Home Again

Dean and I have lived in four houses together.  Three cities. Two states. All in the span of 6 years. We have accumulated one dog, one cat, and one child. The cat is enjoying an extended stay at my mom's house. He put up his paws the last time we mentioned moving.

I've been thinking a lot about how my sense of place changes my perspective on life. I haven't truly felt settled since I left my childhood home. That was twelve years ago. When I move, I never fully unpack because at this point, I know how hard moving is. How much time it takes to pack up all the boxes. To organize, pile, stack, box, tape, label and ultimately shove all your crap into cars and trucks. Drive all this stuff to a new home; a broom resting on your shoulder and your junk drawer spilled into a flimsy cardboard box on your lap.

It's enough to make me vow I will never ever move again each time we do. I also to promise to get rid of all my belongings.

I haven't stuck to either of these vows.

I'm working on it.

Each time we move, we eventually settle in enough to make it feel like home. Though we are always living with one foot out the door.

I wonder what the feeling is like to have a home that is yours.  I pine for that. You paint walls without permission, put shelves up without hesitation.  I dream of so many shelves. I wonder how much of this longing is that thing of wanting what you don't have. When I am rested and feeling hopeful, I think perhaps our uprooted lifestyle allows us to live spontaneously, be open to change, ready for anything. Though when I am tired and drained, feeling empty and exhausted, I can't help but long to dig my heels in. To live with both feet in the door.

On the other hand, I suppose as long I have access to an oven to make these graham crackers, I'll be okay.

Wild Hunger

Watershed Park. It is wild and lush. 

Brimming with native plants, I didn't see a lick of English Ivy.

Moxile Creek runs thru the park and we point whenever we see it.

The water looks so clear and pure, I'm not sure if it really is,

But it takes restraint not to stick my head in and take a big gulp.

The creek used to supply all of Olympia's water until the 1950s.

The park was to be logged and sold at this time but great opposition led to a 

Supreme Court battle ending in the parks preservation. 

The sweetest woodland flowers delicately peer from the green.

Sawyer could walk for days on the trail as long as I provide enough snacks.

He continuously signs "more more more" with great enthusiasm 

for me to offer him bites of avocado sandwich.
He wants to smell each and every flower.
"mmm.." he says even if the flowers have no scent.

I like the sign.