Home Waters
Hello! I'm back in Colorado and her blue, blue, blue skies are here to greet me this morning. My zinnias are blooming, the tomato plants are full of fruit, and I had a pile of books and surprises awaiting me. I'll tell you more about the surprises soon. The water in Washington did not fail to please me. I spent the first day of my visit at Guemes Island, one of our family's vacation spots.
This is where I'd like to have our blog retreat. You know. Someday. The cabins have stone fireplaces. Isn't a stone fireplace impressive, especially when the cabin is tiny?
Here's my papa. We all spent the day looking toward the Puget Sound.
The island is so woodsy and magical. See the birdhouse?
Here is the boat. My brother and mother are zipping out to check the crab pots.
Fresh crab. Tender, sweet, delicious. It tastes of the sea.
The next day, we were back to town and in search of farm produce. Favorite farm produce = berries.
My sister-in-law bakes shortcakes, pies, and cookies in her commercial kitchen. Her offerings are the best goodies I've tasted in a looooooooong time.
Here is her farm stand where the baked goods are sold.
She and my brother raised their family in this house. It keeps getting cuter and cuter. Don't you want to move in?
It has a garden shed!
This is the driveway that leads to my other sister-in-law's home. My brothers have lovely homes, don't they?
Their house is in the country, close to the bay. Don't you love the shake siding? It's wonderful inside, too. A huge added bonus = their neighbors have sheep!
Not too far from their house is this lovely bay.
My dad and I stopped here to buy fresh oysters. I ate ONE. Next time, I'll eat two. Most Northwestern people love them!
On my last day, my mom got up early and made coffee. I stepped out on the deck to take pictures of the sunrise.
It's a soul investment to be with one's family. Their homes feel like our home, their voices tend to have similar lilts and drops. They often have deep rooted and matching convictions regarding life choices. They enjoy similar foods, shared while kindling memories.
I feel girded up by my five-day visit and thankful for such sweet responses to my coming back to my childhood home.
This morning, I am thankful for quiet, for coffee and tea, for books to dip into, blogs to catch up on, and the snug provisions of my own home.
For my give away: rocks (calm down, I know the excitement is hard to bear) from the beach, a doodle (subject to be determined), a tasty delicacy (chocolate) and several sweet and childlike surprises. Do you want a chance to receive a Pom Pom package? Leave a comment today and I'll draw a winner before the end of the week. In your comment please tell me something about your childhood home and its setting. Thank you, good reader. Now I am off to visit blog spots. I've missed you.
27 comments:
I have missed you too, so glad you had such a nice time. I love the place where you grew up. A bit like Avonlea I think. :)I would love a chance to win a Pom Pom package, but are you sure about that question? I could go on forever. :)
My childhood home was magic. It was full of old, old trees and it was next door to my grand parents. We would run between our house and my grandparents and then on down the street lived my great grandmother.
I had a stick horse that I rode everywhere. That horse would gallop miles and miles. It was really a real horse and it knew all of my secrets. All of the trees were my friends and I knew which ones liked me to climb them and the ones who didn't.
It was beautiful to me, and a very special gift from God.
Thanks for your question and I am so glad you had such a nice time.
Oh welcome back PP - we have missed you too! What a lovely visit you have had with your family [what beautiful homes]and how precious ot be able to spend time with your Mum and Dad.
I ate one oyster, once!
This year, for Bob's sake, I am going to TRY to learn to love mussels
love and hugs x
Oh how the pictures brought tears to my eyes and joy to my heart. I love how you captured the pictures of Dan and Sue's home and Dave and Judy's home and the sweet pictures of Mom and Dad. Berries, crab, the Puget Sound and Guemes Island. I miss them all. As my own grandchildren romp through my house with all their noise and clamor I am thankful you are my sister and that God has so blessed our family.
What a magical place. I think it's made even more special by the lovely family ties and love that comes through loud and clear in your post.
My family home is very different from yours where you have water, I had high mountain desert but I definitely had the love.
Beautiful post. Thanks for sharing with all of us.
My goodness your vacation looks like it was wonderful. It's wonderful to go back home just to center oneself again. I've never been to the northwest and your photos are gorgeous!
My parents moved out of my childhood home a few years ago but one of my favorite things to do was hang out in the back yard in the evenings. We'd eat dinner, dad would have a cigar and we'd enjoy all the fruit trees and mom's flowers in the garden. Still one of my favorite things to do!
Wecome home!
Yay! You're back! Thanks for sharing all your lovely pictures. What beauty!
