Happy 90th Birthday, Mom

90 Ladybugs for Mom's 90th Birthday, ink and watercolor, 5x7 in — 90 Ladybugs for Mom’s 90th Birthday, ink and watercolor, 5×7 in

One of the many things I have to be thankful for this holiday season is that my mother just turned 90! I made this little birthday card for her with 90 ladybugs on it. Ninety sounds like a big number but when illustrated with ladybugs it doesn’t seem like that much.

She is still going strong, living independently in her own home, driving in the crazy L.A. traffic, cooking her own meals, and managing her own affairs. A few years ago she bought a computer and though it drives her crazy with its seeming capriciousness, she usually wins the battle to find her email, read it, and even print it when the stars really line up right.

She doesn’t paint anymore, but you can see a gallery of her artwork here from around the 1950s. Below is my favorite of her paintings: my grandmother Gertie.

My mother's oil painting of my grandmother — My mother’s oil painting of her mother, my grandmother

Tags Art, Ink and watercolor wash, Ladybugs

10 replies on “Happy 90th Birthday, Mom”

Jana, this post is delightful! What a pleasure to read about your mother and her spirit. Seems to me that a ladybugs card was perfect for her.

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Congratulations to you mom on her 90th B-Day! What an age! What lucky people you are that you still have each other 🙂
Lovely birthday card you made your mother!
Have a very HAPPY weekend 🙂

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Happy Birthday! My grandma just turned 93 still is sharp and lives in her own home. Melody

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You are so right – 90 ladybugs doesn’t look like many.

My mom turned 80 this year, is doing well, and is considering that it may be wise to get a computer. Any wisdom on how to get a mom started??

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I think my best suggestion would be to either get a Mac (probably an iMac so it would have a big screen and real keyboard) or even better, just an iPad. My mom bought a cheap windows computer and she constantly has trouble with it (and guess who gets to play computer tech?).

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Congrats to your Mom, Jana! My mom lived to be 95. I hope your mother lives close enough to you that you can be with her often. She sounds so wonderful! Thanks too for sharing her art. Obviously, she enjoyed doing people paintings, and depicting them in action. I am inspired!

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Thanks Rita. Wow 95! Isn’t great to know we might live that long too. She lives in Southern California so I don’t see her very often but we talk frequently.

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