By Karen Ott Mayer | Contributor

On Monday, March 1, Como residents and volunteers Karen Ott Mayer of Moon Hollow Farm and Micol Anne Davis of Blue Mother Tupelo placed a six-foot handcrafted grapevine floral heart at the Emily Jones Pointer Library as part of the national Floral Heart Project.

“Como participated in this event which was organized to honor those we’ve

lost to Covid and for all who are still suffering due to the pandemic,” said Mayer. Some towns held large events, others like Como opted for a quiet happening. Como’s “Notes of Remembrance” project is slightly different from others.

“Instead of just laying a wreath, we wanted something a little more interactive. We’ve included small cards and a pen that a visitor can use to write down a memory…maybe the name of a person gone or a song or an encouragement. Then, you can tie the note to the heart,” said Davis.

The pair conceived of the local concept based on their personal journeys in 2020. When the world stopped, Mayer’s farm stay lost many bookings and Davis, a recording artist with her husband Ricky, lost an entire touring year. Many lives have changed as a result of a universal loss.

“The idea of a note is a shared concept. I sing notes, Karen writes notes. And anyone can create a small word or note to share their own experience,” adds Davis.

One quiet morning early in the pandemic, Micol Anne wrote “The Quiet Song”, a nod to the quiet that seemed to stop us all in our tracks.

In the coming days, the floral heart will move around Como Main Street, gracing a business doorstep or store front. The women plan to place the heart by the Fred McDowell blues marker at the project’s end.

“We don’t have a definite timeline, so we encourage everyone to visit our Como Main Street Alliance Facebook page to follow the heart,” said Mayer.