My Godmother Mary is an amazing woman, her heart is golden, and her bones ivory. Her home is a sanctuary where darkness has no room. When she embraces me I know the meaning of heaven on earth.
Mary collects feelings, weaving them into soft spots. Her ear is ready to listen far into the night. When I am with her there is no other place I would rather be, she captivates my imagination and makes me laugh.
Seldom does anyone leave her home empty handed. I leave with a car full, and a spirit that soars.
If I could spend a million years with her I would never know boredom, and I am not exaggerating. She is just too good to be true.
Certainly the day she was born earth was a better place, heaven touched the ground and sang. My Godmother shares abundantly, she doesn't know the word selfish, she puts everyone on a throne.
I haven't had tea in the same cup twice. Mary finds her treasures at yard sales. She told me she cannot leave anything behind, especially if it is chipped or cracked. I believe Mary knows that being broken is being made whole.
You might say pink is Mary. Rosy true. Her beauty stems from caring for others. She has a knack for unfolding people's pain and given them a bundle of courage to carry on. Mary has a healing touch.
Here she is on her flower bed, holding court with her roses. You know life is too short, way too short to not have a slumber party. Why be ordinary when you can be extraordinary and wear bells on your toes?
Photos: Of my Godmother's amazing home this weekend with, Shelley, my cousins Alma, Chelsea, Denise, and Renee, and Annie, Ulla, Lea, & Nicole.
What a welcoming she provides. You are blessed to have her for a godmother.
Posted by: tut-tut | 19 August 2007 at 01:28 PM
Oh Corey how I wish I could join you at your magical Godmother's fairytale home for a cup of tea!
Posted by: carolyn | 19 August 2007 at 01:34 PM
My beloved Grandmother's name is Mary and my Mom's middle name was Mary they too share your Godmother's beauty of love and kindness and
working with God to make this world a much better place.............
How beautiful and you are truly blessed as am I!
Beautiful photographs and words as always that truly touch my soul!
Love and hugs
Jeanne
X0X0
Posted by: Jeanne | 19 August 2007 at 01:45 PM
What a sunny slumber party that is - Your godmother sounds like an angel - and she decorates like one, too! What lovely photos and words, Corey. xo
Posted by: tinker | 19 August 2007 at 02:55 PM
If EVER there was a day to click and enlarge...this is it! I want to be just like Mary when and if I grow up!!!
Posted by: phyllis | 19 August 2007 at 02:56 PM
Another stunning post. What would I not give to live in a house like that, and your description of Mary brought my Grandmother back to my side. I always leave your blog with my insides lit up. Thanks Corey x
Posted by: Deb | 19 August 2007 at 03:17 PM
Corey you will have to provide tissue warnings at the top of some posts for example: "I believe Mary knows that being broken is being made whole." Yes you are blessed.
delphine
Posted by: delphine | 19 August 2007 at 03:22 PM
I am just blown away by the beauty of this post. Her home is a fairy tale come to life.
Your Godmother seems to be an angel on earth. Lucky lucky you!
Posted by: Julie | 19 August 2007 at 03:24 PM
What a lovely tribute to your Godmother. May we all aspire to become like her. Thank you for sharing her!
Posted by: karen | 19 August 2007 at 03:41 PM
You are a most fortunate lady in every respect!
Posted by: Carol | 19 August 2007 at 03:43 PM
Your Godmother is very much like my Mother. Mother would bring something old, dirty and forgotten and bring it new life where it is not admired and loved.
What a wonderful slumber party, beautiful girls and women of all ages.
I send you all a cyber hug with thanks for the enchanting look through your photos.
Posted by: Mo'a | 19 August 2007 at 03:50 PM
*blush* that sould be....now admired and loved
Posted by: Mo'a | 19 August 2007 at 03:52 PM
Corey, everything. looks. HEAVENLY!!! Her home is divine ~ I know you all had the MOST wonderful time together. Thank you so much for sharing with us ~ xxoo, Dawn
Posted by: Dawn | 19 August 2007 at 04:24 PM
What an enchanted place to have a sleep over! Every house that you step foot in seems to be amazing and magical!
Posted by: Beverly | 19 August 2007 at 04:31 PM
Wow, what a vintage, shabby chic treasure trove she has. I would get lost for months in there.... Hope you had fun at your slumber party ;)
Posted by: My Melange | 19 August 2007 at 04:35 PM
Oh my it looks like fairy land. Everything frothy, pink, glittery, old, perfect. I love it. You are a very blessed woman Corey. I am so sorry I still do not live in CA and did not get a chance to meet you. Enjoy all those wonderful memories. xoxoxo Clarice
Posted by: clarice | 19 August 2007 at 04:40 PM
Oh Corey, how I wish I could have been there. You are so blessed and I am blessed to have shared this.
