THE MOVE.
we cleaned, we packed, WE MOVED. we are safely in our new southern home. after three days, we are finding that this small town has its challenges. still, we are continuing to step forward, allowing ourselves the grace to cry a little, relax when we are beyond exhausted & eat snowcones when life is a little too difficult for healthy coping. we are thankful for this place & luke’s job regardless of the small difficulties life seems to be throwing our way.
and of course, home is not home without a raised bed.
we obviously have our priorities right. as i am sitting here, using two boxes as a “desk,” i am happy to see a raised bed outside the window. we plan to build three more this week.
what do you do to make a new place feel more like home?
heather smith jones | 8th Jun 11
Hi Natalie, Glad you guys are there safely and your raised bed looks great. I'd say your priorities are in order. 🙂 Take your time unpacking.
Yonder | 8th Jun 11
Yay!! You made it!! Y'all work fast! When I move to a new place I unpack all my things and hang up all my photos. A place really starts to feel like home once you have friends over, though. How are the people there so far?
–julie
Natalie Freeman | 8th Jun 11
julie- people are… different. but! we found a woman in her late 20s who owns an antique shop. she is one of "our kind of people" 🙂
Anonymous | 8th Jun 11
Matt Ballou said to me "home is where my wife is" – Bobby
bridgmanpottery | 8th Jun 11
putting something in the ground is certainly a start towards new being home. Getting my bedroom in order is big for me- to have a refuge. I hope you find more of "your people" soon. Is there a good farmers market around?
bright lights, big cities | 8th Jun 11
oh, I can't wait to see more photos of the new place! and don't worry, I completely understand when you say people are just 'different' haha….
You'll find your way and you're community will grow quickly!!
Also, I put things in my home that remind me of all the people i love… painting by friends, photos, and memories… as my yogi tea once said 'love what is ahead by loving what has come before'.
can't wait to hear more!
Julia | 8th Jun 11
i always set up the bed and unpack the kitchen (at least partially) right away. if you can sleep and eat, everything else will come in time. and you two are so freaking cute in your cleaning poses! xoxo
abby | 8th Jun 11
Yes, I agree – your priorities are right on 🙂 Sometimes I feel like we are kind of nutty too, with a house needing so many things and all of our spare attention is out there on the garden and yard.
I usually like to start with creating a space in the kitchen that feels like home to me. Setting some favorite items out – a few nice jars of foods I like to see, my favorite wooden utensils, a vase with a few wild things from the yard – enough to make it functional and beautiful and get me acquainted with that space we spend so much time in, and nourish ourselves from.
You will find your niche there. Our town is a little different too, but underneath the odd and sometimes crusty layer there are a lot of amazing people around.
bbphoto | 8th Jun 11
The day after we decided not to move, we built our first raised bed garden… I guess that means we'll stay… that is why I started to read Tend.
Anoma | 9th Jun 11
We made our own big move this week, too. Granted, ours was only across town. But moving is difficult. It has a way of really testing you, of pushing you towards growth whether you're ready or not.
The first thing I do to make a new home feel like "home" is unpack my favorite book collections (poetry, psychology, religion/spirituality), and set up my meditation nook.
We're dying to do raised beds too. Unfortunately, nearly every yard in Atlanta is shaded with big oak trees (gorgeous as they are!).
Sean | 9th Jun 11
Hey y'all! Great raised bed! Fabrics make me feel more at home. I take my bedside stand fabric with me, so that I can have my incense, specials shells/rocks, etc. with me, too. But, I'm sure you already know all about fabrics! 🙂
Jess | 9th Jun 11
Natalie! Oh I love you guys. Glad the move went alright – it is so hard, I know. It will get easier, eventually. And like you said, at least you've got your priorities straight.
Liz / Tangible Ingredients | 13th Jun 11
art on the walls is the first sign of home for me. that and a full pantry. sending you all sorts of goodness in your new home!