Oh I love this. I worked in marketing for interior design for years so also have a special place in my heart for a good home story. I never open the welcome e-mails when I subscribe (I rarely open any e-mails, honestly) so missed your question. If I'd seen it, my answer would have been as follows: I'm from Nottingham in England, which is famous for Robin Hood. I now live in the north of England by way of London, and although it's colder here I quite like it. I ended up here because I married a northern man, and you can't keep a northern soul in the south (the north and south have very different vibes.) We live in a small town which I sometimes find hard after London life, but we chose it because it's an amazing place to raise children, and we think they'll have a great childhood here. It feels like home now but I don't know if it's forever - we think it might be, as we've made lots of great friends, but never say never.
I came across Shangrilogs thanks to a note you did about your postpartum belly button, which really made me laugh, because my belly button is basically MIA now I've had three kids. I was drawn to your space from the moment I read your tag line, and find your way of life both fascinating and desirable. To wake up to such a view each day just feels enchanting to me, and I love reading about your life in the middle of nowhere. You seem like a fun yet thoughtful soul, and our parenting styles seem quite aligned, and I like you. Hi xo
Looking forward to Chosen Places. Everytime I've moved since 1979, I've thought it would be the last time. Something always changes. I moved to my present house 2 years ago. We were planning to downsize but nothing small met our needs, so we ended up in a 3 floor house - which I had thought we were to old to manage. Turns out, one way of keeping fit is climbing the stairs everyday! When we last moved, people couldn't understand why we would leave that community, move to a city where we had few contacts, start again. But starting again, while scary and uncomfortable, is also deeply reviving and creative, the opposite to being stultified. We've learned new things, met new people, joined a new book group and a Rummikub group, walked new places. I envy people who are so deeply rooted in a place that they never feel the need to change, but that's not me.
I live in west central Alberta, in the foothills of the Rockies. The actual mountains are *right there*. My little house is not perfect-- ugh vinyl siding-- but I'm happy here. There's a creek in the back yard. Trees conducive to a hammock. Deer making themselves at home. I do miss the city i spent 25 years in sometimes, but i can always visit.
Hello from just the other side of the Rockies in BC, where the deer also make themselves at home! Your creek and hammock trees sound like a lovely oasis.
I’ve thought on this since you asked recently for places we call home vs places we live. My answer always comes up person driven - perhaps that is bouncing between divorced parents houses in my youth, dodging verbal and emotional abuse, or that comfort and safety didn’t flood me until I moved over 500 miles away from every where and one I knew with my then-boyfriend. I can’t say our homes since then have felt like “home” but the people in them. My husband is home, my dog is home, my daughter is home. My joy when I wake up is that my little family is here, my dog gets the zoomies, and we have somewhere to get out and walk. The rest feels meh, I’ll make it work and find a new routine, the place only mattered the further I distanced myself from toxic people I can’t find the courage to cut out but I can put distance between. Can’t wait to read about what the hype is about! Hahha
Okay, just saying, if I walked into a spider full face on, first thing in the morning, or anytime, it could be the end of this old heart. I remember vividly, a Brownie meeting in the church basement, sixty seven years ago, where a spider descended on a string of sticky filament- right in front of my face. The meeting quickly changed from Sewing Badge to critical First Aid. I live in Northern California at the foot of Mount Diablo which has its own breed of tarantulas that do their walk abouts every October. The real estate agent neglected to share this information when we purchased. For thirty two years of Octobers, I walk about in total trepidation of what might greet me. Nope, first question if I ever move again, what critters inhabit this area? 😂
Lol, listen I love tarantulas *as an idea* but every time I'm near one, it does still feel like it's goes to kill me. I can thank the move Arachnophobia for that one.
I am retired now and have the luxury of moving to places based on the emotional impact they have on me. I am drawn to nature (luckily my spouse is as well) and old houses with history. We are in a 95 yeat old log cabin in the shadow of the Oregon Cascades. We have a similar philosophy on living with the wildlife. Ants do move by faster if you just let them go. I look forward to your new adventure.
Looking forward to reading your new series! As we travel, I, too, love looking at all of the different ways people live. And there are a LOT of different ways around the world.
Same same on travel: I like to build in extra time to see how people live, and have been fortunate to have been invited into people's homes/lives at various points. I'm also pretty susceptible to epiphanic landscape moments (there's surely a German word for that!) so also places where no one is living. Or where the living is dwarfed by the world being lived in.
Oh I love this. I worked in marketing for interior design for years so also have a special place in my heart for a good home story. I never open the welcome e-mails when I subscribe (I rarely open any e-mails, honestly) so missed your question. If I'd seen it, my answer would have been as follows: I'm from Nottingham in England, which is famous for Robin Hood. I now live in the north of England by way of London, and although it's colder here I quite like it. I ended up here because I married a northern man, and you can't keep a northern soul in the south (the north and south have very different vibes.) We live in a small town which I sometimes find hard after London life, but we chose it because it's an amazing place to raise children, and we think they'll have a great childhood here. It feels like home now but I don't know if it's forever - we think it might be, as we've made lots of great friends, but never say never.
