Saturday 9: Mama Liked the Roses (1970)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) In this song, Elvis tells us his mother loved tending the roses in the garden. Do you have a green thumb? I don't have a garden, but I do well with the potted plants I have hidden in my den. (If my cats knew they were in there, they'd say, "Hey! Thanks for the salad bar!")
2) Mama would put the roses in a vase in the living room. Do you have cut flowers in your home right now? Nope. I got out of the habit of having flowers at home because my cat Reynaldo would knock the vase over (snap) like that.
3) Elvis sings that he found Mama's rose petals pressed in the family Bible. Have you ever pressed petals in a book? If yes, what occasion were you commemorating? I've never done this.
4) OK, so now we know Mama liked roses. What about you? Would you prefer white, pink, yellow or red roses? I like yellow. I've never received white, but I think those are very pretty, too.
5)
Elvis' own mother, Gladys Presley, had a major impact on pop culture.
When her son was 11, he asked for either a rifle or a bicycle for his
birthday. She deemed the rifle too dangerous and the bike too expensive,
and so he chose a guitar instead. The rest is history. Tell us about a
special birthday gift from your youth. I vividly recall the Addams Family game I received at my second grade birthday party. It was from Janet. She'd gone through Kindergarten and first grade with us but then her family moved – less than 5 miles away but a different school district. None of us had seen her since school let out the previous summer and when she showed up at my November birthday party, it was a massive big deal. I don't think I ever saw her again, but her attendance at my party helped all of us little girls adjust. I think my mom was very wise in making that happen.
6)
Abraham Lincoln credited his stepmother, Sarah, for her lasting
influence on his life, saying she ignited his love of reading and
learning. Tell us about a woman -- mother, stepmother, grandmother,
aunt, Godmother, teacher, neighbor -- who changed your life for the better. My cousin Rosemary. About a decade older than me, she showed me by example that there was a different path. She never tried to influence me, but she did always listen, encourage and support. I have tried to pay this forward and have always used Rosie as my role model when I spend time with my niece and nephew.
7) Mother's
Day is almost upon us. According to the National Restaurant
Association, we like to eat out on this holiday, with revenue up more
than 80% on Mother's Day weekend. When did you last dine at a
restaurant? Was it a special occasion? Just this afternoon (Friday) I had lunch with my friend Joanna at the bar in the Palmer House. It's a beautiful room, and one of her favorites. I suppose it was a special occasion in that the Palmer House is celebrating 100 years in this spot. I'm lucky to have Joanna remind me of places like this. She loves Chicago as only a transplant can (she moved here in 2001) and delights in things I can take for granted because they've been there my entire life.
8) Candles are a big seller for Mother's Day, too. What's your favorite candle scent? I don't do candles for the same reason I don't do cut flowers (cats). But I'm crazy about a pine candle we sell at the card shop each Christmas. If you stand in just the right spot in front of the display, it's heaven.
9) Sam is celebrating Mother's Day with her mother's favorite, Hershey Bars. Would you prefer classic milk chocolate, dark chocolate or chocolate with almonds? Milk chocolate with almonds.
