Stay 731: Seasons

There is nothing beautiful about a neighborhood razed and left for kudzu and vines to swallow trees whole, while grass begins forming veins in the cracks of the abandoned streets. There is nothing beautiful about a lot tended only enough to keep back tall grasses. So when I say I love the patch of abandoned land called Westwood Gardens, I get that it’s kind of weird.

EssaysCourtney SearcyMarch 7, 2016Jackson TN, Tennessee, Stay731, #stay731, Courtney Searcy, Katie Howerton, Westwood Gardens, beauty, light, Midtown Jackson, shadows, trees, nature, home, 45 Bypass, seasons, community, place, friendship, friends, family, pain, mourning, loss, college, hurt, brokenness, restoration, Women's History Month

Cultures of Jackson: The Power of Light & the Celebration of a Miracle

On a sunny afternoon in the fall Melissa and I found ourselves outside, sitting at a black metal table with a red umbrella, and discussing ideas for “Cultures of Jackson.” As I perused through the calendar looking for some hidden inspiration, my eyes fell upon the dreaded finals week in December, but something else also caught my eye. With a mischievous grin I looked up at Mel and said, “Hey . . .did you know Hanukkah is in December this year?”