Smoky Mountain Wreath
It is finally finished and hanging on my front door.
It was inspired by a girlhood friend I had not seen in 40 years.
The Supplies for my Smoky Mountain Wreath
The spray paint is not required if you want to leave the wreath natural.
My idea for this Smoky Mountain Wreath began when I heard from a friend I had not seen in decades. Melissa was a friend I often thought about when I moved from East Tennessee to the South Carolina Lowcountry in the fall of 1981. Our grandmothers were best friends. My grandmother, my mom, and I went to see Melissa’s grandmother, Mrs. Birchfield, frequently in the spring and summer. Her cabin was exactly what you would expect to see in the rural appalachian mountains. It had rockers on the front porch, braided rugs and wood floors inside, and a tire swing outside. These days it looks like the house has been covered with vinyl siding, but you can still see the front porch and gorgeous surroundings.
Black-Eyed Susans and Berries
One of the things that stands out in my mind is the black-eyed Susans that were scattered along the mountain road on the way to the cabin. I remember playing outside, swinging on the tire swing, and picking blackberries until dark. All of us kids had to help with the dishes after dinner.
Sometimes we would help in the garden or sit on the porch and string beans or shell peas. Back then, coffee made in a percolator, canned vegetables from the garden, and homemade sour kraut were things we took for granted. I would love to go back, even for a day, and experience it all from today’s perspective. Melissa was an excellent friend, even as a young girl. She was taller, thinner, and more mature than I was, and she didn’t complain about helping the adults.
How We Lost Touch
Although I lived in South Carolina, I visited my Tennessee relatives frequently. I always asked them about Melissa. One time, thoughtful as she was, she left a gift for me. Years later, I left my married name and phone number with my grandma on a piece of paper and asked her to give it to Melissa. Time passed. All I knew about Melissa was that she had moved to South Carolina too.
A Girlhook Reunion, Out of the Blue
Out of the blue, in the fall of 2022, I heard from Melissa. Her mother brought the piece of paper with my name on it to Melissa’s house one Christmas. Melissa looked at it, then couldn’t find it after the Christmas wrapping paper, and etc. was cleaned up. Years later my married name, Kristie Schubert, popped into her head, and she looked for my name on Facebook.
Melissa lived a mere two hours away from me. Coincidentally, my daughter had a softball game in her town that month. We met Melissa and her husband at a downtown restaurant and reconnected. It was wonderful to see her again. I plan to send her a copy of this post and get together with her again soon.
Someday I’ll Visit the Cabin
My mom, my grandmother, and all the people I loved in East Tennessee are gone now. It’s been a minute since I’ve been back. I’m hoping my family and I can go visit one weekend and ride by the places that mean something to me and maybe go to a Tennessee Volunteer game. The cabin in Butler is definitely on the list. Until then, I will go there, to my childhood home on Brookdale Avenue, and our honeymoon trailor in my dreams. Do you dream about the places from your past? If so, I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
black-eyed susans
I hope you enjoyed reading about the inspiration behind my Smokey Mountain Wreath!
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Blessings,
Kristie
Would you like to read more about my childhood in the Smokies? Read How I Won Back a Stolen Piece of My Childhood with This Vintage Homer Laughlin Mug
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