I grew up on almost a hundred acres in a very small town in rural Kentucky, and worked with my dad on his farm every year of my life, learning how to drive on an old blue Ford tractor, and hauling in thousands of pounds of tobacco every season. I was adept at catching just the right amount of crappie and catfish for family dinner, and honed my sawmill-running skills at my dad’s right hand.
Each year, at Christmas, my father would channel Charles Schultz and ask for a gift of Real Estate. It was always his influence that motivated me to bring back to life a few properties of my own, including a small farm, a 7,500 square foot Victorian mansion, three 1940’s box homes, a circa-1900 shotgun house in Louisville’s historic Crescent Hill neighborhood, our former home, a 3-story townhouse in the heart of Saint Matthews, and- currently- a 1960’s Center Hall Colonial in the East End of Louisville. I didn’t have to think twice to know I wanted to become a professional Realtor, and while building my life in Louisville, have found so much joy in assisting others in buying or selling their homes.
Despite the closeness I had with Daddy, and the incredible ways he shaped me, it was my grandma’s geniality, good humor and ladylike ways that have passed down the most. It’s because of her that I love to set a good table and haven’t missed a Kentucky Derby since I was in college. She was a proud homebody, obsessing over her decor, her kitchen counter cleanliness, and the height of her meringues. Weekends at Mamaw’s were spent prepping for guests she just knew would drop by, listening to jazz, playing canasta, and dancing in the living room. Its her influence that has caused me to spend way too much money on Derby hats, home decor, and good-quality stationery, always signed,
Yours, most sincerely,
joyce
Joyce Duncan Mills makes her living as a Realtor in Louisville, Kentucky, where she lives in a soon-to-be-renovated Colonial with her husband, Bryan. For collaborations, cups of coffee, or general questions, email [email protected]
