Lessons from James T.---Part 4

Not all of the lessons I learned from James would be considered "positive" by everyone, especially one who had never known anyone like James.  This "lesson" is more a view of the man and his reaction to a "one size fits all" rule.  I suppose we all have been beaten down by the bureaucratic mentality many times in our lives.  I worked for the state and federal governments as a teacher, so I was constantly aware of rules that were set in stone even if their application into specific situations was weak at the very least.  Of course, like most of you, I may have resented them, but I usually kept this resentment to myself, especially since I was certain I couldn't change things.  James did not typically keep his resentment inside.

About three or four times a year, James would want me to accompany him on a trip to some property he owned near Wartburg, Tennessee.   He had been in charge of a UT experimental station in the 1950's and still had wonderful memories of the area.  It was beautiful.  We stayed in Rugby, Tennessee which is an article in itself, and we would visit his alma mater, The University of the South, in Sewanee, Tennessee, which is easily another article, but this story focuses on our traditional first stop, Highland Winery near Jamestown, Tennessee.  It is the oldest winery in Tennessee and produced James' favorite wine, muscadine.  The demand for this wine was so great you had to sign up for your purchases the year before.  James would always sign up for two cases.  We got them for years.  Then, the rules changed.

On this trip, we were informed he could only purchase one case.  Now James was in his 80's and trips like this were getting harder and less likely every year, and he tried politely to reason with the lady helping us.  Her boss was helping another customer, and she tried very carefully with head nods and looks to communicate her hands were tied.  James continued with his desire to buy two cases trying to explain his situation and he did so loudly enough to attract the boss and fellow customer.  The boss tried explaining, but his entire argument was the policy had changed.  No real explanation.  One size fits all.  James raised the ante by getting down on his knees and begging for two cases.  My only involvement was to suggest to the boss that the quickest way to get rid of us was to make an exception, and, thankfully, he did.

I took the cases to the trunk while James paid and made sure the lady knew he understood she was only doing her job.  She followed him out and told us if the boss hadn't been there she would have sold him two.  We loaded up and headed out with me considering the whole episode quietly.  I then asked James an interesting question.

"Did you even care about getting two cases instead of one?"

"Of course not; I just didn't like a silly rule like that." 

I suppose we are all judged by what we will allow.  I know I made decisions about battles I could have fought and some I did that I would like to make again.  I also very much believe in readiness being a key to understanding and successfully implementing advice from others.  James was at a point in his life where that was a battle worth having.  I was not.  But I have never forgotten the event, and it has made me evaluate these types of situations differently ever since. 

My guess is, the next "James" who made a similar request might get individual consideration.

Life Lesson from James T.---Part 3

James grew up during the Depression when a garden was a necessity.  Throughout his life he had gardens big and small, but later in life, he experimented with compact, backyard-sized gardens.  He inspired us in so many ways, but I can't think of a more tangible, annually rewarding way than our desire bordering on need to have our own gardens.  There are so many sources for garden information from soil preparation to plant selection that I will not bother to list any specific ones.  Suffice to say, if you can picture it, you can probably grow it.  I will limit this post to what we are doing here in our Murfreesboro, Tennessee yard.  Hope the photos inspire some of you.

We dug this garden site up with a shovel after weed eating as much of the grass away as possible.  We love green beans and squash, so we always plant several rows of beans and 3-4 squash plants.  We picked both for most of the summer! 

We also like to have flowers mixed with our vegetables, and zinnias are a wonderful choice.  They are practically no care flowers, make excellent bouquets, produce all summer, attract birds, bees, and just look great!

We had our son, Aaron, build us two raised beds with blocks.  We use them for vegetables some years and other years as nurseries for transplanting flowers, like cone flowers which will spread dramatically!   Last year we had green beans in one and squash in the other.  The marigolds help repel some harmful insects.

We also use pots on our deck to have fresh herbs for cooking.  We've grown others, but rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano, parsley, and tarragon are our favorites.

We like to plant marigolds (we start them in trays from seeds), zinnias, and mums in a corner garden between a driveway and sidewalk.  The mums we find every year discarded by folks after Thanksgiving.  They just throw them away in our neighborhood, and we transplant them around our yard!

And, finally, if you have any room at all, try sunflowers.  We had a beautiful row of them along a fence, but our favorite was this one right off our deck.  It was covered all summer with insects, hummingbirds, and yellow finches.  

P.S.  I once asked James, who always wore a hat or cap, how you pick one that looks right.  His reply was to just wear one long enough, and it will.