My Mother’s Yard

My Mother’s Yard is a memoir of performer Lisa Temple’s rather hellish Midwestern upbringing in which she sought her mother’s approval only to find it frequently withheld, as her mother favored her male siblings and disparaged the activities at which Lisa excelled, including piano, sports and equestrian pursuits. Years later, as her mother sinks into old age and decrepitude, Lisa is called upon to return home to Kansas and take over her mother’s affairs. Lisa and her husband find her mother’s house so cluttered, they pitch a tent in the yard so they can stay comfortably while Lisa takes care of things that must be done. Her mother’s yard is unusual. There are 22 vehicles parked there in various states of functionality and disrepair. It’s not just a location, it’s a metaphor for a life. Lisa has been fortunate in one important respect: she achieved a happy marriage. And now, fate has offered her a gift: The opportunity to realize the power of forgiveness, and heal the rift with her mother so that both may emerge as complete individuals. Will Lisa be able to accept and utilize this gift?