Posted by: AnnieElf | 19 August 2007 at 04:46 PM
When I read about the Flower Bed, I remembered seeing your pictures of it on the beautiful back porch, in a previous post. Thank you for allowing us into this wonderful woman's home and sharing her spirit with us. I liked your words so: "I could spend a million years with her and never be bored."
She IS the pot of gold at the end of the rainbows she paints.
Peace and joy be with you.
Posted by: Elizabeth | 19 August 2007 at 04:58 PM
What an incredible woman she sounds like. Everyone should have someone like that in their lives.
Posted by: Linda | 19 August 2007 at 05:14 PM
A slumber party! Your (fairy)godmother really IS the best! And her house should be in the pages of Country Home or Romantic Homes magazines. Pretty!
Posted by: susanna | 19 August 2007 at 05:26 PM
It is all true... and the memories and friendships shared spill from these pages and touch all who visit here... how lucky for the world... when Mary came and dipped her being into this earthly existence, blessing us all...
Posted by: Lea | 19 August 2007 at 05:27 PM
I am in GREAT need of a Godmother!
Are there any vacancies?
Plus I can see she has a most excellent cup collection.
Brush is ready and will travel!
________________________
Hi ParisBreakfast,
You would simply go mad at the feast of teacups! My Godmother paints as well, you too would have ball together..
Posted by: ParisBreakfasts | 19 August 2007 at 05:43 PM
Godmother Mary is incredible! Her home looks like something from a photo essay in Victoria Magazine. I bet everyone who leaves her home leaves with a smile on their face and in their heart and feeling loved (i.e., the warm and fuzzies).
Posted by: martina | 19 August 2007 at 06:36 PM
I had to reread the post as it made me feel so happy. Shelley was at your Godmother's party? Wonderful! Hope she is doing really well.
Posted by: martina | 19 August 2007 at 06:39 PM
We caught a glimpse of your Godmother's soul in her beautiful environment...I was hoping as I scrolled down that the final photo would be her portrait....seeing someone "of age" living an authentic life is very inspiring. Thank you for the fabulous post!
__________________________
Hi Trish,
My Godmother is sitting in the middle of the flowerbed. She is the most authentic person I know. Thank you for seeing her beauty too!
Posted by: trish | 19 August 2007 at 06:47 PM
Corey, your Godmother is priceless! can she adopt me? :-) and I am in LOOOVE with everything in her home. I could just imagine it during the holidays...warm fuzzies abound!
Posted by: Hasmin | 19 August 2007 at 07:07 PM
Your Grandmother sounds like a beautiful woman. I think you take after her.
_____________________
Hi Cat
Mary is my Godmother, my second cousin too.
Posted by: Cat | 19 August 2007 at 08:04 PM
my heart
is dancing
and holding
your sweet soft hands
spinning under
the stars
in the moonlight
sharing secrets
with you...
my bliss sisters
xox - eb.
Posted by: eb | 19 August 2007 at 08:13 PM
Who could possibly ask for more enchantment than that?
XOXOXO
Posted by: Lisa Oceandreamer S. | 19 August 2007 at 08:15 PM
sigh~ I missed a wonderful party...
:(
I wanted to meet all of these beautiful women. Your God-mother sounds lovely and heavenly.
The photos are dreamy and you told it beautifully.
Thank you Corey again for inviting me.
Simply Beautiful!
Posted by: angela marie | 19 August 2007 at 08:16 PM
You know what ? Knowing that people like your marraine exist , in places such as hers , suddenly , it makes me feel happier .
Posted by: Massilianana | 19 August 2007 at 08:21 PM
your godmother's home looks like a fairy tale house where broken means restoring and sorrow turns into joy. and the way you describe she touches life sounds even more fairy-like. blessing to you mary, the godmother of fary land where life seems wonderful.
Posted by: marita | 19 August 2007 at 09:42 PM
Oh WOW, Corey! I love every bit of her home! Your Godmother Mary is an amazing woman!
Pat
Posted by: Pat | 19 August 2007 at 10:52 PM
How amazing her home is! But oh lordy, how does she keep it all dusted?!
Posted by: Amy Shaw | 19 August 2007 at 10:56 PM
What an amazing house! Your Godmother sounds wonderful, you are surrounded by so many larger than life, loving people - a blessing indeed.
Posted by: cruststation | 19 August 2007 at 11:29 PM
Oh, my. What a wonderful place, and she seems like an angel- suddenly I miss my Godmother, even though her house was filled with cats and Elvis collectibles... Godmothers are such a lovely person to have in one's life. I could always tell mine anything.
