Friday 24 July 2020

55 years, 1 week and 1 day

That is the amount of time my parents have been married now! I mentioned their 55th wedding anniversary last Thursday on this post, but I wrote that in the morning, before I saw them that evening.

 In 1965, most brides had carnations or roses. My parents decided against a traditional bridal bouquet and instead went for what grew on the fields and meadows at that time of year: red roses, blue corn flowers, white and yellow oxeye daisies and wheat stalks. 

July 16, 1965
As mentioned before, my Mum was almost 21 and my Dad was 23.

July 16, 2020
Year after year for their wedding anniversary, my Dad gave my Mum a bouquet of the same flowers - with the exception of one year, when my Mum was in hospital with a broken elbow. That was the only time he forgot their anniversary, and understandably so, with all the upheaval that accident brought with it.

 With all his health issues, my Dad has not been able to go out and buy flowers for a while now. I still wanted to have my parents their wedding bouquet and spoke to a florist in town, near enough for me to walk there after work and pick up the flowers. The florist was enthusiastic about the idea and re-created the original bouquet as closely as she could, after the picture I emailed her. Roses and corn flowers were no trouble, but oxeye daisies were not to be had (her wholesaler told her of a fungus currently spreading on those particular flowers), so she chose white gerbera with a pale yellow center instead. After shutting the shop for the day, she went out on the fields and picked a few wheat stalks herself - wasn't that nice?

I think the bouquet turned out beautifully, and it was really a nice surprise when I handed it over to my parents that evening.
Horse Market, May 2016
There were only six of us, and of course each of the four guests brought beautiful flowers, not just me. We had delicious food delivered from a catering service and refreshing drinks; sparkling wine for starters, and a light, fruity rosé with the food.
We used the dinnerware that was my parents' wedding present back in 1965.
It was a lovely celebration, and with there being only a small number of people, we were able to keep the recommended distance in my parents' spacious open-plan kitchen/dining/living area.
One of my favourite pictures of my parents, Horse Market, May 2012
Next in our family diary is my Mum's birthday on August 12 - she will be 76.
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30 comments:

  1. Thickethouse.wordpress24 July 2020 at 13:38

    Oh, this is so wonderful...I love the idea of your getting the florist to make the same bouquet for them as they had in their wedding. They are looking so good. And they have one another and you and your sister...What joy!

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    1. Librarian24 July 2020 at 15:00

      I was just so glad that the florist was willing to do that for me, she could have just as well said that she didn't have wheat stalks and no marguerites. I would have still bought flowers from her, but having that specific bouquet was just really nice.

      Delete
  2. Mary24 July 2020 at 13:57

    The bouquet looks as colourful and lovely as I thought it would, as I had remarked on her bouquet in previous post. What a thoughtful gift. So good for you to be able to celebrate with their special day.

    As for your mother's birthday, it is also the birthday of one of my granddaughters--she turns 5. Busy time for birthdays here: my only daughter celebrates hers this Sunday, one of my sons and his 3 year old son share a birthday on August 3rd, and besides his daughter--the soon to be 5--his wife's birthday is on the 15th. We laugh about the fact that all of his family was born in an 'A' month--they have another son who was born in April last year.

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    1. Librarian24 July 2020 at 15:02

      Mary, when you commented on the bouquet in the previous post, I was so tempted to say that you'd soon get to see it in colour - but if my Mum would have seen my reply, she would have guessed it and it wouldn't have come as a surprise anymore.
      Your family are indeed going to have a busy August, in the most pleasant way! In my and O.K.'s family, we have three - my Mum, then a bit later in the month O.K.'s sister and his mother.

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    2. Mary25 July 2020 at 15:15

      Ah! Don't blame you for keeping the secret. :) Just happy to have seen it in colour. Marvelous.

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  3. The Weaver of Grass24 July 2020 at 16:51

    I think that is one of the most beautiful wedding bouquets I have ever seen. It all looks such a lovely occasion.

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    1. Librarian28 July 2020 at 07:30

      Thank you, Pat! I am sure my Mum has read your comment and was well pleased.
      She used to be able to comment on my blog herself, but for some reason, it doesn't work anymore; we don't know why.

      Delete
  4. DawnTreader24 July 2020 at 20:20

    Congratulations to your parents! Nice photos, and lovely flowers - and good you were able to have a party :)

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  5. Jennifer24 July 2020 at 20:22

    What a lovely bouquet, and what a sweet gesture on your part! Congratulations to your parents! May they have many more anniversaries to celebrate together.

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    1. Librarian28 July 2020 at 07:31

      That is what we are hoping, too, Jennifer. Thank you!

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  6. pat chester24 July 2020 at 21:18

    Beautiful bouquet and lovely for you to get it for them. I had pink carnations in my bouquet 48 yrs ago and told my husband to buy me one pink carnation for each year we have been married. that was ok for the first 10 years or so but pink carnations can be expensive so we don't bother now. Hope your mum has a good birthday and that they celebrate their 60th Wedding Anniversary in 5 yrs time.

