about me

I’m Jessie. Wife. Mother to three.

I love baking, the mountains, an excuse to host a party, gathering around the table, sleeping and celebrating small and big things. I think my love of gathering around the table comes from my grandmother. She owned a restaurant for over 30 years. She was the best cook and loved the people in her community.  Even though it’s been over 25 years since I sat in her house and ate her delicious meals, I can close my eyes and easily imagine sitting at her kitchen table with fresh fried squash from my grandfather’s garden, sweeeeet southern tea and a bowl of her chicken and pastry. I spent many hours in the garden with my granddaddy. Aren’t grandparents so special? I loved being anywhere they were. The garden, restaurant, car rides to run errands with them, wherever they were, that’s where I wanted to be.

I inherited her love for being in the kitchen (except when I’m trying to figure out what to feed my family every evening) and sitting around the table and talking for hours. I love baking. I enjoy having people in our home. Nowadays, it’s mostly a house of teenage boys or a 20 of my daughter’s besties.

Through this blog, I hope to inspire others to open their home for community, memories, laughter and much more. If you enjoy hosting and want to do all the extra things – do them, but if hosting isn’t your favorite and those details stress you out, I hope you can come to find your love for hosting in the way that brings you joy. Purposeful Hospitality to me is being intentional, open handed and present.