I really appreciate "going places" in this post (in spite of lockdown discussion!). Also loved the questions at the end: thinking about what pieces make me feel "at home" and also all the many many (too many??) places I have lived. I'm thinking of a photo I have of caribou crossing a river that makes me feel at home, and a few of my books. But also my coffee mugs? I don't know exactly - perhaps a our giant ceramic owl lamp that adorns every living room where we light. Rich topic! Thanks for the meditation on art and home, two of my very favorite subjects.
Thanks for your comment, it's really great to hear from readers. I'm glad this post has resonated with you, Kara. The giant ceramic owl lamp sounds fabulous. And of course, collections are a super way to gather memories. Do you have many coffee mugs and books? At least these special objects are all portable.
Too many! But each one (at least the mugs) are beloved. The books are also beloved but many are frequently found again at sales and thrift stores. I keep many of my faves, and then occasionally rebuy old favorites if I give one away and think better of it 🤷🏻♀️ I think you would approve of the owl lamp! Aw heck, I’ll do an Instagram link too :) https://www.instagram.com/p/CjK7NHoupv_/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Yes, my connection to my home is very deep - I was born and raised here and it's where I raised my children. I still live here - and I'm planning on leaving feet first. It's a spiritual connection that has evolved over time, but began as far back as I remember. My identity is this place, and my impressions of having lived here will be forever in the ether, along with all the others who have called this farm home. I write about it in my WIP and in my blog, but I also write about other places as well, my reactions to them and the ties that I am developing to those locations. It's all deliciously evolving, all the time. It's a wonderful ride!
Thank you for a thought provoking post on the important subject of home and belonging!
Thank you for your comment, Lynn. I will never know what it’s like to live in the same place all my life. I think you must have a very special connection to home, and place, and I am glad to hear that you are sharing that through your writing. Is your WIP a creative non-fiction book? How is it coming on?
Thank you for asking, Yasmin. Yes, my WIP, A Spirit of Place, is a memoir of my time here, the development of my place attachment over the years, and the effect it has on my identity and peace of mind. However, my relationship with place becomes threatened when its own identity is in danger by surrounding development and loss of small town culture.
I'm overjoyed to have found you, Yasmin! It's always a blessing to share with like minded place people, especially those who write about it! I find there's so much more activity on the topic in the UK than the US - so many wonderful publications and authors coming from there! I'm thoroughly enjoying your blog and look forward to all your updates! Thank you for doing this!
I'll take a look at your blog, Lynn. It's wonderful to be in touch - the internet makes us all feel so much closer. And I wish you lots of luck with querying. My book will need to be finished this year if I am to gain my PhD, and I will be looking for a publisher towards the Autumn. Do keep us informed of your progress, it sounds like a fascinating project.
Thank you for your kind words and I agree, home is indeed loaded with memory and meaning. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the piece you highlighted. And I appreciate the link. I follow Douglas Glover on Substack but hadn’t explored this resource before. I went down the rabbit hole… haven’t come up yet… what a treasure trove of writing!
Thank you so much for your support and kind words, Yasmin. Best of luck to you, too!
I really appreciate "going places" in this post (in spite of lockdown discussion!). Also loved the questions at the end: thinking about what pieces make me feel "at home" and also all the many many (too many??) places I have lived. I'm thinking of a photo I have of caribou crossing a river that makes me feel at home, and a few of my books. But also my coffee mugs? I don't know exactly - perhaps a our giant ceramic owl lamp that adorns every living room where we light. Rich topic! Thanks for the meditation on art and home, two of my very favorite subjects.
Thanks for your comment, it's really great to hear from readers. I'm glad this post has resonated with you, Kara. The giant ceramic owl lamp sounds fabulous. And of course, collections are a super way to gather memories. Do you have many coffee mugs and books? At least these special objects are all portable.
Too many! But each one (at least the mugs) are beloved. The books are also beloved but many are frequently found again at sales and thrift stores. I keep many of my faves, and then occasionally rebuy old favorites if I give one away and think better of it 🤷🏻♀️ I think you would approve of the owl lamp! Aw heck, I’ll do an Instagram link too :) https://www.instagram.com/p/CjK7NHoupv_/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
I hope you have plenty of space for favourite things. Thanks for sharing. I love the owl lamp!
Thank you, Yasmin!
Hi Yasmin
Yes, my connection to my home is very deep - I was born and raised here and it's where I raised my children. I still live here - and I'm planning on leaving feet first. It's a spiritual connection that has evolved over time, but began as far back as I remember. My identity is this place, and my impressions of having lived here will be forever in the ether, along with all the others who have called this farm home. I write about it in my WIP and in my blog, but I also write about other places as well, my reactions to them and the ties that I am developing to those locations. It's all deliciously evolving, all the time. It's a wonderful ride!
Thank you for a thought provoking post on the important subject of home and belonging!
Thank you for your comment, Lynn. I will never know what it’s like to live in the same place all my life. I think you must have a very special connection to home, and place, and I am glad to hear that you are sharing that through your writing. Is your WIP a creative non-fiction book? How is it coming on?
Thank you for asking, Yasmin. Yes, my WIP, A Spirit of Place, is a memoir of my time here, the development of my place attachment over the years, and the effect it has on my identity and peace of mind. However, my relationship with place becomes threatened when its own identity is in danger by surrounding development and loss of small town culture.
I've been querying, and now stopped to heavily revise and hopefully begin querying again in a couple months. You can find more about my memoir at lynnwrightkreutz.com or my blog writing about place and belonging at https://lynnwrightkreutz.com/place-reflections/.
I'm overjoyed to have found you, Yasmin! It's always a blessing to share with like minded place people, especially those who write about it! I find there's so much more activity on the topic in the UK than the US - so many wonderful publications and authors coming from there! I'm thoroughly enjoying your blog and look forward to all your updates! Thank you for doing this!
I'll take a look at your blog, Lynn. It's wonderful to be in touch - the internet makes us all feel so much closer. And I wish you lots of luck with querying. My book will need to be finished this year if I am to gain my PhD, and I will be looking for a publisher towards the Autumn. Do keep us informed of your progress, it sounds like a fascinating project.
I've posted a photograph of the Victorian washstand on Instagram if you want to take a look...
https://www.instagram.com/p/CoJsFnhrCvR/
Yasmin
Hi Tracey
Thank you for your kind words and I agree, home is indeed loaded with memory and meaning. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the piece you highlighted. And I appreciate the link. I follow Douglas Glover on Substack but hadn’t explored this resource before. I went down the rabbit hole… haven’t come up yet… what a treasure trove of writing!