As an Army brat, I had many, many childhood homes. The one I remember most vividly is the one in Springfield, Virginia, 8646 Victoria Road. It had the neighborhood's sledding hill in the backyard. Years later when I stopped by for a visit, I was shocked to see that the hill was hardly a hill at all, just a teeny tiny slope. I remember it as being huge and dangerous!
I'm going to put a package together of books for your classroom soon. So excited to hear about your plans for the sixth grade!
xofrances
Hi Pom Pom, your family look such lovely folk and the houses are so very pretty - quite unlike the ones in the UK. During my childhood we moved house ever so much but I lived with my granny a lot and happiest memories are of her painted green front door, the apple orchard behind the cottage, the steep hill (one of the steepest in the uk at 1 in 4) leading up to Exmoor and looking downwards the view of the sea and the woodland walk to Porlock Weir. Inside we had no tv but a lot of things to do like sewing and drawing/painting. In my bedroom were some very old books with original templates - the Water Babies was one - recently I realised they are very valuable but I don't have them! Your giveaway sounds fun - I used to collect beach stones with holes in for my mother - she thought they were lucky. Bettyx
And I've missed you too. But I must say that after seeing your pictures, I doubt you really could take your mind off of your beautiful surroundings long enough to give us a second thought!! Gorgeous, gorgeous.
OF COURSE I wanna win a Pom Pom package? Beach rocks? Yea!!
I only lived in 2 homes during my childhood. I lived in Buena Park, California, 2 blocks from Knott's Berry Farm until I was 12 years old. I was also 2 blocks from my paternal grandparents. I lived in a suburban neighborhood at the end of a culdesac and spent my summers on a bicycle or roller skates. In the summer when we slept with the windows open I fell asleep to the screams of the people at the amusement park, which happened to intensify the year they put in Montazuma's revenge!! Ah memories...
Blessings, Debbie
I think you went to heaven. It looks very close, anyways. It is a wonder that such beautiful places exist. What adorable homes, too. Lovely blessings.
Ahhh, I love the beach. What lovely, lovely pictures -- beautiful homes, yummy food (love the sign "From the Farm"), family and sunsets. You must feel so full and blessed after your trip.
The childhood home I remember best (I had a few) was a basement home (no top). It was very cozy with a free-standing furnace that we could warm up to. It was fairly cool in summer and warm in winter. I remember chasing my siblings through the closet which went through our room to our parents'. Mom always planted gobs of petunias around the house and took pictures of us kids amongst them. I know we were poor, but we didn't know it then.
Jody
Your are just so lucky to still have your parents and a childhood home to go home to. My parents are long gone and so are the two farm houses where I grew up. One farm serves I-70; the other was sold to a multimillionaire who is turning it into his own little paradise. It's located on the way to Golden, next to the Rollings Country Club. There we had a pond where I swam every summer day after spending the day riding my horse. All wonderful memories. You just keeping making those wonderful memories with your dear sweet parents. As for my leaves, I really am not yet ready for fall, but I am working on syllabi for class. I know. I am savoring moments in between. Glad you are home. Glad you had a wonderful time. And yes, your sis' home is just so cute and charming.
Welcome home, MomPom! It looks like a wonderful visit! I did not have a cute home like the your brother's, but it was full of love!
such beautiful photos of your trip and your family. you must feel so good having had that lovely break~!
a Pom Pom package ~!!~ sounds like tons of fun.
my family moved around quite a lot when i was in my grade school years but 'settled' once i got to the sixth grade. i remember a huge olive tree that i used to carefully climb and read in. loved not being able to be found. i was close enough to hear when someone was seriously looking for me and would climb down after they'd given up so as not to be discovered. loved having a cool quiet and fragrant place to call my own.
:-)
libbyQ
What a lovely holiday you have had, in such a beautiful place too.
My childhood home was on the water , in SW England, and was magical. We grew up thinking that we were Swallows and Amazons as we zipped around the water in our little boats. Oh the innocence of childhood!
Count me in on the retreat, please! I don't need to be in on the givewawy- rocks far too expensive to go trans-Atlantic! I am showing Mattman these photos and explaining that if we ever go to America it will be to Washington State where Dad once spent two fabulous weeks, and Matt has asked if we will meet Pom Pom and I said yes. He then asked if Pom Pom was my penfriend and I smiled and said, "Oh yes!" Even if pens are rarely involved- it's the same principle, I suppose, but with more pictures!
