Emily Lowery

My name is Emily Lowery, born and raised in the real LBC in the real LA, Lower Butler County in Lower Alabama, and these are the Musings of a Middle Aged Crazy Woman.A life-long nerd, I never really appreciated life in the country. I whined through every hot hour of shucking corn in the summer… all both of them. And, I managed to talk my way out of the pea patch on many an early summer morning. This is not to say I was lazy. I’ve held a job every year since I was 15. I simply opted for climate controlled conditions.My nerdiness has served me well though and after getting my MBA at the University of Tennessee (Go Vols!) I went to work in the big city of Jacksonville, FL. Please hold your laughter… “big city” is, after all, a relative term. For someone whose hometown boasts exactly ZERO stop lights and less than 1500 people (and that’s when everyone’s home during the holidays), the largest city as measured by square miles in the continental US is a big city. When I walked into my office the first day, I learned during orientation that more than 3800 people worked in the site – that’s more than 2 1/2 times the size of my hometown! So, yes, definitely a “big city”.After a year in Jacksonville, I bought a house in suburbia. It’s a cute baby blue house on a cul-de-sac lot with a big backyard. That was 10 years ago, and I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else anytime soon.During these years, it was a blast living in a city where there was always fun stuff to do. Line dancing 3 nights a week — awesome!… Cooking classes a few times a month — super!… Painting classes while sipping wine – Wonderful!… The Jaguars, the Suns, the Sharks – Exciting!… The Beach – Relaxing!But as I got older, starting around the tender age of 30, I found myself exploring urban gardening, in particular raised bed gardening . I designed and re-designed my backyard, but never quite committed, with the exception of a lemon tree which flanks my outdoor seating area. Every year, I resort to a few planters with tomatoes and bell pepper, but I still want a little more. I’m ready to drop the business suit and pumps and get back to my country roots, but I’m too young for retirement so I’ll have to suppress my urge to become Farmer Jane by fusing my country roots with my city experiences.Over the last 30-something years, I’ve had extraordinary opportunities, met incredible people, and developed a strong sense of self. For instance, I am crazy about Willie, Waylon, Hank and Merle – all of the l