“Pearl Fryar was over six feet of lean, chocolate muscle in jeans. He had a bit of gray and a hundred-megawatt smile. In his enthusiasm, he reached out and hugged me. He engulfed…

Plant People By Jenks Farmer “Then, from our microwaving our popcorn until Daddy’s death, not much changed. But that milestone brought with it hardwired video doorbells and a security system (courtesy Blink Smart…

Plant People By Jenks Farmer “I watched while JC shuffled slides across a light table, flipping them into carousels for the next week’s lectures. I could sit here for hours. He’d show me…

Plant People By Jenks Farmer “I could claim that it started with my father who, while working on the railroad, had an ongoing quest to find the kind of falling-down old farmstead that…

“Recently, a young horticulturist said to me, ‘Y’all (meaning older horticulturists) focused on pretty flowers and pretty gardens. It’s time to think about plants that do more. Time to give native plants an…

“This conversation is muted by soft gray clay walls of an enormous hole that’s soon to flood and then turn into a lake. On this summer Sunday morning, the mustard yellow track hoe…

“For decades, Daddy made this yard a place for gatherings, a place to roll out a slip-n-slide, and a spot vitally important for the dogs. Its useful flatness and walkability make it an…

“Robert seemed thrilled by the prospect of this buddy trip. On the folded-down back seat of my VW Fox, Robert had set up a little travel planning office complete with a bar. As…