Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Once you leave home, it's never the same when going back...

Welcome to Susan's "Outdoor Wednesday"~
Please be sure to visit all the other participants today by visiting "A Southern Daydreamer"

This week I'm sharing a familiar visit that most of us have encountered at one time or another, visiting an old home we've owned when we're back in town.

As I drove through Harrisburg, NC about 10 days ago, I couldn't resist driving by the former homestead that was our first when moving south from PA. Camera in hand, I snapped a few from the curbside...even on a rainy day it still looked grand. Of course everything (the trees we'd planted) seemed so huge. The Deodora Evergreen tree to the left of the house foundation was planted only nine years ago, and it now is higher than the home. I still remember standing there and getting my picture taken with it and sending to my Beloved to show him. (he was working in AZ at the time on business). The yellow Forsythia on the back side of the home blooming was planted from a root of my mothers from the home I was raised in from PA.

This is the house from the front curbside., I never thought of painting the door blue when I owned the home...isn't it lovely? The Inkberry Hollys planted in front of the bay window were purchased from the local grocers at the time for only $2 each., they look so pretty and delicate, exactly why I wanted them there. The flower beds were all created by my Beloved and myself...and we miss seeing the perennials blooming.
This is the right side and rear view of the home. Here is a red birch tree that we planted, it's in the forefront of this pic. I still remember the day when I seen my husband standing by the tree feeling all smug because he'd pruned the two large suckers that had grown up on the side of the tree. I dropped my head and said, Honey...those weren't suckers, they were part of the Birch tree...Birches are supposed to have three trunks... We both laughed...and the tree grew big and strong despite him cutting two thirds of it away. ;) The trees we planted in the rear have blossomed since we left. What great memories of all the hard work, sweat, and sometimes tears when we'd work all day in the gardens.
In the rear of the home was a small hill that backed up to the main entrance. In the summer it's all nice and green. We were given three Mimosa tree shoots from my brother in law and planted them on the top of this hill. These are the naked Mimosa's that will soon be getting their leaves. Everyone said we'd regret planting them because their messy, but we loved them mess and all. A Mimosa tree in bloom is so gorgeous to me and the tree really lends itself to such an exotic feel in a garden. On the other side of the bank it was completely covered with ground covering shrubs.
Thanks for allowing me to share my memories of our old home with you. It's never the same when we go back, but it's nice to reminisce and remember the joys our family shared there together.
Those memories never die...
~CC Catherine

34 comments:

Karen at Nittany Inspirations said...

It's nice that the current homeowners have kept the house up. I have driven by my house in State College only to see that the shrubs have not been trimmed. Everything seem overgrown. Then in my house in DuBois, they cut down the shrubs I planted.

Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer said...

Happy Outdoor Wednesday Catherine! Your "Old" home looks great! I am sure you had mixed feelings seeing it again! Thanks for sharing your photos.~ Susan

Happy To Be/ Gl♥ria said...

Dear CC girl you had a beautiful home...I just did the same thing 2 years ago just had to see what my first home looked like now...and I didn't remember the yard being so small..but then my yard now is 11 acres ha ha...hugs and smiles Gl♥ria

Martha said...

Your old home looks great -- and it is nice to drive past a former home and seeing how much what you have planted has grown!

Sue said...

Thanks for sharing your memory today sometimes it is good to go back and remember. The home has certainly been taken care of. That must make you feel good.
Blessings,
Sue

Kathy's Red Door Welcome said...

It's funny how a house can leave an imprint on your heart. I've taken many such walks down memory lane revisiting apartments that I lived in with my mother and sister while growing up. There's always a fresh memory waiting for me. Thanks for sharing.

Linda C said...

I enjoyed seeing your former home. It is well kept and beautiful still:)

We built a home in our town back in 1978, moved away, and the 7 yrs. later, moved back to town. I like to go drive by and "check up" on it")

The former owners who bought it from us did some weird planting of pine trees on the side yard- I think to avoid mowing...still trying to figure that out.

Anyway you brought back memories for me:)

Linda C

Anonymous said...

Ahh, What a fun trip down memory lane. I love to drive by our old homesteads! Happy O.W. to you!!

Kathy said...

When you leave a house I think part of you stays with it. It must have been fun to see your trees. I get so attached to things like that! The house is pretty and I'm sure you had mixed emotions seeing it again, but then you had a lovely home and family to go home to!
xo...Kathy

Lynda said...

Such a lovely house!! I'm sure it warms your heart that someone takes such pride in your old home.

Connie said...

I hear ya, chickee! When we go back to California to visit the kids I don't go by our old home. Never have and never will. Just want to remember it as we left it. You cannot go home again; you are right.....
xoxo,
Connie

Bargain Decorating with Laurie said...

It is such a pretty home. How nice to see that your plantings have thrived. laurie

Anonymous said...

