As the only remaining female in the George Nash family, Ociee prefers to think of herself as more brother than sister. Her favorite outfit is a pair of soft, worn dungarees and her brother Ben's old shirt that Mama sewed. With gray eyes that sparkle with mischief, she loves nothing more than jumping onto moving boxcars and chasing after strangers who dare to set foot on her Mississippi farm. Yet this spirited little tomboy also goes to great lengths to cook, clean, and create a home for her beloved Papa and her brothers, Fred and Ben. She tries valiantly to fill the space her Mama's passing has left in their lives. Despite the sadness, fear, and uncertainty of her early years, Ociee triumphs. In doing so, she blooms in a new garden and sows seeds of love in the lives of all who come to know her in her new

home on Charlotte Street.