After a several-year battle with lung cancer, my mom (Barbara L. Anderson) passed away in her sleep at her home last night. She loved gardens and flowers. So after I got my kiddos out the door to school this morning, I went to Lakeland’s Hollis Gardens, took a long walk and snapped these photos. I am confident Mom would love all of them — except maybe for the one with the dragonfly on it

Thank you, Mom, for inspiring in me a love of flowers  . . . and cooking. (I just made her famous Chicken Cacciatore for my family for dinner tonight.)