This was such a sweet post. I'm sure you were grateful that so many of the things you had planted were still there to spark your wonderful memories.

Kathy b

Melissa Miller said...

Hi Caherine,
That is so neat you got
to visit your last home.

It is really pretty and looks like the new owners are showing it some love.
Gorgeous trees surrounding it!

~Happy OW! ~Melissa :)

xinex said...

Oh I bet you miss that home. It's gorgeous!...Christine

Petunia said...

Houses become a member of the family. I miss the house I grew up in SO much! We all do. It's hard to go back and see what others have done and how everything changes.

Fifi Flowers said...

Memories are lovely... but nothing is ever the same... sigh!

Anonymous said...

I bet when you arrived, a surge of lovely, sweet memories came rushing through you mind. Was it a bittersweet moment? The new homeowners surely appreciate you planting those trees. They've grown beautifully.

Happy Outdoor Wednesday!

Kathy said...

You had a very pretty home Catherine and the new owners must love it too. Happy Outdoor Wednesday, Kathy.

Faye said...

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Joyce said...

We have moved so many times. My husband says that we sadly never see any of our trees grow. I was able to visit one home and it was like visiting an old friend. Glad you were able to view the fruits of your labor and enjoy the memories. Thanks for being my first poster on my new blog. So sweet of you and the Ga luncheon ladies to encourage me to blog.
Joyce

Terri Steffes said...

The house does look awesome. I have a post on my blog about Outdoor Wednesday but since I am private, now, I didn't add a link. Come on over! Did you get my invite to read my blog? If not, email me at steffes3@embarqmail.com and I will resend it!

Lois Christensen said...

Beautiful!! How nice to go back and visit an old house. I've done that, but have never been pleased with what I've seen!!! One house has completely changed and not kept up to the way we worked so hard on it. But your old house is beautiful!!! Great pictures!!

Chandy said...

What a beautiful home you had, I'm sure the love and care you bestowed upon that house will be visible again in your current home...

Maryrose said...

What a beautiful house and how fun to remember the good times you had there. I love mimosas too. Everyone says they are messy but I agree, they are worth the mess. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
Maryrose

Alisa Lucas-Brown said...

Hi CC!
Oh, your post brings back so many memories. I do the same thing. Everytime I go through a city where I've lived, I always drive by our old house. You are right, it's never the same but it's great to remember the good times spent with family and friends. Hope you are doing well. Next time you come this way, let me know!
Warmly,
Alisa in NC

Jadehollow said...

Thank you CC for taking us along with you on your visit to your previous home. It is a beautiful home and it seems the new owners are taking very well care of it.
Thanks again for sharing.
Debbie

Karen said...

Good morning. I always thought I would enjoy going back and driving by our old home. But when I drive by (It's only 20 mins away and I can pass it on my way to work), I get sad. Not to toot my own horn, but when we lived there, it was a "home". Now it is just a house. No spring flowers, nothing on the front porch or wreaths on the doors. No Christmas lights or any kind of decorations during the Holidays.
But! I have to give them credit. They are 2 Doctors, both practicing. And they had QUADRULPLETS! The kids were almost 2 when we sold it to them 5 years ago. But . . . honestly? I cannot even fathom having 4 kids in that house. I shudder to even imagine.
So anyway I don't drive by any more. I remember it the way we had it, and now focus on the home we are in.
So you are right. You can't go back, it'll never be the same.
HUGS!

Bo said...

Hi CC...Your former home still shows pride of ownership & that's a good thing! We went back to see one of our former homes and were appalled at what the owners had done with all of our landscaping...basically tore it all out and put in gravel...gag!
;- Bo

The Raggedy Girl said...

The house and yard is lovely.

Roberta Anne

Anonymous said...

The new owners must have been delighted to move into such a lovely home with all of the work done. You did a beautiful job on it. I drove by our old home a month ago and just felt nostalgic. Nothing was changed it was as if I had just stepped away for a minute. Now I am 1200 miles away from it. I had mixed feelings really I guess, to look at the plants and trees and remember the stories behind each one.

Light and Voices said...

You must have had mixed feelings visiting the house you once lived in. At least the new owners are taking care of the place.
Joyce

Anonymous said...

Guess what's playing..."oh but your lovely" gee thanks CC. I know you were playing it just for me. Although if you would see me right now you would be singing something different LOL
Lovely home CC
Randy and I always drive by our old houses in Vancouver when were there...Why do they change things? Don't they know we had such great taste then? Ahhhh la vie!
Happy OW my friend.
Love Claudie again
xoxox

Anonymous said...

CC, your home is so lovely and it is so nice the present owners have taken such good care of it. We once went by a home we owned and loved. The present owners pulled out every shrub, did not replant and painted the used brick PEACH. Yikes I almost cried. It cured me from re-visiting any other house we owned and we moved many times because of my hubby's job. All in the same state.

Hugs...Jeanne