Wanderlust – I have it and I can’t help it. Growing up I was an avid reader, and through books and magazines I escaped to places all over the world all of my life. As an adult, I’ve finally begun to scratch the surface of seeing these places in person and I enjoy every moment of those travels. But despite my wanderlust, I see home as a place of sanctuary and rest, and it needs to be loved, appreciated and respected.
A little more on my roots. I grew up in a very, very old house where my mother actually still lives. When I moved away at 19, I spent my first few years living in tiny apartments which I was okay with because I was free. My first house I built with my bare hands (won’t do that twice) and while it ultimately wasn’t my style, all of the furnishings inside, at the time, were. It had that rustic, Pottery Barn feel with a wall of windows facing a forest of majestic tulip poplars. The house was outside of town and the drive home every day pointed me north with a stunning view of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Fast forward a few years, engaged, and with a new job, I wanted to completely change everything up. My fiancé and I spent 18 months looking for the perfect house. Our criteria made it nearly impossible in that we wanted an authentic mid-century modern design AND we wanted to be downtown. We were tenacious and very lucky because eventually we found something that fit the bill. Oh, it was more than a fixer-upper though. We closed on this fairly neglected little gem one month before we left to get married in Greece and while we were gone, the contractors terrorized our cats as they demolished the wing that would become our master suite.
It’s been almost nine years and we keep pouring our hearts into our home – through continued improvements, when we spend time together just the two of us (and those cats), and when we invite friends and family over for a variety of get-togethers and special occasions.
I’ve struggled to find clarity in penning these Adventuring posts, and all along I kept reminding myself that something would trigger the words to unfold on the page. I had to be patient. I had to remember to embrace the journey where introspective learning happens. I had to relish the anticipation of the writing …
This may seem like an odd fascination but I’m finding that olive trees and the fruit they bear have become ever increasingly meaningful in my life. I’ve paused in writing this post a number of times because I wasn’t sure why I identify so much with this lovely, salty evergreen, but then realized that in …
It is always, always exciting when doors open, windfalls occur, the ball starts rolling, “tribes” expand, connections are made and deliveries arrive at your door. It seems that the forces are working with me and are actually providing some level of validation. Last night, my new computer, this iMac I’m typing from now, arrived at …