On a sunny October morning, many years ago, my mother decided it was time to ascend the narrow staircase to the bedroom she shared with my father and lie down on the horsehair mattress to ready herself for my birth.
I have always been impatient and began my life as I continued it, not waiting for anyone else to act!
In the rush of pain, water and blood that followed, my father acted as best he could to deliver me.
Always a cool, calm and thoughtful man, he acted intuitively upon seeing the cord around my neck, gently holding me back, as he unwound my umbilical cord, to release me safely, from my mother, into the world.
My dear father passed several years ago…I refuse to mark time as I feel his energy with me.
My mother passed this year, as calm and serene as the day she birthed me.
And so, tomorrow is my birthday and I have a mind to celebrate the two people who got me safely into this beautiful world.
I have cleared a space in the fast growing woodland of Bealtaine Cottage and there I shall create a little garden for them both.
http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/jurassic-bark-ancient-irish-trees-brought-back-to-life-1.1971695?page=3
HAPPY BIRTHDAY WEEK COLETTE! (might as well make it a festival!)
..Thought you might find this article of interest.. ~Adrienne
Thanks Aajer X
Happy Birthday Colette,
May Mother Nature grant you countless more years of bliss in this paradise you have created in celebration of Her magnificence.
Many thanks for brightening so many of my dark days, and for the relentless generosity you demonstrate every day in Bealtaine and on this blog.
Thanks so much Simon…beautifully uplifting X
Many Happy Returns Colette. Good job your Dad didn’t panic and that you got through ok. Have a brilliant day and know we are thinking of you. Wonderful idea – to make a garden for your parents. Best Wishes
Terri and Lol
Thanks Terri and Lol XX
Have a magial birthday, and such a lovely idea to spend time creating a wonderful garden to honour your parents.
Maura Xxx
Of course, a special garden sown with love, wonderful. Have a wonderful birthday!
Thanks Barbara X
Wishing you all the best, Keven X
Thanks Keven X
I hope you have a happy birthday Collette and I know the new garden for your parents is going to be just wonderful.
Thanks Eileen X
Have a wonderful birthday, Collette! I hope the coming year brings you blessings both materially and spiritually. I look forward to following your blog as it transitions to a different, less frequent one! All the best!
Thanks Trilliam…I hope to write as often as I can! X
Happy birthday to you! My son was born at home and delivered by his father, it was very calm -and surprisingly not very messy at all! I hope you a have beautiful day remembering them and all that they have created in the world 🙂
Thanks X
Happy birthday
Thanks Johanna X
Happy birthday Colette. Always good to celebrate these occasions and also to remember your parents. ‘Honour thy father and thy mother’ still holds good! You’ve a wonderful eye for a photo… love the honesty pic.
Thanks Robert X
Lovely!
Thanks Janet X
Have a wonderful birthday. What a GREAT month to be born in!
Thanks Dawna X
Happy Birthday – Enjoy Your Special Day 🙂
Thanks X
Happy Birthday Collette ! I can’t think of a better way to honor your parents than to plant a garden. And the shared joy is unimaginable ,wishing you fun times tomorrow.
Blessingsxxx
Jean
Thanks Jean X
A great on-going celebration of all your lives.
A beautiful and Happy Birthday to you, Colette, and best wishes in setting up your memorial garden for your parents. As they made room in their life for you, it is fitting that you are returning the favour. 😉 Cheers! ~ Blessings! <3
Thanks X
Happy Birthday, Colette! Wishing you a wonderful, soulful year.
Thanks so much for the birthday present Laura X
You’re most welcome! Glad I could do it. 🙂
Lovely story. Thank you. Blessings on your birthday. May you have many more.
Thanks Jane X
Many Happy Returns for your Birth Day Coletter – and may each subsequent Return be as happy, peaceful, creative, and inspirational as I hope tomorrow’s will be. Love and light to you x
Thanks Ann X
Have a lovely birthday!
Thanks Julianne X
Have a wonderful Birthday, Colette, and thank you for sharing the story of your birth, the gifts of your parents. I’m sure you will make the memorial garden a beautiful and serene place to be. Many Blessings.
Mari
Thanks Mari X
What a beautiful tribute to your parents. Wishing you the loveliest of birthdays!
Blessings from Rose Cottage
Thanks Laurie X
May your day be filled with wonderful memories of your parents 🙂 Happy birthday to you!
Thanks Madison X
What a beautiful way to honor and celebrate your parents, Colette! Your wise words always fill my heart with Hope and Beauty, but today you touched me specially… Have a serene joyful Birthday, and never forget that your Bealtaine Cottage and this natural path you have chosen are a little lighthouse for many of us who still sail in the dark…
Blessings from afar,
K.
Thanks Kassandra…lovely words indeed X
It’s your birthday every day you wake up and see the sunlight…
Thanks Prydein X
Happy birthday for tomorrow – reading your posts often make me sad but give me hope x
Thanks X
Hello from Canada,
Your birthday is October 29th? So is mine! Happiest of birthdays to you!
Maureen Miller Vancouver, B.C.
Thanks Maureen and Happy Birthday X
Lovely thoughts Collette. What wonderful parents you were blessed with.
Happy Birthday for tomorrow.
Thanks StellaMary X
thank you Collette for all your calm words of wisdom and have a magical birthday…how lovely it is so near to Samhain XXX
Thanks Mary X
Happy Bday from Nashville TN .. and a new reader of your blog
Denise in TN
Thanks Denise…and welcome X
Happy Birthday Collette. Suzanne & Liz x
Thanks to you both X
Beautiful. I too feel my father with me, 17 years on. Have a wonderful birthday.
Thanks Sandra X
Happy Birthday Collette for tomorrow.
I bless you parents for giving the world such inspiration and look forward to seeing their garden evolve in your hands.
Jean
Thanks Jean X
The beauty of it all continues. Happy Birthday!
Thanks Mary X
merry birth day!!!!
Thanks Pamela X
What a beautiful tribute to your parents. Have a wonderful birthday and a sweet time creating your parents’ memorial garden. Thank you for all the inspiring posts about your life at Bealtaine Cottage.
Thanks Carla X
Lá breithe sona.
Thanks Sinead X
Lovely post!
Have a great day…..my thoughts are with you 😉
Thanks Pennie X
Homage to your parents and happy birthday to you Michèle
Thanks Michèle X
Happy Birthday to you, and hope you are having a lovely evening.
I have really enjoyed your posts and hope to read many more. A memorial garden for your parents will be wonderful. I bet they were very great gardeners like yourself, and loved nature.
Hope you are having a glass or two of that home made fruity wine to celebrate xx
Thanks Tina X
What a beautiful idea to cherish and remember your parents. I hope you have a lovely birthday – my daughter shares the date with you – she is 9 years old today and my own special little miracle girl. I love reading your posts and seeing the photographs which bring light and inspiration into what can seem a dark and fearful world.
Thanks Terri and may your daughter’s day be filled with love and laughter X