Journeying with you through your adult memories of childhood had me wanting to do the same. And the reminder of the importance of creative community. So important. 🤗💖
Glad to hear that your travels home was filled with so many wonderful memories and inspiring for you.
I love the sentiment of growing with each other through art and collorabation along with the idea of taking a painting class to be creative for yourself. That's how we grow as artists, friends and people.
I remember stopping by my old childhood home and so much had changed. It was smaller than i remember but the memories were larger.
You can go home again, it's just seeing it with adult eyes as opposed to childhood eyes which is surprising.
I went to college as a non-traditional student twelve years after I graduated high school. I had to return to my high school to sort out some things with my transcript. I don't know what prompted me to look around the place when I was done; it wasn't a fun place for me. It was still summer and the place was empty. I was surprised by how small it seemed. This monstrous, Grendel like place that consumed the last four years of my childhood was no more than a yappy Chihuahua.
Going back can be great and sad. My mother used to have a farm in Indiana, and the new owners painted the red barn black—ugly black, not even a cool-looking, let's get goth look. (side note: do you still play WOW or that one game where you played you - yeah, I watched that episode on Sundry).
Yeah, the memory-lane thing is an interesting thing to do. Went back to my 'growing-up' town in Western Australia... The old school is there but suffering from shrinkage as most places from childhood seem to do. The swamp is gone - used to have all sorts of wildlife which the kids used to bring into class. We had a menagerie all along one wall. And all sorts of 'finds' in flora and fauna. It's a golf course now. And the classrooms are just... classrooms. No kids collectables. Sad. That was one of my fondest experiences of childhood. It probably helped that our teacher, Mr Robinson, was an amateur naturalist and fostered all this wildlife interest. And it's something that I will always keep in mind when councils are striving for 'improvements' - that golf course destroyed a superb habitat and an educational experience for the kids. So it goes...
So glad you got back "home" for a visit. I've been to Huntsville, AL a few times. I have family that lives there that moved down from the Detroit area (where I still am) for a job at NASA (going way back to the very early days of NASA). My uncle worked at the Marshall Space Flight Center and as a kid in the 1960's there was no place more exciting for me to visit.
Also… your post - I’ve driven past the 2 houses in my childhood and I had a similar experience. My house (from birth to 9yo) wasn’t quite as big and there were definite changes, but the HUGE trees along the backyard border were still there. My grandmothers house is also a lot smaller but I visited there until her death when I was 18 (which is 31 yrs ago now). So much is the same & expected & so much was different all at the same time. I’d like to buy back my childhood home one day.
AND that art space!!! I love those places. It was always my dream to start one but just never had the money… There was a place like this up in Chicago (where I live near now and used to live in the city). It was near the 6 corners (aka The Mouth of Hell - North/Milwaukee/Damen intersection). I want to say it was in the Flat Iron building right there but I don’t think it’s that sort of rental art space anymore. I do wish there were more places like that and I’m happy to see there’s at least one out there.
I just wanted to say THANK YOU for being a positive force in the world. I don’t follow many ppl on substack and I mostly avoid social media (twitter & FB, etc) BUT the feed on here is depressing & irritating (thanks to politics & crappy world crap)….
But as I scroll… there you are! That smile I was super happy to see and engage in your post. It truly brightened my long day. Again - thank you.
I haven’t checked the lineup in some time for the next Chicago SPN meetup but if your name is still there, I hope I get a chance to say hi! I like to support positive people and positive things. We need that so much more than the crappy crap in the world. 🫠
I can’t believe it! I just stumbled upon your “stack” and was immediately like “CHARLIE!!!!!” I remember watching Supernatural and you were my all time favorite character. I bawled my eyes out and was SO furious when they killed your character off. I’m so glad I found your page. 💖💖💖
Aww, I'm so glad you came back to Huntsville and liked it! My family moved here in 2007 and I absolutely love Huntsville... everywhere is so pretty and pleasant, it's like a little video game. I hope the con treated you really well! Next time you're in town you HAVE to eat at Domaine South, it's the best.
First, HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY! I’m sure if you had knocked they would have let you look around. We had a lady come to our home and asked if she could go out back and take a picture of the barn because her grandparents were married there. We were very happy to grant her wish. Sorry about your poison ivy!
Big cyber hugs for the itching. Yes on the internet I can be a hugger. I ran into something that gave me a rash too this week while helping on the family farm. I think mine was poison oak or sumac. The rash wasn't on my arms and then it was there and spreading. Benedryl Extra Strength Itch Stopping Gel dried whatever it was up in hours. (No I am not getting any money for saying this-- I used it and it really helped.) It's lovely to hear you are going places and seeing things that spark your creativity. May everything keep heading up.
P.S. Before you plant blackberries...you might want to look into the briarless varieties. Blackberries will take over if not pruned regularly. I know, my family battles native blackberries (the ones with thorns) every year in the plant's quest to take over any other berries growing in their territory.
I love the nostalgia tour! I've lived in the same county my whole life, so I don't have the same experience as you, and I kinda wish I could. I drive past my childhood home on my way to work daily, and my cousin bought my grandparents' home, so.....anyway, I loved seeing you experience this.
Journeying with you through your adult memories of childhood had me wanting to do the same. And the reminder of the importance of creative community. So important. 🤗💖
Glad to hear that your travels home was filled with so many wonderful memories and inspiring for you.
