Early blooming bush sparks memories of a long-time family tradition

There will be no Mother's Day photos in front of the blooming snowball bush this year.

Despite being somewhat gutted (by me) last summer after the tree guys cut out several larger-than-I-thought trees that had grown up in the bush, my snowball bush is now blooming profusely, weeks before the U.S. celebrates Mother's Day.

Additionally, there is no one left to carry on the long-time family tradition.

I was introduced to the Mother's Day family tradition when I was just a wee child. My paternal grandmother loved to garden and was quite proud of her beautiful snowball bush. More often than not, it was blooming just in time for Mother's Day.

We, of course, were already decked out in our Sunday finest. My Sunday finest included a dress, a fancy hat, and a small purse that matched my shiny patent leather shoes. We "ladies" all wore beautiful corsages as well. 

Grandma always insisted that we pose for photos in front of the snowball bush before we went to the restaurant for a nice Mother's Day meal. My Dad's side of the family was always big on photos. I had my first camera, a Kodak Brownie Holiday camera, when I was four.

For most of us, posing in front of the snowball bush on Mother's Day was somewhat of a family joke "We'd better go get the snowball pictures done so we can go eat. I'm hungry," one of my relatives said once. 

But we never let Grandma know how we felt about the photos. I guess it was part of her Mother's Day present from us.

The years went by and Grandma passed on and for a while, there were no Mother's Day photos in front of the snowball bush.

While I was living in Emporia, my folks moved from my childhood home to the house I live in now. And guess what? There was a beautiful snowball bush on the property! 

Some of the blooms on my snowball bush this
year. Photo © Leslie Eikleberry 2026

The first Mother's Day my folks lived in the house, we drug Mom outside for a Mother's Day photo in front of the blooming snowball bush. It was all in good fun and Mom, Dad, and I had a happy moment as we continued the family tradition.

Now Mom also has passed and the snowball bush is blooming early. And while I have been a mama to several four-legged furry kids, my dogs also are gone and I have no desire to pose in front of the snowball bush by myself. 

The family tradition may have ended, but I still have the memories!

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