It’s funny the way that your childhood home shapes the way that you perceive that concept for the rest of your life. My childhood home was nestled in the hills, a peaceful getaway from the busy-ness of school and activities. It was the perfect place to grow up.
Time marches on, however, and my parents are moving out of this house after 15 years of living there. I am sure that this new season will be as fruitful as the last, but it will be different. When I think about all the friends we hosted there, all the moments we spent together planning and decorating, the way the garden has flourished over more than a decade of careful cultivation– I am filled with immense gratitude.
It’s a little scary to let this house go, even if it was not my own to begin with. I may never live in a place quite like it again, and in a way, there’s a loss. But what I do have are memories, and those memories come flooding back whenever those reminders come across my path. I’ll be holding on to those reminders– and the people that make it so significant.
10 Simple Things That Remind Me Of Home
1) Trees that blossom.
Every spring, the plum blossoms would emerge first, their sweet perfume drifting through the crisp morning air. Then they would burst into a rich magenta as the cherry, crabapple and pear blossoms began to bud. Each tree would take turns blooming, drawing in bees and butterflies, and then shedding their petals like snow.
2) Abstract art.
My parents had a lot of abstract art in the long hallway in our house. Leaf prints, multi-media pieces, and continuous paintings decorated our walls. We’ve been lucky enough to fill our own home with some of these paintings, and looking at them always brings me back to that hallway.
3) Afternoon sunlight.
Our dining room was filled with light in the afternoon– perfect for a cup of hot tea or a glass of white wine, and a great place to study. The shadows of trees would be cast on the floor, moving with the breeze through the open sliding door.
4) Koi ponds.
We were never really “dog people” or “cat people,” but we had a pond full of fish. They all had names and distinct patterns, and many of them are still alive. Whenever I see koi ponds, I think of our first little school of four fish who tested out the pond when it was first built. Soon we had brought in more than 20 fish, and they proceeded to multiply themselves as the years went by.
5) Maple trees.
My parents both loved maple trees, so I grew up with an appreciation for a well-pruned maple. When we visited Japan, we were blown away by the shapes of the maples there: perfectly imperfect, asymmetrical, zen. There is something so peaceful about the maple leaf in its slender, elegant form.
6) Steep roads.
Living in the hills is generally delightful, but even a walk down the street feels like a hike. Whenever I drive through rolling hills now, though, I think of those days when going out and coming home involved a series of ups and downs. The waves of landscape came to bear the signs of the seasons: baby grasses in spring, mustard flowers in summer, leaves in fall, and barren dirt in winter.
7) Wisteria.
There is one wisteria plant that hangs over the trellis of the entrance to our home, and it produces the most fragrant white flowers. Our wisteria have caused not insignificant amounts of heartache, as they can be quite difficult to grow. But those draping chains of flowers are my favorite. They are the absolute perfect climbing plant.
8) Cozy kitchens.
My mom and I spent a lot of time chatting in our kitchen. It wasn’t a fancy space, but it had everything we needed: stools, chocolates and a hot water dispenser for herbal teas. We laughed there, cried there, argued there, and put together many Thanksgiving meals there. I dream of a kitchen large enough to accommodate more than just two people, so we can recreate more of those precious moments together.
9) Indoor slippers.
We didn’t allow shoes in the house, but– as is customary in many Asian families– we offered slippers. I spent most of my time at home barefoot, but gave slippers to any guests who were uncomfortable exposing their feet. Whenever I see indoor slippers, I’m reminded of this fun little tradition.
10) Fireplaces.
One of my favorite memories with my dad is lighting the fireplace for winter parties. We had several in the house, and I always preferred the ones that burned real wood. Despite the smoke, there was something exciting about adding more wood, stoking the embers, and watching the sparks float up through the chimney.
I’m going to miss this home. Even though I haven’t lived there for many years now, it’s always been just a drive or flight away. But as I’m learning to hold onto relationships more than I hold onto things, I realize that what made our home truly wonderful were the moments we spent enjoying each other. And we can always have more of those.
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We had family in Taipei but definitely traveled all over! I’ve been to Kaohsiung. How crazy that we might have been in the same city!
That’s so cool! Where did you visit? I lived in Kaohsiung. 🙂
Yes!! Gardens somehow make us feel so at home.. maybe it’s something about taming the wilderness.