I came across Shangrilogs thanks to a note you did about your postpartum belly button, which really made me laugh, because my belly button is basically MIA now I've had three kids. I was drawn to your space from the moment I read your tag line, and find your way of life both fascinating and desirable. To wake up to such a view each day just feels enchanting to me, and I love reading about your life in the middle of nowhere. You seem like a fun yet thoughtful soul, and our parenting styles seem quite aligned, and I like you. Hi xo
Charlotte, the feeling is mutual. Also, Nottingham! I loved Robin Hood when I was little (still do, as far as the hero's concept goes).
Looking forward to Chosen Places. Everytime I've moved since 1979, I've thought it would be the last time. Something always changes. I moved to my present house 2 years ago. We were planning to downsize but nothing small met our needs, so we ended up in a 3 floor house - which I had thought we were to old to manage. Turns out, one way of keeping fit is climbing the stairs everyday! When we last moved, people couldn't understand why we would leave that community, move to a city where we had few contacts, start again. But starting again, while scary and uncomfortable, is also deeply reviving and creative, the opposite to being stultified. We've learned new things, met new people, joined a new book group and a Rummikub group, walked new places. I envy people who are so deeply rooted in a place that they never feel the need to change, but that's not me.
Deeply reviving - I couldn't agree more.
Oh this was so uplifting to read, thank you internet stranger!
I live in west central Alberta, in the foothills of the Rockies. The actual mountains are *right there*. My little house is not perfect-- ugh vinyl siding-- but I'm happy here. There's a creek in the back yard. Trees conducive to a hammock. Deer making themselves at home. I do miss the city i spent 25 years in sometimes, but i can always visit.
Looking forward to Chosen Places!
Hello from just the other side of the Rockies in BC, where the deer also make themselves at home! Your creek and hammock trees sound like a lovely oasis.
A hammock - this is what I am missing in my life.
I’ve thought on this since you asked recently for places we call home vs places we live. My answer always comes up person driven - perhaps that is bouncing between divorced parents houses in my youth, dodging verbal and emotional abuse, or that comfort and safety didn’t flood me until I moved over 500 miles away from every where and one I knew with my then-boyfriend. I can’t say our homes since then have felt like “home” but the people in them. My husband is home, my dog is home, my daughter is home. My joy when I wake up is that my little family is here, my dog gets the zoomies, and we have somewhere to get out and walk. The rest feels meh, I’ll make it work and find a new routine, the place only mattered the further I distanced myself from toxic people I can’t find the courage to cut out but I can put distance between. Can’t wait to read about what the hype is about! Hahha
Lol, the hype. I hope it delivers! But as you well know, no home tops the home of a happy dog.
Oooh! So excited for this new series. Sense of place is always close to my heart! And moving, can't get enough of that, either 🙃 Cool idea, Kelton!
Okay, just saying, if I walked into a spider full face on, first thing in the morning, or anytime, it could be the end of this old heart. I remember vividly, a Brownie meeting in the church basement, sixty seven years ago, where a spider descended on a string of sticky filament- right in front of my face. The meeting quickly changed from Sewing Badge to critical First Aid. I live in Northern California at the foot of Mount Diablo which has its own breed of tarantulas that do their walk abouts every October. The real estate agent neglected to share this information when we purchased. For thirty two years of Octobers, I walk about in total trepidation of what might greet me. Nope, first question if I ever move again, what critters inhabit this area? 😂
Lol, listen I love tarantulas *as an idea* but every time I'm near one, it does still feel like it's goes to kill me. I can thank the move Arachnophobia for that one.
I am retired now and have the luxury of moving to places based on the emotional impact they have on me. I am drawn to nature (luckily my spouse is as well) and old houses with history. We are in a 95 yeat old log cabin in the shadow of the Oregon Cascades. We have a similar philosophy on living with the wildlife. Ants do move by faster if you just let them go. I look forward to your new adventure.
Looking forward to reading your new series! As we travel, I, too, love looking at all of the different ways people live. And there are a LOT of different ways around the world.
Reading the Puerto Vallarta piece, I was almost about to ask you guys 😂 you'll have to regale us with a different type of Chosen Place.
Deal!
Hmm ... suspecting you might like Meghan Daum's book, "Life Would Be Perfect If I Lived in That House."
And I'm glad to know a fellow spider guardian!
Adding to the queue!
Ohhhhh I’m so excited for this!!!
Yay, I'm glad the idea is resonating!
Place. This is an incredibly important conversation to be in at the moment! Mahalo for launching this series
Thank you!
I love! Very stoked for the new series.
This is going to be fun.
Same same on travel: I like to build in extra time to see how people live, and have been fortunate to have been invited into people's homes/lives at various points. I'm also pretty susceptible to epiphanic landscape moments (there's surely a German word for that!) so also places where no one is living. Or where the living is dwarfed by the world being lived in.
I am so excited to reading Chosen Places. Can’t wait for Tuesday!
Excited to see this series unfold 🏘️🏕️🏚️🏜️🏠🏝️🏡🌋🛖
Thank you for your help!