Sunday, April 10, 2011

I’m becoming my mother!

Growing up, I used to find myself following my mother around a local pottery/garden shop. She would spend hours looking at fountains, plants, and house décor. I, on the other hand, would unenthusiastically walk behind her counting every second until we could escape the boring place. I never understood why she and my grandmother enjoyed spending money to then go and plant things. They, in turn, would explain how therapeutic gardening was for them and how I would understand one day. (I didn’t ever think that would happen!)

I must give my mom and grandmother some credit here – they both have a great green thumb. Each year, they pull their plants out and get them refreshed for spring. Next, they go and buy new plants to add to the collection and it looks fantastic. My oldest brother got the talent for landscaping. I, on the other hand, have been known to kill ivy.

Fast forwarding a few years to the present, I’ve found myself learning about plants and home décor. I’ve always been a huge fan of plantation homes and how they are landscaped. There are at least three reasons I now find myself eating large amounts of crow: One: I now go to the same pottery/garden shop I dreaded as a child. Two: I happily give up shopping trips to stay home and decorate the backyard with a cool new fountain or wind chime because it’s relaxing. And three: I take my poor little girl to the plant shop while she looks at me with the same bored look I gave my mother. Yep…it’s happening. I am officially turning into my mother one day at a time.

If anyone could attest to this idea, it would be my best friend Kate. She and I have known each other since grade school and we talk at least once a week to keep each other in check (mostly to laugh at one other). I tell her how much I put my foot in my mouth and she clues me in on her latest kitchen design she is working on. (Not that I’m proud but her latest just got featured on HGTV.) Nonetheless, Kate has seen the good, the bad, and the ugly from me so when I start telling her my planting journeys she can not help but laugh hysterically while reminding me how much like ole mama I’m becoming.

So, is it okay to become like your mother? In my case, my husband would probably have to say heck no. (Just kidding!) But to me….it’s really a blessing. She is one of the smartest people I know and I can only hope to teach Little Miss half the things I have been able to learn from her. In a nutshell, she is stubborn, funny, very determined and most of all a true person who I am lucky enough to have teach me the love of business, plants, gardening, and life!

Much love,

CSA