There's no place like home~

Woman on a street in SoHo, NYC.  June 2009~by Gillian da Silva~

The truth is that once we have left our childhood places and started out to make up our lives, armed only with what we have and are, we understand that the real secret of the ruby slippers is not that "there's no place like home," but rather that there is no longer any such place as home: except, of course, for the home we make, or the homes that are made for us, in OZ: which is anywhere, and everywhere, except the place from which we began.

~Salman Rushdie

The Wizard of OZ

Setting about these last few weekends to make a home sweet home while I am not distracted by life. (Includes running two businesses, nurturing  two children, and caring for two homes.) I feel that I must hold on the creation of home, lest I be swept away by the stress of trying to maintain it all.  (Hence my need for travel, it provides me with contrast, appreciations, learning. Oh and it is something to look forward to in the midst of the everyday.)

I do enjoy the whole nesting process.  Everything making its way into it's place.  It's a joyous act of creation.  (How architects must feel, I imagine.  The act of building something from nothing.)

I picked up some new books to read, and the opening excerpt of my post was taken from the book opening for "What Happened to Anna K," by Irina Reyn.  It seemed to fit how I'm feeling so perfectly. :) (Funny how we attract in things/people/books that we need in our lives.)

Speaking of things to look forward to in the midst of the (glorious) everyday...I excitedly signed up for a brand new e-course in photography, Madelyn Mulvaney's~bones of a poet~photography and the wonder of seeing...you too can sign up by simply visiting persisting stars and following the links.  Because it is a valuable skill to learn how others see.  Classes begin the first week of September, I hope to see you there! (Virtually of course.)

***

What special homemaking rituals do you do, to make your home a home? Do tell! I like fresh flowers, crisply made beds, scented candles, and stacks and stacks of books....!!! Cosy stacks of blankets and plush throws in large seagrass baskets on the floor, so you can snuggle up wherever you please.  xoxo

Comments

[Gigi]

What a great post! I completely agree that making a home is a joyous act of creation. You and I share many of the same homemaking rituals. Flowers, candles, and loads of books are all a big part of this process for me, too. I love having a wooden bowl of fresh fruit in the kitchen, too. I also have a large, black-framed mirror near the front door, and I tuck mementos, cards, special fortune-cookie fortunes, etc. into the edges between the mirror and the frame. It's like a beautiful marker of our life at any given moment. Just glancing at it makes me feel at home.

Have a wonderful week! xoxo

[Shelagh]

I like to have windows wide open to the world whenever I can. Cozy pillows and yes, books, books books!
Just finished reading "Still Alice" a small, thought provoking book about a Harvard prof who gets Alzheimers disease. I wasn't sure about reading it but I loved it.Quite different.

[Stephanie]

You know you have made a 'home' when that is where you want to come back to....

I have

I do

AND!!! you are going on Tara's trip?? A trip of a life time!! This will be made all the more wonderful because you are traveling with friends!!!

x..x
steph

[Rochambeau]

Beautiful post Gillian,
Seems like you are keeping your life balanced!
The things you speak about are all so true. The first thing I learned finally by moving many, many times (thankfully with Pete)!! After awhile, I realized I could live anywhere (I think). I am a homebody.

Are you going to Jordan with Tara and Alex? Oh I hope so!
It sounds like a trip of a lifetime. Important!

Enjoy nesting~
The process.

Look forward to speaking with you. I'm ready to make scrolls galore~

xox
Constance

[pam aries]

OMG...My mouth just fell open when I saw your post...I swear...I just posted something...synCROWnicity..........

[pam aries]

Allthe way back from my trip I was thinking //There's no place like home...that was the real and true meaning I culled from the trip.

[elizabeth]

yes to flowers. yes to candles. and i am loving the idea of stacks of blankets! i bought a bunch of soft orange fleece blankets last Christmas when I was freezing (and they were on sale) and pull them from the cupboard when needed. i like the idea of having them at arm's length instead. :)

i signed up for the e-course too - i'm looking forward to it!

[Christina]

I am signing up for Maddies class, as well. I hope we don't get in trouble if we sit next to one another. You know how we can be. Wink : ) See you there.
xo

[Gillian daSilva]

Christina this made me laugh out loud!
Of course we'll be getting detentions, that's what happens to the girls who sit at the back of the class daydreaming about climbing the tree out the window.
But you do realize our teacher will be at the back of the class too, instigating all that trouble. lol!

[Christina]

LMAO! So true. I am thinking we need to save some of those seats at the back of the class. There are more than the two of us, that are going to be daydreaming and causing ruckus. Yes, you gotta watch that teacher of ours. Sweet but, I can So see her getting us in the sweetest of trouble. lol
Love ya!

[Relyn]

I love that question. My home always smells nice. Always. Baking, flowers, or candles, it always smells nice. There are also books in every room and lots of cozy corners to curl up in. You?

[Heather]

This is a wonderful post for me to consider. I'm moving to a new apartment on the first of September and I'm sure it will take me all of September or longer to make it a home. I'll update you. xo