My mother's statue of Mary stood in her garden for as long as I can remember. Mom gave it to her mother in 1954 as a Mother's Day gift and brought it home in 1976 after her mother died. Now the Madonna is on my mom's grave site - she died a year ago last September 3rd. My dad wanted her to have it because it meant so much to her. My sister repainted it and although she did a very nice job, Mom's Madonna is just not the same. She's lost the texture that comes with age, the character and the beauty that only time can provide. The texture is still here in the photograph - I'm so glad I took it. In the image, the Garden Madonna is still standing guard over my mom's hydrangeas and Mom is sitting in her chair at the kitchen table watching the goldfinches and the sparrows and, if we're lucky, the indigo bunting, fuss over the feeders.Garden Madonna