Posted by: Alexia | 19 August 2007 at 11:43 PM
Corey,
What a magical place. You can tell that your godmother is a very special lady.
Thanks for sharing with us.
Rosemary
Posted by: Rosemary | 19 August 2007 at 11:49 PM
Glorious! Simply divine. Such a place looks as though it were on some kind of rarified plane of reality! It probably does!
Posted by: Shelley Noble | 20 August 2007 at 12:09 AM
Hi Corey! Let me tell you, would NEVER want to leave your Godmother's house. It is so lovely and filled with things I absolutely love. Your Godmother, no doubt, has a wonderful soul. Thanks for posting about her, I love it! You are bleddes as well having this wonderful lady in your life.
Posted by: Marge | 20 August 2007 at 03:27 AM
Hi again...I really can spell, I didn't realize my keys were sticking and skipping words.
Posted by: Marge | 20 August 2007 at 03:30 AM
Perfectly Magical, Life just would not be the same without Mary and Your Matching Generous Heart!!! Tell Carol (Paris Breakfasts!) that I'll meet her there when she comes, and we can hold court with Mary and her Tea-cups together!!! I miss you already, and cannot wait to cuddle in worn textiles again...!
Posted by: Ulla | 20 August 2007 at 03:31 AM
What a wonderful Lady! And what a wonderful home she must have. Oh I'd love to be able to take a tour. :-)
Mari-Nanci
Posted by: Mari-Nanci | 20 August 2007 at 05:13 AM
Gasp!! I want to be a guest at
Godmother Mary's fantasy Oasis! gasping!! NG
Posted by: naturegirl | 20 August 2007 at 05:54 AM
Oh my...I would have to pinch myself if I were in your Godmother's home...for surely I would be dreaming!
Posted by: Dee | 20 August 2007 at 06:38 AM
What a beautiful ode to and celebration of Mary!!!! Your love and tenderness for her, and admiration of her are palpable. I feel it all the way to Somerset :-)
Posted by: Chantal | 20 August 2007 at 09:23 AM
Your godmother's home looks generous and abundant just like her.
Mélanie
Posted by: Mélanie | 20 August 2007 at 12:50 PM
You have amazing people in your life and Mary is certainly one of them. I know they consider you to be one of theirs, too
Posted by: candy | 20 August 2007 at 03:24 PM
Oh to be enveloped in all that love. All those vintage linens worn down with love to a softness that looks and feels like down, you can just dissappear in their folds to emerge comforted and at peace,what joy. I am with you in spirit.
Ana
Posted by: ana rose | 20 August 2007 at 10:28 PM
Thank you for sharing your godmother (fairy godmother) with us. She is such a wonderful example to all of us, to live life to it's fullest, and be generous, loving and warm hearted.
I hope to grow up to be just like her!
Lidy
Posted by: frenchgardenhouse | 21 August 2007 at 12:31 AM
Oh my....to only have a 'fairy' godmother as you do! I'm jealous, her home tells of stories we can only dream about. Thank you for sharing just a small portion of your 'forever land'.
Posted by: Alice | 21 August 2007 at 02:44 AM
Your Godmother's house is truly a magical place you are a very luck lady to have a "Fairy Godmother" for to be sure she really couldn't be anything else living there.
Posted by: cd&m | 21 August 2007 at 04:44 PM
a magical slumber party...magical memories.
Posted by: annie | 21 August 2007 at 06:00 PM
I agree let's have a slumber party!!!!
Posted by: patpaulk | 21 August 2007 at 08:49 PM
How wonderful that all sounds and looks. The house is charming and the company looks enchanting (how fun to be able to meet up with relations *and* cool bloggy people?)
Charmed life, indeed.
Posted by: tlchang | 21 August 2007 at 09:29 PM
Oh to be just a little bit like Mary some day! If my nieces and nephews, my children and my grandchildren to come, will ever see me as a wonderful spirit like Mary then my life will be complete!
Posted by: Betty @ She's Sew Pretty | 23 August 2007 at 08:26 PM
How blessed you are.....so many beautiful things in Mary's home....
Posted by: Betty | 24 August 2007 at 05:38 AM
What a magical space she's created for herself!
Posted by: Marilyn | 26 August 2007 at 06:10 AM
0-my-GOSH!
This is over the top wonderful
JUST HEAVEN
Goodness...I must go back and look over each picture again...
This is such a treat!
Thank you !
Love, S.
Posted by: Art Tea Life | 30 August 2007 at 01:17 AM