Where thou art, that is home.~Emily Dickinson
This week, Amy has challenged us to picture life “At Home” for LAPC #94.
This theme presents a unique challenge for me, since we have had so many homes. Since graduating from college, we’ve lived in 6 different states in the USA and moved over a dozen times. Then, after leaving Grand Rapids, Michigan in January, 2018, we’ve lived in 23 rental “homes” as we’ve traveled around the USA, Australia, Fiji, and Europe. I think that qualifies us as experts in finding new homes and settling in quickly in new places.
During this time, I’ve thought a lot about what home means to me and what makes an ideal home. It does not have to be large or grand, but it needs to have some important elements.
Nature
I love living in a place that has a view of the sky and water.
When we lived in Gilford, NH, our condo looked out on the White Mountains and Lake Winnepesaukee. The view at sunrise and sunset was often spectacular like this image shot in 2005.
A Functional Working Kitchen and Space to Share Meals
A house is not a home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as the body.~Benjamin Franklin
Home also means a place where we can cook and share meals with others.
I loved this kitchen in the home we rented in Savannah, Georgia earlier this year. It has everything I love–a gas range, plenty of storage, a deep double sink, easy access to spices, cups, and dishes, and a window to look out at the neighborhood.
Food is an essential part of my definition of “home.” I shot this image earlier this week when I was cutting up some fruit to make a salad at our rental home in Portsmouth, NH. I like how the evening light from the window illuminated the fruit.
Plants and Flowers
The power of finding beauty in the humblest things makes home happy and life lovely.~Louisa May Alcott
Home also is a place for plants and flowers–like these tulips that I photographed in our home in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Art on the Walls, Plenty of Light and A Place to Write
The most important work you and I will ever do will be within the walls of our own homes. ~Harold B. Lee
This last shot, taken at our rental apartment in Florence, visualizes the last 3 elements of a good home. It has plenty of light, art on the walls, and a place for me to write.
With so much uncertainty in the world today, it’s hard to know if we can continue our traveling lifestyle or we’ll have to make more permanent living arrangements. But in any case, I’ve learned that I can be happy in homes large or small, spare or luxurious–as long as they contain plenty of light, a view of nature, a space for me to work, a good functional kitchen, and beautiful elements like art, flowers and plants. Most of all, home is the place to share good food and conversation with people I love.
If you’re interested in some creative photo ideas for shooting at home, here’s a great resource which I used when preparing this post from Feature Shoot.
We invite you to stop by Amy’s site and take a look at her beautiful “At Home” challenge. As always, I am looking forward to seeing your creative and unique interpretations of life “At Home.”
For the next few weeks, our challenge schedule will be:
- May 2: #95: Tina of Travels and Trifles
- May 9: #96: Patti of P.A. Moed
Once again, my closing words for this week are: stay well, stay safe, and keep creating!
Categories: Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, Photography
Living in different cities and towns gives wonderful opportunities and convenience to see places, meet people, and enjoy culture. I envy you, Patti. I imagine it takes a lot of planning. I’d enjoy the apartment of Savannah. Your rental apartment in Florence seems ideal, the writing area, art work on the wall… an ideal place. 🙂
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Hi, Amy. It’s true. We’ve had a chance to “try out” homes all over the world. It does take a lot of planning. I’m thinking that we’ll have a chance to “re-do” our 2020 plans at some point, given that it took a lot of time to come up with all the details! But until then, it’s all good. I love that apartment in Florence, too. It is almost 200 years old. Amazing. It makes me wonder how many times it’s been painted! Take care, too, Amy.
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Hi Patti, Thank you for sharing your thought with me. It’s not always easy to “re-do”, but it’s good to be flexible and make changes accordingly. Take time to plan the details. Good luck to you.
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I love how you distilled the elements of a comfortable home to a few important features – nature, kitchen & food, plants, art, light and a place to write! As I look around our small condominium on the Long Beach Peninsula, those are the same ingredients that keep me comfortable!
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Hi, Lindy! We like the same key features, don’t we? I like that! Good to hear from you. I’m glad you like the post.
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Great kitchen Patti!
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Oh, I loved it, too, Tatiana!
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A place to invite people to and be proud of is what it means to me, Patti. Maybe I’ll get to join this one but there’s a daily challenge running till Thursday. Elastic time doesn’t seem to be going any further in lockdown. Love your sea view and that gorgeous ping grapefruit. Stay safe, hon! 🙂 🙂
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Hi, Jo. Thank you!! I agree about time not going farther. The days are blending together, though. The grapefruit was delicious, too! Thanks! And that lake view is amazing. Take care, too, Jo. I hope you can join us. I’ll stop by your site next.
