But they are lovely!

"Jess planted, and I watered and weeded them. But they are lovely!"
written on the picture back in Grandma Mable's handwriting

Grandpa Jess Butler loved to garden, and his yard was proof of that. Spring and summer found the yard filled with hundreds of colorful and sweet smelling blooms.

"Jess wanted his picture with our flowers. "
(He's standing at the corner of the house.)

In addition he had a large [vegetable] garden from which he fed the entire neighborhood.

Jess Butler working in his yard and garden
about 1942

Jess had skinny arms, but he could shovel coal (and dirt!) hour after hour.

So if you are a family member who loves to dig in the dirt, plant and harvest a garden, mulch the flower beds, or even pull a few weeds - you come by it naturally! Thank Grandpa Jess for those great genes - and your resulting beautiful yard.