As Jim was leaving, Yvonne mentioned that our front entrance, even with the walkway, was still a bit plain. Jim eyed the front door. Then, much as Lincoln must have done on his way to Gettysburg, he pulled out a pencil and an old envelope. He did a quick sketch and handed it to us.
We showed it to our contractor, David Mahand, who was a carpenter. David took the sketch home for the weekend. On Monday morning, he arrived with Jim’s design carved out of wood.
“Like it?” he asked. We liked it.
With just a few strokes, Jim Coile had created the simple, graceful entryway to our house that greets visitors to this day.
Jim passed away a few years ago. By the time he died, he had achieved almost legendary status among Nashville landscape architects and the garden club.
What stays with us is the grandfatherly smile, the beautifully rendered plans, and the wonderful spaces we share with our friends.
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