The Spirit Of A Home

Well, good morning to everyone. I hope you had a good weekend.  Not so good for me.  I don't know what is going on with me, all I can say is I am "out of kilter".  Something is just not right with me.  I had a migraine on Friday so that really put me "out of kilter".  Migraines are horrible.  If you have never had one be grateful.

 But that isn't what I want to talk about today.  

I like to take picture of old house.  Houses that are well taken care of.

Houses that have some character. . . Houses that are Homes.

Now remember there is a big difference in Houses and Homes.

As the poem goes,

"It takes a heap of livin to make a house a home."

I have found this to be true.

This is my childhood home.

My Aunt Diane lives in the home now.  But originally it belonged to my Grandma Dot.  My Grandma was a young widow. My Grandpa died of strep throat.  Long before we had antibiotics. They were living in Washington state at the time.  It was in 1930.  My Grandma was left with three young children and was expecting my Aunt Diane.  After my Grandpa died my Grandma returned back to Utah to be near family.  Her parents my Great-Grandparents were living in our families home town of Payson, Utah.  Basicly my Grandma was homeless. . .she lived with my Great-Grandparents for awhile until my Aunt was born.  Now remember this is 1938.  Not much opportunities existed for young widows. . especially in rural Utah.  They family knew they needed to get a place for my Grandma to live and raise her family.  So in the Old Mormon Family way, everyone worked together to build this home for my Grandma.  

My Great Grandparents Home.

Not long after my Grandma's home was completed the family helped build this home.  My Great-Grandparent home.  Soon after my Great-Uncle build his home on the other side of my Grandma.  

It was in these secure surroundings that I grew and matured.  Many of life lessons was taught to me in the confines of these homes.  Under the care and love my my Grandma, and my Great-grandparents, Aunt, Uncles and Cousins I learned life lessons.  Lessons that would carry me through the storms of my life.  Lessons that would help me see sunshine, when I was surrounded by darkness. In these homes I was taught strong Christian values, and standards.  Under the nurturing care of my Grandma, I learned how to face challenges with faith that I can be happy and at peace.  

Yes, it does take a "heap of livin" to make a house a home.  And it is the lessons we were taught in the home that we will carry forever in our hearts.  I believe that houses have a spirits. . .yes, Spirits.  The spirit of the home is created by the people who live there.  These houses I have shown you here have GOOD spirits.  You can feel it the minute you step in the door.  Housekeeping is just keeping a place. . .but Homemaking is making that place a home. A Home  with a Good spirit.  Maybe that is what has happened to our society today, there is not enough Homemaking.  It is just streets and cities with houses and not enough homes with Good spirits.  

My Home

It could be that if we all tried to bring back the Home in Homemaking, and thought less of the House we could change the world to a more nurturing and loving place.  Now by all means a Home should look nice and clean, for a good spirit can not reside in a messy cluttered house.  I truly believe the tide must change and more time and thought and action needs to be placed in the Home. 

Summer Time and I am Returning

Hello my friends!  Well, we are mid way through summer and I am finally returning to my blog.  I just needed a little break. . .I hope you understand, and I thank you for sticking with me during my absence.

During my break from blogging I was busy doing things I love to do, and learning new things to add to my creating spirit.  And of course there is always the day to day things that need to be done.  Summer brings an added joy . . . Something I love to do. . . . . Gardening. 

I have just a small little back yard.  Really is is the size of a postage stamp.  It seems to be just enough for me to take care of.  When I first moved into my condo, the little backyard was a mess. . really!  weeds, and hard rocky soil.  A nice little patio, but who wants to sit on a patio when the surroundings is a dry weeded patch of rocky dirt?

So with the help of my children and my grandchildren. . and a few good friends my little dry rocky yard is turning into a nice little paradise for me.  Oh, believe we there is still work to do, but I just do a little at a time and it is gradually turning into a space I love and enjoy.  

The flowers have grown since this picture was taken. . . I am amazed at how well shrubs and flowers can do when you water and fertilize and give them tender care.  Like I said it is a work in progress, a little at a time and soon it will be where I want it to be.  

I don't have to worry about the front of my condo or the surrounding grounds.  It is all taken care of my a lawn care service.  It is nice to not have to worry about mowing and taking care of the shrubs and trees.  For me living in a condo is a perfect fit.  I really love where I live too.  I have good neighbors close by, and I am centrally located in my community.  I like having the end unit. . . call me crazy but I like to hear the sound of cars passing on the road.  It assures me I am not alone.  I guess it is something with me being afraid of aloneness. It is not even a "word", but believe me it is a feeling.  It is different from loneliness.  It is hard to describe, and the only way I can put it is being alone for so long. . . you have the feeling even when you are with others and enjoying your time. . .the aloneness become part of who you are. ALONE.

I try to stay busy as a bee as much as I can.  I have so much to be thankful for.  I also have so much to do.

There is always a project or two going on at my house.  

You may wonder why I took a break from blogging. Well, I was a little tired of it.  Sometimes blogging made me feel I wasn't good enough. . .I wasn't content with who I was, and the things I do.  I read some fantastic blogs, very creative and beautiful.  But seldom did I read about the person behind the blog.  I don't expect people to bear their souls on social media, but it is nice to know that not everything is wonderful and beautiful all the time.  This is life, and life can be very hard at times.  In fact most of the time.  Not always do our homes look picture perfect, and not everyone has the money and the resources to have glamorous homes and yards, and cars and children. . . . .and blogs. So I had to decide what direction I wanted to take my blog.  I don't have nor never have had a glamorous life. . picture perfect is not me.  I consider myself a good person trying and trying every day to better myself in some way.  Some days it works and some days it doesn't but I keep trying.  So. . .I am taking Karie's Chic Creations in a little different direction.  I am going to be real. .. .I want to talk. . . I want to tell you my feelings and I want to write of my frustrations, and my hurts, and my faults. . .but I also want to talk about the good things in my life.  The things that make me happy and the things that help me get through each day. You will still see the things I am creating, and you will still see my home, but there will be a new look to Karie's Chic Creations.  It will be more about creating a life. . .I hope you will join me as I change the focus here . . .It will be an interesting journey.

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