Friday, August 13, 2010

home

I have lived in 6 places my entire life - all in Wisconsin: My childhood home in Monona, a dorm room in Waukesha, two apartments in Madison, our house in Sun Prairie, and now here in Augusta. 
Each place has been cherished - has been home.

Last week, I sat on the porch with my 22 year old son.  He is living in Madison this summer -- making enough money to pay his rent when he returns to school this fall in Eau Claire.  We talked about home & what that means to him.  He grew up in Sun Prairie, left there when he was almost 20 -- but he agreed, western Wisconsin was his home....this is where he wanted to be at the end of the day. 

We all come to "home" in our own way.  And, sometimes home finds us.

Dave & I stumbled upon this farm just four years ago.  We had passed this way many times on our way to our property in Winter --- and on that particular day, we found our way down this long driveway onto the grounds of this vacant farm - I believe she had called for us.

"I hear her voice in the morning hours she calls to me....country roads, take me home." (John Denver)

What does home mean to you?

12 comments:

Kari from Meadowview Farm said...

I wanted to add a little bit more to this story...for those of you who come to this comment section.

My childhood home was at 5410 Healy Lane. When my mom passed away, my sisters & I cleared out her home for sale...the home we had all grown up in. This basement-less ranch home facing Winnequah Park. We walked it one last time, and I took two last remembrances:

1. The house numbers are now here in my home in Augusta...I can trace the brush strokes my mom used to paint these.

2. The house keys were placed a-top her grave, buried there with her. They were hers -- always.

My mom had taught me the meaning of "home" -- a place that a single mother of three girls made inviting...made feel like a castle. A place we felt loved & cherished & taken care of.


Kari

Artful Gathering said...

Kari,
What a awesome tribute to your Mom. You are very blessed to have such fond memories of your homes.
After years of searching for our forever home we found ours within miles of where we were living. I used to always drive by it and say I'm gonna live there one day. And here we are.... Lots of "story" inbetween but we are at our dream home and feel so contented there we really never want to leave... We are very blessed....
And it is amazing that all our family feels the same way. We have had many weddings at our home. Also the ashes of a dear friend are scattered in our trees. And family functions are held at our home due to it's "feeling"... peaceful easy feeling.......
Have a great weekend. Dawn

Cheryl in Wisconsin said...

First of all, let me say that I LOVE that you sent the keys to your mom's house with her. That is sooooo thoughtful.
The house we lived in the longest when I was a child is up for sale now (the current owners have had it for 30+ years, the only ones after us) and I've thought that it would be neat to own it, but then again, it wouldn't be the same and may ruin the cherished memories I have of that place.

Cheryl in Wisconsin said...

My current house is truly my definition of HOME. I am the only human living there, but it is where my pets live safely, and I can paint the walls whatever color I admire, my friends are comfortable visiting, and walking into the door feels like stepping on "gool" (remember tag?). I lived in it for 13 years and can't imagine leaving. I hope any future husband is homeless (ok! or just doesn't mind moving into my house!) Ya know, when I die I'd really love it if someone put the keys into my grave, and stole the house numbers to remember the place by.

Jani said...

We've spent years searching and going to Open Houses to find that perfect "Home in the country" but when we get HOME it never feels as right as the one we're in.... hmmmmm... maybe we should stop looking. What did Dorothy say? Home is in your own back yard?
I think home is where you feel comfortable in your own skin, no matter how silly or foolish you're being and it's full of the things you love and the people you love or their memories. And it's consistent.
Jani

Diane said...

We are now in our 4th house in our 32 years of marriage, but this is the first one that really feels like home. Lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time and at the right price we couldn't pass it up. I had to look past how it was to see what it could become. A big lawn with room for flower beds. Picture it with dormer windows, a big porch and someday a big living room with a fireplace my husband would say. And so I did. And so here we are. The only "home" our daughter really remembers. Empty nester in our "home" we hope to be in for a very long time to come.

Kari from Meadowview Farm said...

I truly love the heartfelt sentiment that "home" brings to each of you - to each of us.

There are times I cry when I leave - and many times tears come to my eyes upon my return. My home embraces me.

"My home is me and I am it. It is everywhere I want to be and it looks like all my dreams." (from a children's book - The Big Orange Splot).

Yes, ruby shoes are for clicking.

Kari

Vicki@MorePowerfulBeyondMeasure said...

Thanks for bringing me to tears! What sweet words here! I just returned home from a long, long trip to Maine. Our second trip there this summer. Our son was teaching there, but now he is home with us. We say we want to move there...a very long way from our home here. However, when we return here we know this is where we will be for still a long while...it's home. And there is no place like it!

Kari from Meadowview Farm said...

artteachergirl...
Welcome to the site. Home is something we carry in our heart. I watch my new kittens run to the barn each night or when they are afraid. That big red 100 year old barn in their home --- it is where they feel safe & cared for at the end of their long journey. We are lucky indeed to not just have a roof over our head or a house.....but to have a home. What a lovely word that is.
Kari

Ginger Stout said...

Hi Kari,
I meet you at the School House Antique Mall and purchased flash cards from you for my nephews birthday gift. I put them with some vintage Golden Books and a 1908 antique school desk we found for him. My husband Walter are still thinking of driving up from Indiana to your Barn Sale. Again I enjoyed shopping your space at the School House Mall and it was so nice of you to show me items from other booths for my purchases. Love the Blog and you way of life.

Ginger Stout

Artful Gathering said...

Isn't Karis booth the greatest! I need to get over there to peruse her items soon. And I can't wait until her barn sale date arrives. Thanks kari for all the great offerings.

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