Oh my goodness! Thank you for your gentle comments regarding homebodies and homemakers. Your words were so encouraging because they were laced with love, love for home and love for homemakers. There IS a difference between a homemaker and a housekeeper and I talked to Bill about that today and he agreed with all of you about what a homemaker really is. So, a huge thank you to all of you for clarifying and thank you for thinking about it with me.
I'm reading The Scent of Water again (Elizabeth Goudge). I'm reading it slooooowly this time and marking up the text with questions and observations. This is the novel that talks about "the little things" so I took a picture of some of my sweet little things.
Ha! Back to homemaking (smile)! I have culled my collection of books about this dear subject, but when our house was full of cherished children, I was always trying to discover the secrets of a clean home, a tidy home. Now that I think about this a little differently (with quite a few years to do so!) I have always wanted to learn about how to make a home cushy and warm, inspiring and inviting. Of course I have to admit that sometimes my frenzied cleaning before company comes is rooted in my fear of the guests discovering that I am usually unwilling to apply routine to my daily doings and I don't like to do anything every day. Ha! I think Julia said the same thing in her comment. I find this subject so fascinating that I often put "homemaking" in the search box on Amazon, just to see if there are any books I've missed that address this juicy subject. I did this while we were in Hawaii (I read a lot on vacation) and a book showed up and looked so interesting. It's titled Windows to Our World and it's Sarah J. Brown's journal of her growing up years (homeschooled) and her marriage and her many children. Here's the link to her blog stillsmiling.net and you can get the book there or order it on Amazon. She's a smarty and she addresses the homekeeping issue in this post. The book is a "page-turner" kind of story, I think.
I like Alexandra Stoddard (really a decorator, but very wise in the ways of home). She actually wrote to my friend Sandra (Thistle Cove Farm) and sent her a book, I think! In her book Living a Beautiful Life she lists some very cozy and homey ideas at the end of each chapter. I've read it over and over again.
Right now I am snuggled on the sofa, covered in soft blankets (it's freezing here!) and watching The Bells of St. Mary's. You know how much I love nuns (and Bing Crosby!) I'm watching Christmas movies this year and I'm starting early, because after Thanksgiving the days go by so fast! (The Bells of St. Mary's isn't a super Christmas-y movie) I'm knitting (even if it's just a little bit every day). I've been ironing in the morning. I really do like homey things and I agree with some of you when you say that cleaning isn't the only act of maintaining a cozy home!
I'm looking forward to making the Thanksgiving feast. It's less than two weeks away! Yikes!
Jeff and Christie bought a piano off of Craig's List. She gave us a little concert. BEAUTIFUL!
I took this photo with my iPad as we flew over the Rocky Mountains Saturday morning. It doesn't look real, does it? I think enlarging it when I moved it from one device to another made it look like a painting. Gorgeous!
Again, thank you for your helpful comments and really, thank you for reading and caring.
19 comments:
very cool mountain shot. :) and i like your toad house, too.
Ahh...I love Elizabeth Goudge. It's time for me to re-read the books I own. When we were in England in July I searched the used bookstores for any books of hers I could find. Only found one this time around. The Dean's Watch...
We're having our first Thanksgiving feast this Saturday. Lookin forward to it!
Maybe I will pick up my copy of the Scent of Water and read along with you. I still pick it up and read portions. It is so vivid in my mind, it feels like I saw a movie.
I love looking at your book shelves. They look like mine. :) I have so many books on getting organized. What I have though is controlled chaos. :)
I love your thoughts and what you came up with today about homemaking, homebody, and housecleaning. All of it is very good.
I love that picture of the Rockies. That is just incredible.
I also like Christie playing her new piano.
All of it is just lovely I think. Have a lovely evening. I always enjoy the world from Pom Pom's world. Stay warm.
Alexandra Stoddard and Emilie Barnes books take up residence on my bookshelves too. I remember discovering Emilie's book "Welcome Home" many years ago. I read it over and over. She had a great influence on creating my happy home.
I have yet to read Elizabeth Goudge, but am constantly seeing her mentioned on blogs. Must start looking for the book you mentioned.
May you snuggle on in! Lovely photos and your chat over tea type narrative is very sweet.
Who knew such a conversation would emerge on homemaker vs homebody. I am a homebody: I like to be at home. A housekeeper: Not so much. A homemaker: causal. And I do think that today women wear so many hats and homemaking or housekeeping or being a homebody are not at the top of their list. Anyway. You have handled the subject very gracefully.