Yes indeed that's what I tell Audrey (80's) who comes over for fruit..it's like a penfriend sort of thing only I use my camera a lot!!.. & she kind of understands, I think : ) What a wonderful family time Karen..so solid & wholehearted & anchored & blessed. I couldn't manage to write for a bit 'cos it made me cry..you ate ALL the crab & the raspberries!! no, only kidding..the family was the thing. I read the other day that "home is where you feel loved" That's it really. When family is good, there are the memories & the history & the worth it & the belonging & when it doesn't work, there is the pain that trails after you through life no matter how much you try to make it turn out another way. It never is just about the one person. Wonderful pictures capture your holiday beautifully. Much love Catherine xoxo
They are just gorgeous photos!!!! That crab looks so sweet and so do those berries! Love the garden shed, sooooo adorable!
Hello sweet lady. Your post was so uplifting to me. It made my heart sing and my desire to spend time with my own family that bit stronger. I enjoyed all of your photographs and seeing a new neighbourhood. How lovely!
No need to enter me in your giveaway sweet pom pom as I live so far away it would cost you too much to send it
Just popped by to say hello to you and catch up with your beautiful photos :o)
lots of love, Carolyn xx
Pom Pom,
I am so glad I stopped by--first time visitor I am. What a special time to spend with your family and enjoy your roots. My heart was touched. And I love your sis-in-love's yellow house! I'd like to sit on their porch a spell, a mug of hot coffee by my side.
I'll be back soon!
Joyce
=D ah your pictures are so lovely! I wish I could be there and eat crabs and look at the beautiful view all day! =D your posts are always so positive, they make me smile.
I have just discovered your lovely blog. I came via your comments on Susan Branch's blog.
I thoroughly enjoyed this post. I was mesmerized by your beautiful photos and salivating over those gorgeous raspberries! I agree that your brother's do have adorable houses. As I scrolled through your post and got to the photo with your mom making coffee, I got a bit of a lump in my throat. It brought back fond memories of my own mom doing that very thing in a percolator that looked just like that. My parents are gone now, but your photo brought me right back to mom's kitchen. I can hear the coffee pot perking and the delicious scent of fresh coffee permeating the air. My childhood home was actually very small (3 bedrooms, 1 bath), but the love that existed within those walls is what I remember best.
Lovely post.
Hi Pom Pom, what a wonderful vacation you had...and I think we both agree that's one of the most beautiful places in our country...I've never lived there, only visited, many times, and have family who transplanted there from California. You took some beautiful photos.
My childhood home...well, there were many, but my favorite I think was 1308 Oak Street in Carlsbad, CA when I was 7-9 years old. It sat back from the street on a half acre of land. The back half was all boysenberries, plum trees lined the driveway, there were two big almond trees, several citrus, a banana, and a crab apple. And a garden with rhubarb. And a coop full of chickens whose eggs my mom sold. And a couple of goats we learned how to milk. I'll never forget that home. It is also where I learned to ride a bicycle.
So glad you had a lovely time.
I just love that front porch. I just want to pop over the water and sit there for a while. I think I might need to print a picture of it and stick in my inspiration journal:) I hope your brother and wife won't mind.
Your parents are sooo cute!!!
Welcome back, glad you had a wonderful time and so refreshing for your soul and heart!
xxx
Please, don't count me in, i ust wanted to say hello!
What a beautiful post, Pom. And those skies!! What glory! The grey skies look like magical sheep's wool. So glad you have a great visit. It is refreshing.
How did I miss this blog? Sorry! I may be too late for the drawing, but I'll put in my two cents worth anyway!
First, thanks for sharing these wonderful photos of your trip! It looks like creativity and a love of beauty runs in your family. What a gorgeous area, and I love your sis-in-laws farm stand!
I lived in so many places as a child. I think we moved about 10 times before I was nine!! But the place that felt most like home was Hygiene, CO where I lived from age 10 to 13. We lived just a short walk from the school which was an old brick two-story school that I loved. I went to 4th, 5th and 6th grades there and it was a safe little town where kids could wander without worrying about danger. I got my first horse there and spent hours each day riding her all over the countryside. I had little friends who lived up and down my street and it was just an idyllic part of my life. If you Google Hygiene, Colorado the arrow lands right in front of my old house!
Welcome back, Pom Pom! Glad you enjoyed your time with your family!
Pom Pom, these photos belong in a magazine! They're beautiful! I'm glad you had a good five days at home. I know what you mean about home. I love going to my parents' home and just chatting while the children play nearby.
Blessings!
Deborah
Post a Comment