Synopsis
Finding a lady bug swarm on her dog's nose, smelling the "first spring mow", making the willow tree into a swamp cooler is all part of young PT Caldwell's life on the farm. When Papa is drafted into the army during World War II, his absence leaves a painful gap in her heart, a gap that only begins to mend as she learns that love can span the distance between them.
During his absence PT's grandparents move next door, forcing her to come to terms with the fact of their aging. After her grandmother suffers a stroke she spends time with her grandpa while he tearfully "waits for his sunshine to come home". She comes to understand that "66 years of lovin' a woman makes you so full you just sometimes spill over".
Ruby Mae, more than a nanny and housekeeper, is the force that keeps the family on track when papa is away and mama is distracted with the farm, her own dreams and projects.
Moe, handyman and mentor to PT, shows her that it's not so important what you are when you grow up, but more important how you make others feel. Whenever Moe is at the farm PT follows his every move. PT learns about shame when she steals some candy from Mr. Carson's store. With Moe's help and the help of an oak tree, she understands how to "listen to her better self".
From PT's younger brother Caleb, she learns that his stuttering, thought by many to be a disability, opens the door to his greater gifts.
Catching fog in a jar, and buttering her hands for the "candy pullin'", rural life helps her grow through her papa's absence, exploring her own inner world as well as the natural world of her family farm in Samosa County. She becomes an astute observer of her small community, her own inner conflicts, including her disturbing reactions to Papa's leaving. Her close-knit family and friends help PT overcome her anger, enabling her to appreciate the little things that make life special.
Ultimately, this story of PT Caldwell is about love of her family and home, as well as the challenges of growing up. PT experiences her own strength, courage, as well as the permission and support to "go beyond" what others may expect of a southern girl.
This story about PT Caldwell is about love-love of family, home, and growing up. It's the story of a beautiful place that can only shelter a young girl, until the realities of the rest of the world intrude upon her life. It's also a story about strength, courage, and having the permission and support to "go beyond".
Finally, it's a story about noticing the little things that make life worth living-the sights, the smells, the sounds, the relationships that create the feeling of home.
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