She is absolutely positive that each day is her birthday, (which is actually in September). Each day, she waits for her chocolate cake. She has "visitors" from out of town almost everyday, but none of them have physically come to see her. It must be so vivid in her mind. She can tell me word for word what they talked about and she tells me that she gives them tours of the garden. None of which has actually happened.

So....as you can see, I've been quite busy. I miss blogging on a daily basis, but considering the current status of my life, a daily blog would be unpleasant and depressing for the reader.

I will be back as soon as I can.

Until Next Time:
Kim
Garden Painter Art

AND THE WINNER IS....

Well, after more than a few attempts at trying to get my not so intelligent Mini Schnauzer, Junior, to paw a winner, I was forced to find another way to pick the winning number. Truly, my little dog is sweet in an interesting and pitiful way, but smart he's not.

I'm a day late at announcing the winner, so I opted for the quickest, yet fair way to choose. I simply asked my daughter to pick a number between 1 and 16. She picked number 8.

I will contact the winner today.

Thanks ever so much for playing along. I'll have another give-way shortly.

Kim
Garden Painter Art