Thursday, January 16, 2014

"The Feeling of Home"

Copyright 2014, CABS for Reflections From the Fence


This blog post  is part of my participation in a weekly writing meme called, "The Book of Me, Written By You"  You too can be part of this experiment/experience, there is information at this Facebook page.

I may or may not publicly share what I write each week. This week I share.

Week 20:  This week's prompt is  - The feeling of home

Home means different things to different people, so this week we are going to explore what it means to us
What does it feel like?
How do you recognize it?
What makes it home - people, place, time

Home, first thing that comes to mind when I think what does home feel like is SAFE.  It is a safe haven, warm, familiar, welcoming and SAFE!

Home can refer to your birth place, area, or the place of your deep roots.  I was born in Virginia, but, only lived there for 3 years.  I did visit frequently in my youth, as my maternal grandparents lived there, and my paternal grandparents had deep roots there as well.  As an adult I also visited the area, taking my children, introducing them to their heritage as well. As the years went by, my physical reaction to the area became stronger and stronger.  The smell of a lawn weed would bring on waves of memories.  One trip, as I crossed the Mason-Dixon line I almost broke into tears of joy, have to say, that was a bit weird even for me!  But, I felt I was coming home and that was a great feeling.

As a little tyke I lived in the Norfolk Virginia area, and in Raleigh North Carolina.  After our move to SE Michigan I lived in two places, first in Pontiac.  Then, we moved and I spent all of my school years in Waterford.

Man and I have lived in SE Michigan on and off for our entire married lives, with a side of Maryland, Texas, and Morocco tossed in.  (Below, our "villa" in Morocco.)


These days, we are blessed to have two homes, one stick built in SE Michigan and our rolling home, Tana.

Our stick built property has 2 acres, give or take, of swamp land and wooded areas, behind the almost 3 acres that we groom (err, cut).  Late in the 1990's we put in this bridge to get over some mucky areas of the back 2 acres, Carol's folly I call it.  It is quiet there, just to the right of this photo is the swampy area, the ducks and geese love it there, snapping turtles too!  There is evidence of other critters using the bridge.


Our current abode, Jolly and Tana near Tampa Florida.


Home is where the heart is, and it doesn't help to have a comfy bed and your favorite pillow either - -


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2 comments:

my Heritage Happens said...

You lived in Moracco? For how long? I must have missed that somewhere along the line. Home….you have a few, don't you? Makes me want to do my post for this, but I need to do #19 first….

Carol said...

I was there for about 16 months, Man was there about 18 months.

Thanks to the US Navy!