Bristow area residents traveling on West 4th Avenue or Route 66 can easily recognize the Bristow Garden Club’s August “Yard of the Month” winner. Located at the intersection of West 4th Avenue and Ash Street, a beautifully manicured yard and gardens grow. Most locals instantly know the yard by its unusual yard ornaments.
Uniquely decorated with easily identifiable large metal roosters and a red bicycle, Mark and Kristi Kerley’s yard proves meticulously groomed and nurtured. Mark is the household’s gardener, a hobby he picked up and came to love nearly 25 years ago from his grandmother’s love of flowers and his sister-in-law’s prodding him to garden. From the look of his yard, gardening suits him.
The Kerleys purchased their home from Ms. Wieberdink about six years ago, working on the yard and gardens since. They moved into Bristow from the country because they have family in the area, choosing a large corner lot to preserve a little natural space. Although the space helps, it is nothing like country living, which is why Mark identified the serenity and beauty of Bristow’s Lake Massena and surrounding natural park areas free of human impediments as his favorite aspects of the city.
His enjoyment of that natural peace and beauty also comes through in his love of gar dening, which he conveyed as “…satisfying, seeing something you planted as a seed or seedling grow into something beautiful to enjoy or eat.” Tending those gardens also proves therapeutic and relaxing in a busy world. In passing, he mentioned that when gardening fails to satisfy his longing for the country “I head out to the lake to fish or just enjoy the quiet peace of nature around me. It’s not the country, but it helps.”
Feel free to drive west on 4th Avenue, taking a moment to glance at the Kerley’s beautiful yard and gardens as you pass. The Bristow Garden Club’s “Yard of the Month” sign is planted on the corner for easy identification.