Monday 2 November 2009

HOME

A difficult weekend, spent adjusting to the idea of loosing my childhood home. Mum will be moving out on Thursday and I have been feeling pretty upset at the thought of 'home' not being there anymore. Although I moved away to university 11 years ago and have moved around the country ever since, I have never really felt 'at home' anywhere else. 'Going home' always meant the same thing.

At least thinking about all these ideas has made me realise the root of my current creative practice. A sense of place for me is also about a sense of belonging or situatedness. Feeling right in an environment is about familiarity - the right smells, light and space. I suppose being 'home' is also about hearing the garden gate creak and bang in a certain way, the smell of real tomatoes...

I came across a copy of Grandma's tea loaf recipe in her cupboard while I was staying at the weekend. She wrote me a recipe book when I was younger but I haven't been able to find it for a while so this was a great discovery. A little taste from my childhood when Mum used to make this for Sunday tea.

I also collected some plant material from Mum's garden; hydrangea petals, hawthorn leaves, tomato stalks and a few hornbeam leaves, all plants I associate with the garden. I wrapped them in some worsted wool fabric to bring back to Yorkshire as a souvenir.

I would be interested to hear what home means to other people - Where is home to you? What reminds you of home when you are away? What makes you feel 'at home'?

4 comments:

  1. I always notice how differntly peoples homes smell. I can always remember a friend from Junior school house smelling like TCP which I thought was fantastic....my Ganny's smelt like boiled cabbage or soap!
    I moved 4 years ago and only recently does the house smell like us...

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  2. Unlike you Hannah because my father was in the forces we moved every 2 or so years so houses didnt mean the same to me. My parents & especially my sister and twin brother mean "home". But Yorkshire reminds me of my nana whom we used to visit. I love old handbags, red lipstick, rose petals in jam jars and the smell of an old face powder compact - all "my nana". Now my home is my husband and daughters, but also the house "home" we live in. if I am away I miss the smell of both my daughters hair! Thinking of you. The recipe will always be great to share with family and friends.

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  3. each journey is simply a long loop to home
    but
    when i'm away i travel with a teabowl, tiny teapot
    and
    my travel blanket
    so
    with a bunch of windfall flowers
    anywhere can be made homelike
    if need be

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think the idea of creating a 'home from home' is an interesting one, and perhaps something to explore in more depth.

    ReplyDelete

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