I grew up visiting Taiwan so maybe we were there at the same time! 😉 Also I’m so glad you enjoyed Mexico– I’m really looking forward to reading more about it!
Yes! It’s so great to create your own home and your own traditions too! I’m experiencing the same thing now.
Thanks for reading this, Alex, and for your sweet comment! I love that there were elements of your family’s first house that are so deeply connected to ideas of home and hearth; and trust me, I had pretend-princess moments (okay days) too! 😉
Aw thank you Lindsay! We just helped them move this weekend– it was so bittersweet!
Cats, a garden, indoor plants and decorations help me to feel at home in foreign places.
This is beautiful! Since I grew up in Taiwan I don’t gt to experience home too often! Amazingly being in Mexico last week had quite a few similarities to the city in Taiwan I lived in and I felt right at home… So much so that I actually considered staying. 😉
My parents still live in the same house I grew up in but I find myself less attached to it than I thought I would when I was younger. I guess it’s because I’ slowly but surely making my house a home with mu husband!
Wow you brought up memories for me I forgot I even had! I’ve moved around a lot, but suddenly random elements of memories my family’s first house bubbled up, like steamed milk, parsley and rosemary bushes, and heating vents on the floor (weirdly related to pretending I was Cinderella). Those wisteria blossoms are definitely the dream though! Your home sounds so beautiful and cozy. Thanks for sharing!
Your family home sounds so beautiful; I love all the nature, blossoms, and wisteria. I would be heartbroken if my parent s moved from my childhood home, but I love that you have these memories that you can incorporate in your home!
Thank you Kat! You’re so right– we still have those precious relationships, and thinking of home helps me realize that I want to cherish them more!
Aw thanks Brittany! I’ve realized as time marches on, our parents move forward too– out of the spaces that we occupied as children. I hope your mom has a wonderful next season!
Haha I love it! Home is home– no matter what characterizes it. It’s sweet in our memories.
You’re right! I’ve not been living there for quite a few years now, but I’m sad that my parents are moving and I won’t ever be able to go back! x
Aw thank you for stopping by Cassandra! <3
Love this post! My parents have lived in the same home for my entire life, and that space still always feels like “home” to me—even though I’ve moved out and have a house of my own now. I’d definitely be sad if they decided to leave. But, as they always say, the place doesn’t make a home—the people do! 🙂
xoxo
Kat
Reading this made me feel so nostalgic for home. My mom is in a similar situation — she’s moving out of her house of the past 12 years (so not exactly my childhood home, but has definitely felt like home for a long time!). It’s going to be really bittersweet when she starts that new chapter. I love these words and photos — it does seem like an idyllic place to grow up, and I love reading about your memories. Fireplaces and cozy blankets remind me of home. There are always tons of blankets and pillows laying around for snuggling!
Aww, what a sweet tribute to your home! My parents sold the house they’ve owned since I was a toddler about two years ago–I don’t think it’ll be the ‘last goodbye’ for me, yet, since a family member bought it, but still, it did feel like the end of an era. My memories are pretty different from yours, though, it’s more stuff like powertools and home improvement stores and buckets of paint that make me feel nostalgic for that home. When you live in a farmhouse built in the 1890s, and not renovated since the 1950s, that’s reality. 🙂
It is always so sad leaving your childhood home! It took me quite some time to get used to the idea of leaving this house behind. Of course now I’m more than ready to move out and we haven’t found our perfect home yet, so we will be here a little longer, haha!
Away From The Blue Blog
It’s incredible how little things can remind us of home. This post made me miss mine, but it made me smile too. Thank you for sharing your beautiful memories!
Thanks Anna! I love all of those elements… my dad likes to do Chinese watercolor, and seeing that always reminds me of him! 🙂
Thanks Alyssa! And oh yes– I love holiday decor too. I definitely hauled some from my parents’ home to our house here! 😉
Awww such a sweet post, and how bittersweet that your parents are moving out :(. We moved around a lot when I was little, so the only place I can call “home” is my childhood home in Beijing. For me, it’s my grandma’s art, tiny kitchen where the best meals are cooked, little community park, and yep indoor slippers 😉 (just to name a few!).
What a lovely post, Daisy! Holiday decorations remind me of home. My mother has the cutest decorations and always puts them up about a month in advance for us to enjoy