Gratitude for This Home
A Photo-tour of My New House
Hello Friends,
Today I am feeling especially grateful to be alive on this numinous planet, alive and living in this valley ringed by mountain peaks and high mesas, alive and living and mostly settled into my new home with art by friends and family up on the walls, and books on the shelves.
As part of my gratitude, I’m sharing this photo-tour of where I’ve landed.
So come on in!
Things I love about this space: The floors are real wood planks, with all of the character of the trees whose flesh they were milled from. The light and the views of distant ridges from the front and back windows (over the roofs of nearby houses). The way my furniture makes a somewhat formal design look cozy.
More things I love: The big southwest-facing bank of windows gives Arabella, my Christmas cactus, direct light in the afternoon. The gas fireplace for relaxing on cold evenings—I know, I know: natural gas is a fossil fuel. But I offset that by burning much less gasoline since I walk more here and drive less.
Things I don’t love: The gloomy “griege” (gray-beige) walls throughout the house. I’m a plant-person: I need lots of light! If you look closely, you’ll spot patches of color on some of the walls showing the soft sunshine yellow and palest pinky-peach those walls will become soon.
More things I love: That sliding glass door opening onto my back porch with its view of distant ridges. The talents of my builder-friend Jerry, who removed the generic chandelier that was there, corrected a wiring issue, and installed my fixture. He also replaced the ugly kitchen faucet with my favorite high-arc style, correcting a supply-line issue as he did, and replaced the clunky industrial-modern bathroom light bars with curvilinear ones.
More things I love: A spacious kitchen area that is open to the rest of the public rooms and has a walk-in (!) pantry and cabinets with pull-out shelves.
More things I love: That “bonus” room with its bright southeast light—great for starting edible garden plants!—and window seat. The howling coyote on the window ledge is a gift from my friends Agnes and Gil in Santa Fe.
Another thing I love about the house: This sunny room with space for my books (those I’ve written and the hundreds of other books I treasure, many by friends and colleagues) and the reading nook. The columnar cactus to the right of the window is Pedro, a sacred cactus from Peru.
My favorite spot: This writing corner tucked away in my private space with a door opening onto the back porch and its view of Storm King Mountain in the distance. This quiet spot is where the writing magic happens, by which I mean both the moments of aha and joy, and the sheer grinding work of spinning the dross and angst of life into useful and—I hope!—uplifting narrative.
One more thing I love: This capacious and shaded porch with its view of Storm King and the ridges above the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.
A thing I don’t love: That lawn. It will be an interesting challenge getting around the HOA regulations to bring some native plants and healthy diversity back to this generic-model-home yard. I have ideas, of course. Stay tuned….
The New Moon and Patience
I moved as the old moon was waning, and unpacked the last box the day the new moon became visible. That feels like appropriate timing as I settle into a new place and new path in life.
A lesson: As I emptied boxes, organized, debated about placement of my beloved furniture, household goods and mementoes, and art on the walls, I reminded myself (over and over!) to be patient with the process. Which brings to mind Rumi’s words about the new moon:
A new moon teaches gradualness
and deliberation and how one gives birth
to oneself slowly. Patience with small details
makes perfect a large work, like the universe.—Jalal ad-Din Muhammad ar-Rumi
Amen!
To give birth to our true selves, to listen to our communities, to heal our country and our world takes time, and patience with both ourselves and the small details.
Wisdom to remember as we go forward, together.
Blessings, Susan
I so admire your ability to settle in with such ease and grace. I know it's hard work but you make it look easy. Welcome home! It's serene and reflects your creative soul.
Oh Susan, I LOVE not only your new home, but also your true visions and thankfulness. It is a beautiful place, phew, I HOPE this is the last move for you. Having just moved 29 years worth of treasure out of our Maine cottage, I KNOW how grueling the task of moving is.l But you've accomplished so much already and your nest is very Susan now. You'll get around that water guzzling lawn somehow, I know how tenacious you are. Now you can create! Also dear Susan, I really treasure the book you sent me, and of course your chapters are my favorites. We are sending love, love, and high hopes for everything you cherish and create.