Monday, July 21, 2014

Southern Girl

 There is a gentle rain falling this morning, it's warm and muggy and there is a rumble of thunder in the distance. I can hear the rooster crowing next door, my mantle clock just chimed eight times. I'm having a pot of warm tea........ and I'm missing my girl.....

I walked down the hallway this morning and Wesley's bed is made, there are no clothes on the floor, no books piled high on her desk, no towels hanging on the door. She is probably still sound asleep in her new house in Winston Salem.

There is no emptiness like the emptiness of a mom missing her child. Our summer was a mess this year, with Gerry's surgery, parents illnesses, no vacation, looking for a new place for Wesley to live at school, and now her going back early for her fellowship program. She leaves for Boston in two weeks, starts the fellowship this Wednesday in Winston Salem, and then begins her final year of film school when she gets back from Boston.




Wesley's southern heritage is starting to influence her writing and her interests. She has recently found the works of Flannery O'Connor and is fascinated with that era and that southern culture. My friend/mentor Barbara McKenzie wrote a book about Flannery O'Connor during her doctorate years at the University of Georgia and she kindly invited us over last week to look at the photos she took during that time.


This is a rare first edition of Barbara's book, I found one like it on ebay for $200, yikes!


The photos are amazing and inspiring and I am so grateful that I have friends with such talent and generosity. We had a great time visiting and hearing about Barbara's days in Georgia in the 1960's. What a time in history that was!


Wesley has to write an adaptation screenplay this year and she chose a short story by Flannery O'Connor for her project. Flannery wrote about the south she knew, the people and places around her, and I have been encouraging Wesley to do the same. The south is so rich and crazy and interesting, how could you go wrong writing about it?! Gerry takes her with him to cover Nascar races whenever he can and she has another idea for a racing documentary. It's exciting to see her so full of ideas and motivation. I am looking forward to seeing how the south comes to life for her after these long four years of film school!


Now..... for me to get on with things. I have time now to make soap and pottery and jewelry, time to sew or knit or weave. Got to fill up that empty space. Glad I have plenty of stuff to keep me busy :)
peace ya'll
xo

4 comments:

smartcat said...

Brave Woman! The hardest thing for a mother to do is encourage her chicks to leave the nest and fly away.
It sounds completely nuts but I firmly believe that by encouraging our kids to become independent they become adult friends for life!

Dennis Allen said...

write what you know has always been rule # 1. Somehow I suspect Wes spends more time watching the race fans than the race cars.

Lori Buff said...

The south has such a colorful story, I can see why she wants to document it. I'm really looking forward to seeing her work.

Shannon said...

SO glad Wesley got to make that connection with Barbara!! Go, Mom! This is more PR than Barbara has had in years, I'm sure. :) I, too, am a Flannery fan.