I'm going home. I began moving back to my old home and the chutney garden on Monday. 
It's been a bittersweet renovation and we've made significant changes to the garden and the house.
Over the last 18 months, I've started an MFA, built a new garden in a rental house, and renovated our home.
I've thought a lot about the idea of space and how it affects the things that engage us. While I loved living in the rental house, I did not blog. I wrote fiction instead. Now that I am going home, the urge to blog is back. The urge to take inspiration from my environment.
I'm going home with mixed feelings. I've made very good friends where I am now and I know that I will be somewhat lonely but I am also excited to start a new garden. We put in a retaining wall, gaining a chunk of flat land that gets sun most of the day. This means that many of my old gardening patterns will change. We've also put in a pool which is, in essence, a large water feature. 
My challenge now is to keep the soft, fern-like green feel of the space even with all the renovations. It is hard though to look at the older pictures on the blog and realise that the spaces that are still so alive in my head are gone.
The picture above shows a completely different garden. It's almost all gone now.
But because of the blog, I can rebuild large areas not just by visual references but also by re-reading posts that help me revisit mental spaces. I'm going home with extra baskets, one less dog (we lost our lovely Smalta last August), one new dog (Moka the mastiff joined our pack in October) and an increased awareness and appreciation of what space does to the things we choose to write about. See you back in the garden soon.
Wednesday 14 July 2010
I'm going home
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12 comments:
Welcome home Sharon! You now have an exciting challenge on your hands. Good luck and I will keep checking in from time to time. Pity I can't send you some plants.
It looks lovely and good luck with the new garden. We also hope to move into our new house in a couple months.
Hi you two,
It's nice to be back. I'll be seeking lots of advice on sun loving plants. I feel as if I'm moving to another country.
Welcome back (home and to the blogosphere)! Exciting times...
Good to hear from you again. Tell us about your fiction writing!
Wishing you a good re-start in your "old-new" garden. I am sure it will become as beautiful as your former one...but it will be different! Life changes and garden changes... and this always is a challenge!
Good luck and greetings from a hot garden (we actually have around 34°C ),
Barbara
So glad you're back, I've missed you while you've been "away". Your blog is a soothing and enjoyable place.
Good to have you back in Blogland!
Nice to have you back. Haven't been following long but I look forward to your new journey in your new space
It is painful, but a blessing to feel and see old spaces which don't exist in real-time, still vibrant in our mental spaces. It is a comforting agony!
Wow.... it looks like its going to be an amazing space!
Congrats on coming home and good luck with the great new garden!
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