A Beginning
Okay, okay. I'm blogging, dammit. You asked for it!
Today at Hill Haven it is slightly overcast, 81 degrees (Fahrenheit, stupid) on the back step in the shade, feeling pretty cool for July in Georgia (U.S., not Russia!). You might wonder why we settled on calling our place Hill Haven. Well, you know I'm about to tell you, whether you were wondering or not. It's pretty obvious. I'll give you some hints: it's on a --- and it's our ---. Get it? Now don't you feel clever figuring that out all by yourself?
Now really. It is our own little haven, a word we found ourselves using repeatedly. Home, to me, means refuge from the world at large; my cocoon, my safe, warm nest. And so this is, completely enclosed, invisible from the road when the trees are fully leafed out, our little five-acre spot to nurture and be nurtured by. And it is on a hill, quite a steep one, actually. It's a great butt-burner just trekking down and back up to fetch the mail. We have a hawk's nest in an oak alongside our driveway partway down, and we thought about naming it Hawk Haven, or Hawk-something-or-other, but all those we could come up with were just off-the-charts on the cheese factor. Whereas Hill Haven wasn't cheesy at ALL! :)
Why even name a place? Why do people name their homes? Why did I feel this was so necessary? I'm not even sure I can explain it. Naming gives identity, and implies that the named has some value as an individual, apart from others. I experience the spirits of place, and value my connection with the land that sustains me. So, I named the place that I and my family are calling home. Hill Haven.
By the way, this little guy/gal to the left here is one of our hawk babies, still in the nest. This photo was taken in late May. There were two babies, both of whom have long since fledged now, but I just got around to editing the pictures to find out if they could even be seen (no zoom lens at the time). Both babies (now juveniles) and their Momma are still around, and occasionally come back to the nest to share lunch. There's no place like home!
posted by J.S. | 4:46 PM
2 Comments:
I so understand what you mean about home and haven......I know thats how we feel totally....great blog! Can't wait to read more....
Great article.
Naming homes. Ah! You know we've been in our custom built home for about 6 months and with the holidays upon us now feel the pressure to apply a name. Why? I guess just because! Actually our home is fairly large and it just seems odd for it to not have a name.
It could name itself, I suppose. (By the way, my mom was once in a convalescent center named Hill Haven and my dad used to own a trailer park called Hill Haven - yikes! But I do like that name.)
We have indoor gardens, outdoor gardens, indoor ponds and outdoor ponds,there are two kitchens and several guest rooms. It just seems odd to hear people say, "We're going to the Cook's house for the holidays."
So, here I am toiling over a name. How rediculous is that!? A former biker and rock musician toiling over a name for a home when there is actual work to be done. Ah, the blessings of success I suppose.
Maybe I'll be a real American and pay someone else to think of a name.
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