Another Generation

Copyright 2009
By Marcia Norwood

     For as long as I remember...the ornate, cement flower pot (one of a set of four) graced every front porch of every house my Granny Lucille owned in Liberty, Missouri.  I was born in 1949.  Granny Lucille was born - as she used to say - "in 19 and 5."   She lovingly planted her four matching cement flower pots to overflowing with scarlet-red geraniums each spring.  Sometimes I helped her.  We dug in the dirt together, and Granny told lively tales about folks in our family that my mother (her daughter) never dared to mention.

     "I'm the STORYTELLER in the family,"  Granny Lucille would say.  "Momma passed it down to me, and I'm passing it on to you, Marcia.  When you grow up - tell your children and your grandchildren stories about me and my mother and our family, so when we all get together in Heaven, they will know me."

     Before Granny Lucille graduated to tend heavenly gardens in 1990, she also entrusted me with two of her ornate, cement flower pots.  I lovingly whitewashed the pots and planted them with scarlet-red geraniums each spring...until 2007, when one of the pots broke.  I broke tradition that year and tinted the one remaining pot with terra cotta and black paint and planted it with crimson impatiens and rosemary. 

Four Generations

1976

Marcia (Center Back)

Her Mother: Natalie (Left)

Her Daughter: Kristin (Center Front)

Her Granny Lucille (Right)

     "This is Granny Lucille's flower pot,"  I said to my own nine-year old granddaughter, Megan, as she helped me dig in the dirt.  "Granny was married three times, and buried all three husbands.  Once, she owned a dance hall, and she loved to garden.  I helped her plant scarlet-red geraniums in this very pot when I was a little girl."

     "Are these red flowers geraniums?"  Megan interrupted. 

Granddaughter:  Megan Jewell

     "They're impatiens,"  I continued:  "Granny Lucille was the STORYTELLER in the family.  Granny's momma passed it down to her, and she passed it down to me, and I'm passing it down to you, Megan...and to Ben and Kristin and Dave and Sarah and Faith and Joshua and Emily and Caleb.  When you grow up - tell your children and your grandchildren stories about me and Granny Lucille and our family, so when we all get together in Heaven, they will know us."

Granny Lucille's Family
Granny was about 10 years old in this photo.
She is in the center, just behind and to the left of her mother.
Circa 1915

Granny Lucille's Flower Pot on My Front Porch

WHO IS THE STORYTELLER IN YOUR FAMILY?

"Tell your children of it,
and let your children tell their children,
and their children
another generation." 

Joel 1:3

HOLY BIBLE

King James Version