11/8/08

The Place I Live


I've been thinking this week about the place I live. It's a place I don't necessarily want to be in, and it has a lot of drawbacks (terrible weather, way too crowded), but there are also a lot of positives that I am able to enjoy here that I wouldn't elsewhere. For me, these mostly have to do with arts and crafts. Last week, I spent 10 hours with my husband's aunt at one of the largest quilt festivals in the world. Amazing! Yesterday, I spent several hours at a large bead show and found some lovely purchases at much more affordable prices than in stores. I've been able to take iconography classes from a Greek-trained iconographer, been spoiled by frequent visits to our world-class art museums, taken book binding classes, enrolled in writing workshops with excellent, published writers, seen several other authors and writers speak. Of course, there's also a wide variety of restaurants, our super-beautiful Orthodox church and congregation, and a friendly neighborhood. So even though I might not choose to be here if given the choice, I appreciate the gifts that come with living here and try to remember to be open to them and to what God has brought my way.
++What do you like about where you live?
++By the way, it's nice to be back! I've missed all of you.
++ps - I hope to do a few giveaways in the upcoming month, perhaps even using some of those lovely beads, so check back!

13 comments:

Seth said...

Beautiful photographs...and a very balanced way of looking at where you live!

donna said...

Hi there...thanks for visiting my blog. I love your pics. I am drawn to macro photography too but I have vowed to try and improve my portrait and landscape photography. Thinking about where I live.....I just love living in the Pacific NW but there are things that I miss about my native Australia. I embrace your philosophy though of being in the moment and having gratitude for all the wonderful things about where I am

Cindy said...

As always, I enjoy your photos. I shared some more of Caitlin's photos at my blog.

I like living in a small town, in a rural area. There are bigger towns/cities near by so I have access to what they offer, but I get to come home to a quiet, safer place. It's not my dream location but I appreciate what it has to offer.

walter and me said...

Hello! Thanks for my blog birthday wishes. And great to see you finding things to appreciate about where you are living. There are always positives, but sometimes we dopn't see them!

For me, I love living by the sea...
D x

Shawna said...

This is a good post for me to consider. Everywhere I live, I'm always missing somewhere else. Right now I miss the free museums in DC to spend rainy days, but here I have the yummy scent of pine. I loved our surprisingly colorful fall here, driving along the lake to get to work each day, having beautiful mountains in every direction. And of course the things I don't take advantage of as much as I should, like going into the city and the hiking trails in every direction. :O)

Anonymous said...

Great attitude...every place has its drawbacks! I love our weather but miss out on real fall. Its always something, isn't it?

elizabeth said...

nothing is super simple hey?

i love the convience of a city but it is sad that i do not get to see much real nature any more...

though i should get out and walk in the beautiful places more often...

Martha said...

I have been in places where I felt lost...wanted to be elsewhere, but where ever you make it...it's your HOME and there's no place like it!

ELK said...

well yes the weather at times is terrible where I live but at times it is beautiful...very crowded but quiet and calm at home and in my yard ....
i have missed you and am glad you are back are your visitors gone?

earthmama said...

your photos are gorgeous and oh so unique. great eye. what a pleasure!

earthmama

Wayfaring Wanderer said...

Being from Florida, I never really experienced a true changing of the seasons.....I would say SEASONS are my favorite part of living in the mountains.

Mimi said...

I also love living in the PNW - the weather, the people, and the greenness are probably my favorite parts.

Monica said...

Awesome photos!

About the place where I live, I like that my sister and her family are close by. I like the fall and spring when the weather is perfect for being outside. I like the little bulbs that pop up in the Spring, planted by the previous residents.

By the way, I'll link you on the list of Orthodox Mothers on my blog unless you rather I didn't.