When we were planning on returning to Wisconsin, we found out that a doctor was selling his practice and his home. I called him that night and after ½ hour of discussion, I made him an offer at his full asking price. I knew this house very well because when I was growing up, my best girlfriend’s family designed and built it. It was built with the Frank Lloyd Wright vibe. There were large windows, vaulted ceilings, and unique features like a second-floor living room, a large backyard with gardens, and an inground swimming pool. Continue reading
The House That Could Have Been
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When asked what my dream house would be, there is 1 thing that comes to mind… It would be to have a family commune. I envision it similar to how we used to go camping. Each family unit has their own private area, but there is also a common area where we would gather for meals and general activity.
I taught First Grade…forever. One of the favorite ways to kick off the school year was with a week of color experiences. On “orange day” I would always read “The Big Orange Splot” by Daniel Pinkwater. In it, Mr. Plumbean has a house and yard that don’t blend in on his “neat street”. Day by day, neighbors come to his house and leave to create their own dream house. Following the reading, we would talk about all the things we would include in the house of OUR dreams. 6-year-olds included lots of slides, pools, TVs, and game rooms. 
Then, we moved, and guess what? I now live in a house with mature maple and birch trees. This translates into a yard with almost no sun. Can you say…gardening challenge? As noted before I was used to lots of sunlight and could grow almost all sun-loving plants. 
I am more myself in my garden than anywhere else. Its the place I feel most grounded. It is my happy place, my church.
Everyone has decided to write about gardening. What do I have to write about gardening? I hate gardening!! Mom always tells me that as a kid, I loved to garden. No – I loved to plant a few flowers for her. That is what I liked to do. I don’t like the weeding, the soil preparation, the watering. Ugh. It’s a never-ending job!! Now, granted – I DO love the end result when someone else does it for me. (aka Mom – “Thanks Mom!!”)
I was never much of a gardener. As a kid, I usually got stuck out in Mom’s garden in the prickly raspberries picking berries or weeding between the brick walk in the back yard. To me gardening was hard work and no fun.
