My great-grandparents, Jess & Sally Kent, built their home in 1909 and went on to have nine children. One of those was my mamaw, Janie Kent Hodges. After Jess & Sally passed in the late 1970’s-early 1980’s, my grandparents purchased the house. I lived there with them on and off during my childhood, and even several years after I became an adult, and even when I didn’t live there, I spent weekends and summers running these hills with all of my cousins. Cousins are the best, aren’t they? Anyway, I don’t remember Sally, except that I do because my entire life I‘ve been told stories about her, and the constant thing that I’ve been told, even by distant relatives that visited her when they were young, was that she had the most fantastic flower gardens around. “You couldn’t take a step in Aunt Sally’s yard without stepping on a flower.” Or “If there was a spot in the yard without a flower, Sally would plant one there.”
Fast forward to a few years ago; I was able to purchase the property that my great-grandparents built and that my grandparents eventually made into a home.
No one told me when I was a kid that I could grow flowers for a living when I grew up. I got several degrees, which I’m proud of and don’t regret, but my heart and soul is in working this land. I feel my great-grandmother’s spirit every time I till up the ground and plant seeds, every time I cut a flower.
In the past few months, I’ve had some discouragement. It’s hard work, even brutal sometimes, but I’m never sad when my bare feet are in the soil and my hands are full of beautiful things that I have nurtured for months.
I’ve had an insane amount of support from family, friends, and even strangers in the past few weeks and I can’t thank you enough. My heart is full.
Attached is a painting of Great-grandmother Sally in her flowers that my Uncle Del painted from a black and white photo.