It's Jack and Arvis Bates' baby girl's birthday. She was the toast of Atlanta when she arrived there as a five year old from Augusta with a beautiful smile. Her smile so defined her that her aunt insisted on a smiling face when painting her portrait as a young girl. Momma's high school years were before Atlanta became a bustling metropolis. Fraternity dances and swishy formal dresses were everyday things. She bucked the system and went to University of Florida instead of Georgia, but returned to her beloved hometown after one year. That summer she began dating the man she was to marry. He was the lifeguard at Garden Hills pool and she had taken her youngest sister for a swim. The rest is history: A house built far out from town, six children, moved to Roswell, then Hartwell. She is a blessing to her twenty grandchildren and welcomes countless friends to her gracious home. Her talent at gardening is apparent as you come down the driveway. Pear tress and Crepe Myrtles line the drive. Magnolias and Red buds flank the house. A shade garden on one side is full of hydrangeas and hostas. The left side of the house is planted with Sasanqua Camellias, a Tea Olive, and a Pyrocantha espaliered on the wall. The list goes on and on of trees, shrubs, perennials, herbs, and annuals that she artfully arranged in her garden. Of course, as with all discriminating eyes, she is always thinking of ways to make it better. That means moving, adding , and editing plants. The result is always spectacular.
Her smile is still her most remembered feature. Generous and kind are words always used to describe her. Momma- You're one in a million! Happy Birthday!
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