I love the sentiment of growing with each other through art and collorabation along with the idea of taking a painting class to be creative for yourself. That's how we grow as artists, friends and people.
I remember stopping by my old childhood home and so much had changed. It was smaller than i remember but the memories were larger.
You can go home again, it's just seeing it with adult eyes as opposed to childhood eyes which is surprising.
I went to college as a non-traditional student twelve years after I graduated high school. I had to return to my high school to sort out some things with my transcript. I don't know what prompted me to look around the place when I was done; it wasn't a fun place for me. It was still summer and the place was empty. I was surprised by how small it seemed. This monstrous, Grendel like place that consumed the last four years of my childhood was no more than a yappy Chihuahua.
Going back can be great and sad. My mother used to have a farm in Indiana, and the new owners painted the red barn black—ugly black, not even a cool-looking, let's get goth look. (side note: do you still play WOW or that one game where you played you - yeah, I watched that episode on Sundry).
Yeah, the memory-lane thing is an interesting thing to do. Went back to my 'growing-up' town in Western Australia... The old school is there but suffering from shrinkage as most places from childhood seem to do. The swamp is gone - used to have all sorts of wildlife which the kids used to bring into class. We had a menagerie all along one wall. And all sorts of 'finds' in flora and fauna. It's a golf course now. And the classrooms are just... classrooms. No kids collectables. Sad. That was one of my fondest experiences of childhood. It probably helped that our teacher, Mr Robinson, was an amateur naturalist and fostered all this wildlife interest. And it's something that I will always keep in mind when councils are striving for 'improvements' - that golf course destroyed a superb habitat and an educational experience for the kids. So it goes...
So glad you got back "home" for a visit. I've been to Huntsville, AL a few times. I have family that lives there that moved down from the Detroit area (where I still am) for a job at NASA (going way back to the very early days of NASA). My uncle worked at the Marshall Space Flight Center and as a kid in the 1960's there was no place more exciting for me to visit.
Also… your post - I’ve driven past the 2 houses in my childhood and I had a similar experience. My house (from birth to 9yo) wasn’t quite as big and there were definite changes, but the HUGE trees along the backyard border were still there. My grandmothers house is also a lot smaller but I visited there until her death when I was 18 (which is 31 yrs ago now). So much is the same & expected & so much was different all at the same time. I’d like to buy back my childhood home one day.
AND that art space!!! I love those places. It was always my dream to start one but just never had the money… There was a place like this up in Chicago (where I live near now and used to live in the city). It was near the 6 corners (aka The Mouth of Hell - North/Milwaukee/Damen intersection). I want to say it was in the Flat Iron building right there but I don’t think it’s that sort of rental art space anymore. I do wish there were more places like that and I’m happy to see there’s at least one out there.
What a great trip! Thank you for sharing.
I just wanted to say THANK YOU for being a positive force in the world. I don’t follow many ppl on substack and I mostly avoid social media (twitter & FB, etc) BUT the feed on here is depressing & irritating (thanks to politics & crappy world crap)….
But as I scroll… there you are! That smile I was super happy to see and engage in your post. It truly brightened my long day. Again - thank you.
I haven’t checked the lineup in some time for the next Chicago SPN meetup but if your name is still there, I hope I get a chance to say hi! I like to support positive people and positive things. We need that so much more than the crappy crap in the world. 🫠
Lovely. Glad to find your writing. ✨
I can’t believe it! I just stumbled upon your “stack” and was immediately like “CHARLIE!!!!!” I remember watching Supernatural and you were my all time favorite character. I bawled my eyes out and was SO furious when they killed your character off. I’m so glad I found your page. 💖💖💖
Aww, I'm so glad you came back to Huntsville and liked it! My family moved here in 2007 and I absolutely love Huntsville... everywhere is so pretty and pleasant, it's like a little video game. I hope the con treated you really well! Next time you're in town you HAVE to eat at Domaine South, it's the best.
Keep fighting for our roads! They were pedestrians' before there were cars!
Your daughter will have memories of organized playing cards and one-on-one with Mommy and her games. Not the same memories as you, but just as good.
First, HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY! I’m sure if you had knocked they would have let you look around. We had a lady come to our home and asked if she could go out back and take a picture of the barn because her grandparents were married there. We were very happy to grant her wish. Sorry about your poison ivy!
Big cyber hugs for the itching. Yes on the internet I can be a hugger. I ran into something that gave me a rash too this week while helping on the family farm. I think mine was poison oak or sumac. The rash wasn't on my arms and then it was there and spreading. Benedryl Extra Strength Itch Stopping Gel dried whatever it was up in hours. (No I am not getting any money for saying this-- I used it and it really helped.) It's lovely to hear you are going places and seeing things that spark your creativity. May everything keep heading up.
P.S. Before you plant blackberries...you might want to look into the briarless varieties. Blackberries will take over if not pruned regularly. I know, my family battles native blackberries (the ones with thorns) every year in the plant's quest to take over any other berries growing in their territory.
I love the nostalgia tour! I've lived in the same county my whole life, so I don't have the same experience as you, and I kinda wish I could. I drive past my childhood home on my way to work daily, and my cousin bought my grandparents' home, so.....anyway, I loved seeing you experience this.