I grew up in the Tobacco Valley of Connecticut. Even though I left at 21 and only returned to live here lo those many years later, the sight that made me feel like I was back home was and remains that of the shade tobacco fields.
It was only when I took a creative writing class in 2002 (it was a testing-the-waters class for me) and had to set a story in a place from childhood that I realized what the plants pushing against the nets meant to me. Anyway, I wrote a micro-fiction piece set in the tobacco fields. That short short story was the seed of the novel I am revising (for the fifth time…I have high hopes for this draft!).
Today, when thinking about the theme of green, it only seemed appropriate to me to snap a drive-by shot with my phone of the plant that looks like home.
Wow, I’d never heard of the Tobacco Valley until reading this!
🙂 home is what you feel when you close your eyes and smile. I see summer too. Wet grass and damp earth between my toes.
good wishes for this draft!
Growing up in Orlando, the smell of orange blossoms and hot tar still takes me back to childhood.
I thought tobacco was only grown in the south. How interesting! I hope this revision is the one that does the trick.
It is very cool to live here in Tobacco land!!
Does it smell strong? I’ve never seen the plants before. Very interesting.
It’s a great story Bev. I’m glad you haven’t given up on it.