I have an old Terra Cotta pot that my mom and I planted “Hens and Chickens” in when I was 10 yrs old. Those little Hens and Chickens were hearty and alive and strong, (and I totally attribute my love of gardening to that very day) When I was 24, my mom died, and so did they (I stopped caring for them). I have had this old Terra Cotta pot on my front porch for 12 yrs, with dead, dried up hens and chickens and dusty dried up soil. It has gone through my college home on Stanley Terrace in Grand Rapids, our crappy apartment on Coachman drive in Detroit, our very first home, on Manatee and now, Washington Ave in NY. I held onto it all these years, because the memory I had of that specific day, of planting those plants with my mom, and watching her love them (water, care for them) was so close to me. I didn’t want to throw it away.
Monday, I decided to re-plant it. I thought, “This will be a good spring blog post, replanting an old pot”
(it really was that general, no biggie) until I started digging…before I knew it, my hands were wrist deep in old dried soil. I started remembering that day, and the warmth and excitement I felt being the presence of my mama, who loved doing things like this, and more importantly knowing in my bones, that more than anything, she loved being with me. I remembered the soft soil that was now dust, and how she taught me to plant each level separately, starting with the bottom. Tears were streaming down my face until I was in a full fledged sob. TOTALLY UNEXPECTED. I thought about the memory of that day, which I hadn’t thought about in YEARS, and how amazing it was, that the exact dirt I was digging out, is the same dirt that the 10 yr old me, and my mama put into the pot with so much love…I never thought that re-planting this old Terra cotta pot, would be so significant to me. To bring such beautiful life into something that was just dust, really just solidified everything that I feel about design, surrounding yourself, with beautiful things that have meaning. I’m so grateful that I held onto this old pot for so many years. What a gift, that my mama gave me 26 yrs ago, and I didn’t even realize it until now.
All emptied out, except for the bottom level, I decided to leave that, to enrich my new planting, with old memories 🙂
My hands after digging, looking oddly exactly like I remember my moms hands looking..rich dirt in the creases of her hands, it made me really happy to see the similarity.
New Life, for an old pot, that has an old soul…a little fresh mint to really make things crazy!!
Isn’t she beautiful!!! what a great way to start my spring. An old pot with new life. I Love that this is what I see now, every single day when I walk in my front door. I’m Happy.
I hope you all have an awesome Thursday!!!
~K
That’s so awesome! It looks so beautiful, Kim, you really have an eye for putting things together. I love the symbolism too…clearing out and making room for new life, creating something new and beautiful, and cherishing all those wonderful memories!
Thank you so much Kristie!! Love you
Such a beatuiful post Kim. What a great way to “remember.” She shines on you and yours every day, be sure.
What a wonderful memory!
Thank you Michelle!! I know she does 😉
I teared up reading your post! what a wonderful way to remember your Mom. She was very special!
Thank you Uncle Monte 🙂 she sure was!
Awww – so so happy. This post pretty much made my day 🙂
(Just so you know, mint has this habit of taking over a whole pot and killing its neighbors. You might want to keep an eye on it and move it to its own pot when it starts to get bigger.)
Thank you Insideways!! Ps..thanks for the Mint tip! I had no idea!! 🙂
Waaahhh..mom would love the new pot sissy….great job!!!! Lucy!!!
Your post brought tears to my eyes. Such a sweet and beautiful memory attached to the pot and in your heart. I love that you kept some of the old soil. Turned out lovely.
KIM! I am curled up catching up on stuff right now and am so touched by this post. Simply beautiful, I could feel your emotion! You are amazing!
Hi! I found your blog by accident – and I was blown away by this post. It made me cry! This experience and the reliving of it as you did with your mom and remembering how and what your mom taught you about surrounding yourself with beautiful things – it was such a nice post/tribute to your mom and what she meant to you.
I am your newsest follower. Hope you will check out my blog as well.
Nice to meet you in the blogosphere. I see you are in NYC. I live on Long Island.
Linda
http://www.studioofdecorativearts.blogspot.com
Linda!! SO nice to “meet” you! I love it whenI stumble on a new blog by accident!! So happy to have you!! I will for sure check yours out too 🙂 and Thank you for your kind words!