Monday, March 28, 2016

Creating a home

"Now my aim is clear: I must show that the house is one of the greatest powers of integration for the thoughts, memories, and dreams of mankind...It therefore makes sense from our point of view to say that we 'write a room' or 'read a house.'" Gaston Bachelard, The Poetics of Space

For many people the making of a home is the major creation of their lives. It's often a joint enterprise. A most endearing sight is a run-down house with pots of geraniums in the windows and an afghan-covered couch welcoming you on the front porch. Equally as endearing are homemade curtains, a quilt, a braided rug. I made curtains for my bathroom. I don't fool myself into thinking that they are haut couture--one side is noticeably longer than the other. Over the years patient mentors have taught me to knit, sew, embroider. I do all of these clumsily, but the results give me great satisfaction.

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