Mom

Most of you but perhaps not all, know that my mom Carol, passed away earlier this spring. There are no adequate words for my loss, but one thing I know is that before I can continue, words need to be said.

My mom was the most incredible woman I have ever known. She had the strength, determination, and grit to face enormous challenges, and she had the kindness, wisdom, and grace to do so with a smile on her face and with a heart of service to others.

My mom was my best friend. She was my confident, my cheerleader, my sounding board, and my encourager. She was my shoulder to cry on when things were tough, and the first person I would call when I had exciting news. She knew me. She knew what brought me joy, and she celebrated those things alongside me, and she knew the struggles I faced and she faced them with me. We laughed together daily, and even when I was on the other side of the world, she was my person.

My mom was always the first to tell me to go after my dreams whether it was an Olympic dream, or a dream to tame a feral kitten. She believed in me more than anyone and she knew that all things are possible with God, and determination.

My mom was my travel partner and was always up for a good time. We travelled the world together. From France, to Italy, to all over Canada and the US, we've traveled to countless places. We made a lifetime's worth of memories on road trips, always blasting country music and with lots of coffee in hand. There is no one I would rather see the world with.

There are few mother-daughter teams that spend as much time together as the two of us have. From spring in the greenhouse, to summers in the garden and the flower workshop, we spent countless hours working together and building this business. You wouldn't believe how many hours we spent in the workshop listening to country music and watching episodes of Rick Steves and Survivor while making thousands of bouquets. After long summers of hard work, we somehow still hadn't spent enough time together, and we would travel together.

My mom loved flowers her whole life. She and my dad started designing their gardens together long before our business was started. She started a cut flower garden so that she could bring flowers each Sunday to church, and as she developed her flower design and growing skills her passion for flowers grew. My mom did it all. She raised a family, was an incredible farm wife (those who know... know), all while hustling a blossoming (pardon the pun) side gig. I always marvelled at how she got it all done, which is evident now in her absence more than ever. Mom poured into the lives of those around her, but no one benefited from that quite like me.

As my mom's passion for flowers grew, she decided to grow more and more cut flowers, and one day we decided to start selling them at the St. Norbert Farmer's Market. Over the next 26 summers we spent our weekdays in the garden and the workshop, and our Saturdays at the market. We had good years and great years. We grew through floods and terrible frosts, droughts and heatwaves, grasshoppers and disease. Together we tackled each challenge and though it was often difficult I never once heard my mom complain. She had joy. The kind that only comes from the Lord. The kind that is truly grateful for every blessing, and keeps faith and hope during every trial.

My mom beat stage four cancer the year I was born. Decades later she beat cancer again, and last spring when she was diagnosed with her 3rd type of cancer in a lifetime... it just wasn't fair. Still, she never once complained. She had the absolute best attitude, and she never ceased to care for others. Last summer was hard. We were dealing with a devastating diagnosis, a flood, and one of our most challenging growing seasons yet. Still, we had each other, and my mom would be the first to say what a blessing last summer was for us. The time spent together is time I will cherish forever.

So, where do I go from here?

The flower farm will continue. At least for now. If you know us, for about 20 years now we've been saying "it's our last year". Somehow each season we got sucked back in. I think it was a combination of us loving to work with each other, and us each having a calling to do this crazy thing they call flower farming.

This summer will be my greatest challenge. And while I normally thrive on a challenge, this just isn't the same. There are countless memories wrapped up in every flower, every section of the garden, every country song. My mind is filled with "oh mom would love this" and "oh I wish i could ask her that". My heart breaks with every peony that blooms this season for the first time, and with all the plants and seeds that we ordered together but that she's not here to see grow. Our lives were completely intertwined in a way that cannot be separated, and I am blessed that all my memories of her are amazing ones.

Right now, everything is hard. But I learnt from the best how to face difficulty head on, and do things to the best of my ability always. So that is what I will do. As I navigate this next chapter, I'll need your help and grace along the way. I have made the decision not to have subscriptions this season, but hope to have pop ups throughout the summer, as well as daily bouquet drops at the farm(Just 10 minutes from Winnipeg) available for pickup anytime. You will also find me again at the St. Norbert Farmer's Market once the garden is in full swing. Keep an eye on our Instagram page for updates, or join our email list. Thank you for your continued support, it means so much to me.

Marianne