Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Home

Yesterday was a beautiful day for a hike or a walk, but I stayed home.

After having lived in apartments for so long, almost any house would have been a relief. But in our 85-year-old wood-frame home, with its hardwood floors, built-ins and casement windows, we feel gratitude every day. Really. Every single day we are conscious of how fortunate we are to live here.

I did get some sunshine. Picked a bushel or two of clementines from the tree in the back yard.

24 comments:

Dina said...

There's no place like home, especially when the home sits directly on the earth.

Shell Sherree said...

Beautiful, Petrea. I feel blessed in such a way, too. There's a little bit of magic here.

PJ said...

Just lovely stuff, P, soft and dreamy. I hope we get to see some of the clementines and those lovely architectural details.

Chuck Pefley said...

I love being home, too. So comfortable and familiar.
Today's photo is quite intriguing. A pear?
I'm jealous of you and your clementine tree!

Petrea Burchard said...

It is kind of abstract, isn't it? I just loved the light.

Chuck, this is a vase my mother made, probably about 40 years ago, by hollowing out a gourd. It's fragile and awkward and I love it. The table it sits on was made the year I was born by a craftsman in Lawrence, Kansas (the town I was born in). I wouldn't trade these items for a Fabergé egg.

Paula, more clementines? Well, okay, I can certainly take pictures of clementines. I must have eaten ten of them yesterday. The tree is the gift that keeps on giving.

Dina and Shell--your comments have opposite takes, yet I agree with you both. Feeling well-grounded allows for the magic.

John Sandel said...

A house is a country—a world. Ours is a universe of dark wood and leafy walls. Every room is another realm. The sun comes and goes on its fiery rounds. Its rays lance the dark and strike homely objects like planets. That's how I navigate our house: by the light on things. They guide me by shining. Your light is the warmest.

Petrea Burchard said...

That's because I've been soaking up your rays, sweetie.

Greg Sweet said...

My first guess was White Kadota Fig.

Pasadena Adjacent said...

while you stayed home I was prancing around the subject of Mr J's panorama.

May I say you are getting that camera of yours to do all sorts of cool things.

Wooden floors....bliss

Vanda said...

I love your house, it's beautiful! I like those odd little hidden features too.

Amy said...

Still picking clementines? Wow.

It's perfectly lovely to say inside some days.

Anonymous said...

Elegant abstract. I sense transitions.

Tash said...

...and had a perfect day.

Outstanding photo to accompany it.

Virginia said...

Love this and want to see some sill lifes with clementines!

Petrea Burchard said...

I'll take a pic of a fig, why not?

Thanks, PA, that's a true compliment, coming from you.

Yeah, Vanda, I imagine the bigger Craftsman homes are full of them, but we've got a couple of good little touches.

Amy, I'll be picking clementines for another month. Actually, I have to get crackin' or the squirrels are going to beat me to it.

Hiker. Maybe.

Almost, Tash, Almost. Thanks for the kind words.

Tomorrow, Virginia! More photos of Paris!

Natalie said...

This post was refreshing. It's a good reminder to take a moment and reflect on all that we do have. Great way to start off the new year!

-K- said...

I'm a firm believer in the ability of gratitude to change not the physical circumstances but certainly my attitude about a particular problem. Not always easy however.

But what I really wanted to say is that this is really a marvelous, magical photo.

Petrea Burchard said...

Thanks, Natalie.

K, I think we can do a lot to create and/or change our circumstances. I'm glad you like the photo. I'm partial to it.

Ms M said...

Your home sounds wonderful, a beautiful nourishing place. And I love the photo, especially after reading it's of a vase made by your mother.

Dina said...

I love John's description.

Petrea Burchard said...

It's my favorite place in the world, Ms. M.

I do, too, Dina.

Christina said...

Aren't homes like this blessings? I love to travel, but home is the best place in the world. My favorite destination.

I love that you chose to post this picture to represent the idea of home.

Christina said...

Oh my, that last comment of mine was riddled with grammar errors. Alas.

Petrea Burchard said...

Christina, when one speaks kindly there are no grammatical errors.