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For Whom the Bell Tolls
It is raining. I am following up on Kent Taylor.
Date: 2/14/2008 11:54:54 AM ( 16 y ) ... viewed 1593 times 9:40 AM
February 14, 08
A day of Love.
It has decided to rain.
It has been sunny.
I had some tears in my eyes.
I am following up on Kent Taylor.
He died February 6 in Mexico
of a heart attack.
I talked to his exwife Betty
and his sister Jean last Sunday.
I got a call from his eldest daughter, Toni
last week.
The remains are going to Rose Hills Cemetary in Whittier, CA.
That is not far from Anaheim
where I will be going about a month from now
for the Natural Product Expo West.
I want to write an Obit
and/or something for Kent Taylor.
He was a hero to the plants for many years.
He was an elder of the herb growers movement.
At the height of Taylor's Herb Garden, Betty tells me
they were shipping more than 1 million baby herbs around the country.
Those plants know where they came from.
I have a big stand of Peppermint Scented Geraniums in my backyard
that Kent saw.
Job's Tear--my totem plant--was interduced to be by Kent Taylor.
I shared a room with him a few years ago at the NPEW.
He was attempting to quit smoking.
He was attempting to clean up his act.
He and the earth belonged together.
He once told me that plants were God.
I can understand where he was coming from.
He went to Mexico and stayed there for many years
after the garden went down around 1999.
He saw a lot of changes in this country.
He had difficulty adjusting.
He was homeless without a garden.
He acted out being homeless, although
some say he had everything at one time
to make a go of a great life.
Who can say why a person goes down to
drinking and drugs?
Kent was a fun loving, life loving man.
He loved to play. He helped a lot of people.
He helped me. He was very generous.
Sadly, there was a part of him that hurt those
who loved him. His family.
I need to remember the good in him.
I want to create a memorial here
at the Enchanted Garden, a day of gardening
in honor of the good in him.
more later....
Calling a few old friends who he also helped.
It would be good to do something at the NPEW as well.
I want to bring some Peppermint Scented Geraniums
from my stand in the backyard.
A few years ago we went to the Fullerton Arboretum
together. I want to look for those photos.
I want to get through this record keeping,
and find time to pull out some photos.
For whom the Bell tolls?
The Bell tolls for thee.
Someone has to remember.
Someone has to remember the good we have done,
and who has done good by us.
4:38 PM
February 18, 08
Just got a call for Jean, Kent's sister.
We talked for about 20 minutes.
She filled me in on some family history.
His father Paul had the original Taylor's Herb Garden
in Rosemead, CA, not too far from Whittier.
Paul started that nursery on about six acres of land.
Jean, Kent, and an older brother Paul David grew up there.
Kent was two years older than Jean. Paul David Died at 33.
Kent had four daughters, Toni, Sue, Tiffany, and Christie.
Toni his very bright at the computer. I believe she is an IT specialist.
She was able to find me remembering my first name Leslie. She remembered
that I always had a camera.
Sue is a registered Nurse. Tiffany is a vegetarian and becoming a chef.
Christy is studying to be a veterinarian assistant.
A few of the daughters now live with Betty who is starting up
an herb farm in Kentucky.
Jean has a wholesale herb farm in Congress, Arizona, about 1 1/2 hours
from Phoenix. The Taylor Herb Garden in Congress sells cut herbs for wholesale
to restaurants and other distributors. Jean is married to Jim. They have two children.
One of the sons runs the garden now. Jean helps.
There is going to be a memorial this summer at the old herb garden land
in Vista, CA, where the thriving herb garden once existed. It is currently
being used by a landscaper. That is good to know. I am glad that land
has not been developed. The four daughters will come together then.
Some live in Kentucky.
The Buena Creek runs through that very special land.
Whenever I would go up to Los Angeles for a conference,
the Taylor Herb Garden was the place where I would go to diffuse
on the way home. The creek had a waterfall. The water was very cold.
One of the highlights of my life was feeling that cold water. I could
not help but scream. It was kind of a ritual. When I screamed, the workers
knew Leslie was at the farm.
Reflections: Kent Taylor:
http://curezone.com/blogs/fm.asp?i=1107390
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