Early in 2017 our family headed down to Abilene, Texas to see my lovely 97 year old Nana. We had a wonderful visit, listened to stories, flipped through albums, and played lots of dominoes.
A few months later, our Nana was gone and the family came together to celebrate and remember a woman of dignity and beauty who loved her neighbors and church family well. She was known for her muffins and her hospitality. The day we received the call, my Poppy grabbed her instruments and wrote a song; a song I chose to use for this film.
She taught me how to make chocolate pie and peanut butter fudge, and how to hand embroider. We spent hours picking vegetables, shucking corn, and snapping green beans. I was forced to try okra and clean my plate at nana’s house. We watched The Love Boat and Wheel of Fortune each evening and I went to bed with Grimm’s Fairy Tales and Perry Mason mysteries. Her guest bed made me feel like I was in The Princess and the Pea story. She always had a porch full off plants, the greenest thumb.
We’ll miss Nana. I’m thankful my children will have memories of her smile and laughter.