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    1. Librarian28 July 2020 at 07:33

      To have one carnation per year is also nice.
      By the way, I used to be able to go to your blog and comment "just so", but now it wants me to log in even to read a post.

      Delete
  7. Yorkshire Pudding25 July 2020 at 01:16

    You are a wonderful daughter Meike. Your love shines through in this post and besides it has always been apparent whenever you have written about your mother and father.

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    1. Librarian28 July 2020 at 07:35

      Thank you, Neil. I do love my parents to bits, but I wouldn't call myself a wonderful daughter. In practical terms and day-to-day life, I am far too little present in their lives, even though I live 10 minutes (on foot) from them. My sister is the one who does all the real stuff.

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  8. Kay G.25 July 2020 at 02:51

    OH, how wonderful! I LOVE that you were able to get that bouquet for them, so very close to their wedding one! And that photo of them in 1965 and the other ones you have shown here, what a gorgeous couple no matter what year. Please give them my very best wishes, will you? xx

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    1. Librarian28 July 2020 at 07:36

      I was really happy with the florist being so spontaneous and creative!
      My Mum has read all comments here; for some unknown (technical) reason, she can not comment on my blog anymore. We have both tried, to no avail.

      Delete
  9. Joyful25 July 2020 at 08:53

    Congratulations to your mom and dad. They make a beautiful couple and I love their chosen wedding bouquet which has been lovingly recreated each year. It sounds like you had a wonderful party for them.

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    1. Librarian28 July 2020 at 07:37

      Thank you, Joyful! It was a very nice little party.

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  10. Hameldaemepal@gmail26 July 2020 at 23:35

    Having your parents with you is a great blessing. I can see they are good people.

    I know men and women who went through difficulties after the death of a parent and they they were in their twenties at the time, never mind those who lose a parent when young.

    I think Sylvia Plath was 15 when her father died and it was the trigger for her breakdowns. Somerset Maugham was five when his mother died: the only photograph of her was in a silver frame by his bedside. He said the wound never healed.

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    1. Librarian28 July 2020 at 07:39

      Among my circle of friends, acquaintances, school mates etc., I am one of a few who still have both parents around, and I know what a blessing that is.
      My late husband's father died when he (my husband) was 12, and that remained a gaping wound in him for the rest of his life.

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    2. Hameldaemepal@gmail28 July 2020 at 22:18

      Having read your earlier posts I knew your husband had died: twelve was a tender age to have lost his father.

      P.J Kavanagh's beloved wife Sally died in her twenties when they were living in Indonesia. He wrote a classic autobiography, The Perfect Stranger (1963), which takes its title from an enigmatic poem by Louis MacNeice:

      Or will one's wife also belong to that country
      And can one never find the perfect stranger?*

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    3. Librarian29 July 2020 at 06:37

      That is indeed an enigmatic poem.
      The 1960s are a decade rather unrepresented in my reading material. Most of what I read is either way older (1850s to 1920s) or younger (2000+). But much of what I read as a child is from that time.

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    4. Hameldaemepal@gmail29 July 2020 at 16:28

      MacNeice never tried to be enigmatic. As a man he was friendly and approachable. I think he found happiness in his second marriage. He caught his death of cold while recording a BBC radio programme on potholing in the north of England. The end poem in Gavin Maxwell's book Ring Of Bright Water is by MacNeice: it's a poem of thanks.

      Kavanagh, a poet of the next generation, only really found his voice with the death of his wife Sally. His autobiography is delightful. He hints at some supernatural experience after Sally's death. He married again and had two sons whom he adored.

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  11. galant27 July 2020 at 20:20

    Lovely photo of your parents. My husband and I married in 1964 so in October we will have been married for 56 years. However, while a lot of brides had bouquets of carnations and/or roses, I decided I'd have orchids and freesias and stephanotis. I loved the orchids, they looked exotic and the colours were perfect for an autumn wedding. My bridesmaid had a similar bouquet, in shades of peach and cream. Your Mum is just a month older than me - I will be 76 in September. Many congratulations to your parents, there are few of us who have been happily married to the same people for so long!
    Margaret P
    www.margaretpowling.com

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    1. Librarian28 July 2020 at 07:41

      Hello Margaret, this is your first comment here, I think. Thank you for reading and commenting, and welcome to my blog!
      Peach and cream sounds beautiful, but I don't know what stephanotis are.
      You are right, not many couples stay together for so long - and happily so!

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  12. Share my Garden28 July 2020 at 21:37

    A lovely bouquet and such happy photos, how lovely your mother looked on her wedding day - congratulations to your parents. I am a little older than your mom and we also celebrated our wedding anniversary this month. No party this year, just the two of us. We decorated the church with wild marguerites on our wedding day, so that flower is special for me.

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    1. Librarian29 July 2020 at 06:34

      Belated happy anniversary to you!
      A church decorated with wild marguerites - that sounds just wonderful.

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  13. Friko28 July 2020 at 22:10

    55 years later and they are still a handsome and happy couple. I send my felicitations to the lovely pair.

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    1. Librarian29 July 2020 at 06:34

      Thank you, Friko! They are, aren't they.

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