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No hurry, darlin 🙂 🙂
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😊😊
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Ah,brilliant…the important elements of home distilled! A lot of that chimes with me…
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Hi, Sue. So we think alike…in terms of what a home means. I’m glad you agree! My “list” of important things has been consolidated over the years! Always good to hear from you…
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Hi Patti! Yes, my list has been consolidated, too!
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home can be in different places as long as there is love and joy. i love all the homes you’ve featured here. Patti. they all have the same elements i would call home. your photos are beautiful! thank you for sharing. 🙂
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So true, Lola. Love and joy are essential. I’m glad you like these homes, too. It’s been fun “experimenting” with different types of homes as we travel. Stay well!
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What a beautiful space you have.
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Thanks, VJ, but we rented most of them for a short while. Nothing permanent yet! Good to hear from you.
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Great series, nice variety. Love the clouds! And functional kitchen.
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Oh, it was a great kitchen, John. I’m going to dream about it!! Thanks for the kind words about the “view.” It was spectacular. I hope you’re well, too.
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So love your photos and feeling that they convey Patti 🙂
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23 rentals homes since January 2018? How is that even possible? You must be much more minimalistic (by necessity if not by nature), than I am. Is one of you in the service? At any rate, I like the Alcott quote and that lovely room in Florence especially.
Have a wonderful week.
janet
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Hi, Janet. Some of the vacation rentals were very short (2 weeks) and others were longer (up to 2 months). Before that we lived in homes anywhere from 2 to 8 years. No, we’re not in the service. Just in careers that required relocating for advancement. The apartment in Florence is lovely. We can’t wait to go back. Take care and be well.
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I agree in every sense, Patti – you have lined up all necessary ingredients – and photographed them deliciously. So many wonderful homes! I cannot imagine moving so many times though, even if I gladly move every night when traveling… I have to have one permanent home to return to. I think my favorite image is of your working place. I wish mine was as “clean” and uncluttered.
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Some of these “homes” were very temporary rentals–for 2 weeks or so–others were longer–up to 8 years. But each one had its charms! You have your home base, which is lovely, AC. I have enjoyed your photos of it. Charming.
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Thank you, Patti. In school I remember how we learned about Americans being more mobile than we are – long distances and working in many places. That was some 45 years ago. But we are all different. We should go for what feels best and sometimes there is no other choice either. I am sure every home you had was charming and well organized!
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Yes, AC. I’m an organization “nut.” 😊
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Well Patti, I must say I never thought about what it would be like to talk about home when you are currently without one LOL! That said, you’ve handled it flawlessly as always. Love how you shared what’s important to you along with some of the places where you’ve found it. Not surprisingly we share many of the same must-haves. The most impressive thing is how you’ve managed to find them wherever you go! Hope spring comes to you soon up there!
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We are hoping for spring on many levels!!
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As a child we have also moved quite a bit and I attended 6 schools. As a married women we lived in 8 towns/cities and 14 houses.Were we are now is my favourite by far!
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I’m so happy you’re in your favorite home now, Aletta. 14 houses is quite a lot! I think my favorites were in New York City and Boston.
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I have not been to the USA yet. My daughter lived in Boston for a year.
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Nice history of homes documented in your photos. I really like the shot of the tulips. I am looking forward to posting my challenge response this week!
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I’m a bit of a nomad myself. By the time I turned 12 I had lived in five different homes and been to three different schools in different counties in England. And after leaving school I travelled around and lived in rental houses for years. I bought my first house when I was 42 and lived in that for almost 18 years (most of the years were as a rental), the longest by far. I’m not particularly emotionally attached to bricks and mortar, I just like somewhere that is comfortable and welcoming though a decent view is a bonus as are nice neighbours! Not always the case!
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Oh I agree with all your elements Patti and you have share lovely photos of each:)
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Beautiful images Patti and it’s lovely when you can you feel at home surrounded by people you love and the things that are important to you xxx
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The color and focus is beautiful on your shot of the tulips!
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You’re right, home is a feeling, not necessarily a place. Lovely images, Patti.
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So many homes to choose from – really gorgeous shots. I am partial to the ones from NH though 🙂 You must have moving down to a science by now.
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I do really like that fruit photo, how lovely that you noticed that light.
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