It’s always good to get back home
My aunt on my father’s side lives in Birmingham, Alabama. Her house sits on top of a little hill. When my grandfather, (those of you who read Blood know him as Dandy), would drive up to visit her from Frankville, he’d situate his Buick Park Avenue at the bottom of the hill if it was cold weather. Should a snow or ice storm occur, he didn’t want to get stuck there. He wanted to make sure he could get home when he wanted to go.
I’m kinda like Dandy.
I like to go, but I love to get home.
I spent the day today getting settled. John Henry and I have been traveling quite a bit and after our time in Colorado and Alabama, I’m looking forward to sitting still for a bit, to working at a deeper level on some things I’ve been wanting to devote more time to (like The Autotelic, for instance), and slowing things way down. I’m also asking myself some questions about where I am and where I want to go — I think I always feel this way at the end of summer, like school is about to start and I need to get ready to do my best at getting used to a new way of doing things.
John Henry will go back to school in 4 weeks. And that is most of the feeling of anticipation, I think. Maybe it’s something else, we’ll see.
I finished the Mayes book and though I wasn’t 100% pleased with the montage-like ending, I thoroughly enjoyed allowing myself to be absorbed into the softness of a story that, though certainly not completely without edge, allowed me to smile and sink into its sumptuousness every time I picked it up. So I have Under the Tuscan Sun to my right now, ready to be picked up so I can fall in again. I also have the new Ann Patchett novel sitting right under it. We’ll see which one my hand likes this evening.
I rearranged the garden. I made John Henry’s favorite meat sauce. The dogs milled around and napped and were the lovable, ungrateful beasts they are. It was so quiet and boring and great. I hope you enjoyed your day as much as I enjoyed mine. Home heals.
I’m going to my drawing table.
Have a glorious evening,
AM
Welcome Home! On that note, I recommend “Under the Tuscan Sun”
“the houses that are important to us are the ones that allow us to dream in peace.”
Frances Mayes, Under the Tuscan Sun
Well hey, Allison. What a nice surprise to hear from you! My phone has a special chime when you post, and when I heard it i immediately smiled. Glad your trip went well. The pictures you posted are sweet. Something so nice about a small town. And you’re absolutely right.. there’s no place like HOME. Having been without one for a bit, I’m grateful to be in my own home now. A level of comfort & goodness hard to describe. joyous to me.
Your plants look very healthy & green. I’m sure they “ enjoyed “ the attention they got from you after being gone for a bit. I had to have several pine trees removed yesterday that were too close to my home. Definitely would be the first to fall in a storm. And we’ve had some pretty bad ones lately. Also an oak tree, which made me sad to take but it suffered a lightening strike from the ground up. Finally getting window coverings too! So some exciting things for me! Also found some sweet treasures for the house.
Thanks so much for writing tonight. Sure is nice to read your “doings”.
Oh, I wanted to share with you how mindful I’ve been of Presence. You spoke of that last time. It does make a difference. 😊
Enjoy your reading & comforts of home. What a nice summer you’ve shared with JH.
xoxo 🌱🪴🌳