Reflections on home
It's so nice to be back in our eclectic house which suits us so well, but particularly to be able to experience the exuberant May garden. Last year's record rainfall must have set the stage for tremendous growth -- for plants both native and non-native. It's amazing right now. We'll definitely be here through the end of May next year.
My very best friend from graduate school, her husband, and their recently graduated college age son came through Asheville today (in a delightful overlap, as I hadn't seen her for over a decade) and we had a lovely lunch. It was telling that the first things that I wanted to show them were the natives I posted about yesterday -- the lush growth of Penstemon smalli and the Mitchella repens (Partridge Berry) in flower. They'd seen the later on hikes that they'd been on -- from the place that they'd been staying in Dillsboro, NC, a charming historic town about an hour away. Heading for Durham, they couldn't linger, but it was so great to see all of them.
It feels like home here.
It's our house, filled with our things, curated over a lifetime of traveling, downsizing, and resorting.
When we consolidated here in 2015, it was remarkable to experience how adding our favorite rustic antique pieces, heartpine side tables, the former breakfast room table (now my desk in the studio) and our very well-made 30-year old couch and love seat made it feel like home (and not just our second home).
So interesting.
I was telling my friend today how much I loved our house and garden in Clemson, and how it took me over 5 years not to break down in tears with the thought of leaving it -- but how I knew how much more interesting Asheville was as a place to be. Thankfully, we had that space and time to reframe. And there is no doubt that this is a much better place to be home. Our neighborhood is great.
So now we've added a new part-time adventure in Quebec, in another place that feels like home. The magical national park nearby. The historic schoolhouse renovated into charming historic cottage. And the garden that surrounds it -- my hubbie is already up there happily gardening. He found a gold mine of composted chicken manure yesterday below the split-rail fence -- he's supposed to leave some for me, too, for my vegetable garden!
I'm looking forward to planting my vegetable beds as soon as I arrive in early June, and harvesting cherries again, as well as raspberries, apples and pears.
Having a garden makes it feel like home, too.
My very best friend from graduate school, her husband, and their recently graduated college age son came through Asheville today (in a delightful overlap, as I hadn't seen her for over a decade) and we had a lovely lunch. It was telling that the first things that I wanted to show them were the natives I posted about yesterday -- the lush growth of Penstemon smalli and the Mitchella repens (Partridge Berry) in flower. They'd seen the later on hikes that they'd been on -- from the place that they'd been staying in Dillsboro, NC, a charming historic town about an hour away. Heading for Durham, they couldn't linger, but it was so great to see all of them.
It feels like home here.
It's our house, filled with our things, curated over a lifetime of traveling, downsizing, and resorting.
When we consolidated here in 2015, it was remarkable to experience how adding our favorite rustic antique pieces, heartpine side tables, the former breakfast room table (now my desk in the studio) and our very well-made 30-year old couch and love seat made it feel like home (and not just our second home).
So interesting.
I was telling my friend today how much I loved our house and garden in Clemson, and how it took me over 5 years not to break down in tears with the thought of leaving it -- but how I knew how much more interesting Asheville was as a place to be. Thankfully, we had that space and time to reframe. And there is no doubt that this is a much better place to be home. Our neighborhood is great.
So now we've added a new part-time adventure in Quebec, in another place that feels like home. The magical national park nearby. The historic schoolhouse renovated into charming historic cottage. And the garden that surrounds it -- my hubbie is already up there happily gardening. He found a gold mine of composted chicken manure yesterday below the split-rail fence -- he's supposed to leave some for me, too, for my vegetable garden!
I'm looking forward to planting my vegetable beds as soon as I arrive in early June, and harvesting cherries again, as well as raspberries, apples and pears.
Having a garden makes it feel like home, too.
Gardens do make things feel like home. When you work the soil and reap the beauty you are one with nature. Enjoy your time in your home.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lauren. I feel like I'm barely here, before I head to Quebec, but I'm so fortunate to have two wonderful places to be home.
ReplyDelete