I love the little toad house. So cute.
Brad and the kids watched "the road to morocco" tonight while I was at an orchestra meeting. I guess it was a Bing Crosby kind of night! I heard Aria laughing at it a few times before I left (I think Bing was singing to a camel or something).
That's what I like about your blog Pompom, you draw your readers in and invite us to chat! I am still thinking about homemaking and like you I google the word too sometimes, how beautiful to have a piano player in the family - my grandma played piano (and grandad the violin) as a child I would nag her constantly to play greensleeves!
Dear Elizabeth Goudge, always such a comfort to read.
You know, I feel that it is the atmosphere in a home that counts more than shiny surfaces (though those are nice too!)
Your photo of the rockies is amazing and incredibly beautiful isn't it. Nature really is a wonderful thing. I agree, as I said before, homemaking isn't all about cleaning, so I am glad that you are doing some of the homey things that make a nice home and not just cleaning!! xx
Must go read your yesterday's post, which I missed.
Sounds like a great one!!!
I'm a housekeeper at work because I get paid to do it and a lazy bum at home because I don't!!!My friend and I were just having this discussion the other week, about when we were younger and were expecting visitors. We would clean and clean and clean and change curtains and everything. Nowadays, folks just tend to take us as they find us!! My sister was staying with me the other week when I had a nasty virus and she said she looked around my spare room where she was sleeping and said to herself 'it's official, my sister's a hoarder'! Strangely enough, I'm always chucking things or giving things away so I don't know how she came to that perception! I love your Rocky Mountain Way pic (happy memories of that song). Lovely to 'see' you Pom-pom.xxx
I'm running behind in my commenting and I started reading your post twice and got interrupted both time and more blog post are being added on the top so it's hard to catch up.
I'm so glad the issue of homebody and homemaker is clearer now for you. It really generated a lot of conversation and made us think.
I spend more time helping others than I spend being a homemaker in my house. Years ago I was more of a homemaker because I thought that I had to be to measure up.
I still don't like to show my dirt but I'll welcome my friends in my house even though my house isn't tidy and fresh all the time. They only show up when my house is in a mess anyway, lol.
Stay cosy and read a lot of good books.
Hugs,
JB
Oh I like this distinction between housekeeper and homemaker!!! I'm definitely not a housekeeper - ugh!!!! Have you read Jane Brocket? She's one of my favorites!!!! "The Gentle Art of Domesticity". SO good.....and so are all of her other books! I agree with you about Alexandra Stoddard -- I have always enjoyed her writing.
It's been fun talking with you about homemaker vs. homebody vs. housekeeper. I loved your book shelf on the subject. I enjoyed Alexandra Stoddard so much and also Sarah BanBreathnach. I always loved reading Edith Schaeffer's books. She appreciated the artful, creative side of homemaking and encouraged that.
There's nothing like a piano in the home. I'm so glad for Christie and all of you who will hear her play. I miss having my piano players in the house. This time of year I would beg one of my children to play and I'd sing.
Amazing, majestic Rocky Mountain High!
Hello Pom Pom, I have been popping in all along I just haven't managed to comment until now. I have done a little investigating of The Scent of Water & ordered it last night through The Book Depository. Thank you for telling us about it....& so many others besides!! I may never have come across them otherwise. You have such an active mind & imagination & a heart that is always inventing new & happy ways to love...& draw everyone in to the circle of caring. Your family are richly blessed indeed to have you at their centre. I hope that you are keeping warm & well. Much love GK x0x0x
Well, I for one is not very good at homemaking (I missed that part of your post). Maybe it is time for me to evaluate myself. I think it's one topic I refused to talk about.
Anyhow, I love those toad stool houses, they are so cute! I will be searching for them when I get to America. Speaking of America I will be in NY for Thanksgiving. I am so excited. Enjoy the time with your family PomPom.
And oh I love that the pic of the Alps. Brrrr...it will be cold when I get to NY.
Have a good day.
Wow! That photo of the Rockies is amazing! It does look like a painting. Lovely.
As usual, I am WEEKS behind in my blog-reading, and I was way, way behind in the "homemaker" conversation. Sigh! But glad you were able to make accurate distinctions. And I do agree with that distinction b/t homemaker and housekeeper. There's a difference in a home and a house. And to make a home is truly a spiritual endeavor :) Ah well.
So happy for the new piano! There's nothing sadder than a musician without her instrument, and one cannot carry a piano around very easily. Glad she has one now!
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