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While I take my time uploading photos of the trip to the South of France (clearly I’m still operating on vacation time), I was (perhaps because I’ve been questioning what it is I really want– a dangerous question!), thinking about what home is to me. (obviously a topic on my mind)

Home, in its ultimate sense, is in the center of me and yet paradoxically much bigger than me, but I think what I mean here is the home one builds for oneself throughout life. The center that expands as we come across new desires, “additions” if you will, and that we continue to remodel and redesign as we zoom around discovering new adventures and ways of being.

Lately, perhaps because I’ve been living in those “uptown” city apartments for so many years, I find myself really craving the manifestation of home… the home that I knew growing up with a yard and a garden and a dog and a view and a kitchen guests are welcome in and a deck that invites friends to stay in their pajamas while laughing and visiting in the sunshine well past the morning hours.  Home.

A friend of mine and I actually have a code word for this:  Both of us grew up in a small mountain community and both of us are living that city girl life.  Whenever stress levels reach the point of ridiculousness, we say to each other “Elmo!” (If you’ve ever seen the show “Men in trees”– that’s where this is from.)  To us, Elmo! is that word that means, get me back home to real life!!

So, while I’m not quite pulling the Elmo! card here (how could I?  I still have vacation glow), I am saying that vacation has given me a time to think and breathe…

And for those of you who know me… this can lead to many things. (She says with a devious smile.)  :)

Tree House

Tree House from http://snugglemuffin.vox.com/

I traveled, I explored, I took pictures (coming soon!), I ate delicious food, I swam in the Mediterranean, I got lost in Monaco, I ate gelato and went on walks at dusk along the shore, I listened to little French children singing little French songs, I sipped wine from Provence, wandered through a medieval village, laid in the warm riviera sunshine, read books, drank delicious coffee, I let a bikini and sundresses be my official ensemble, I breathed in life.

But the best part?  Returning Home to the Hometown.

Home to coffee in the morning on mom’s deck surrounded by grape-leaves, BBQ at dad’s, s’mores by a campfire with a friend.

As much as I love adventures, I love coming home from them even more.

Grape-leaves surround the deck at Mom's house

Lake-side, pre-wedding festivities

How can you not feel love for a manifesto like this:

manifesto-2

And my mom would LOVE to hear this bit– one of their services is to create MoodBoards which are basically collages specific to you space with suggested design tips, colors, textures, etc.   (My mom’s been making MoodBoards for years…perhaps I can persuade her to post one!!)

Here is one of Kelly + Olive’s MoodBoards:

our work

This makes me want to design something, paint a wall, recover a chair… of course I don’t think the executive apartment folks in NYC would like that much.  *Sigh*

For now I will live vicariously through Kelly + Olive.

meet kelly + olive

Flickr Photos

Harley Ride to Bass Lake 2010 on Vimeo by Nicole Cook

Me & Mom Luxuriating at Tenaya Lodge

Father's Day Harley Ride 2010 on Vimeo by Nicole Cook

Sabs and all 7x7 SF desserts to "try before you die"

Me & Rain

Isle Of Skye

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