Published: April 01, 2008 10:41 pm            

Variations make a house a home

Does your house reflect your personality? Think about it.

There is much more to a home than just a house. A home is a house that is filled with love, comfort, security and special things. Some of the favorite things that have made our ordinary house a home were the drawings the granddaughters made in school and gave to us. They had a special gallery on our refrigerator door. One that comes to mind was a drawing Shelby made in about the first grade that ended “vi-lots are blue, I love you.” It stayed on the refrigerator door until it became faded and worn and then we put it in a special drawer to keep forever. She is 25 years old now and has a darling baby of her own, so we look forward to receiving additional masterpieces from our sweet Sydney when she gets a little older.

I still have notes and drawings the granddaughters gave us when they were in grade school. They all carry the same sentiment of love. I would rather have those lovely drawings than any Picasso. These are the things that matter and truly make a home. I have a plaque in my dining room that reads, “My greatest blessings call me Grandma.” Wouldn’t life be dull without them?

Our house is full of lots of “stuff.” Most of it is meaningless to anyone else, but it has a special significance to us because of the acquisition. Even decorators know what value to put on personal things, like snapshots, children’s art and family treasures. Sometimes an entire house will be decorated around a special point of interest. I made a baby quilt for our great-granddaughter and her mother hung it on the wall of Sydney’s nursery and coordinated the room to it, which pleases this grandma, who loves her dearly.

In our home we like earth tones and feel comfortable surrounded by these colors. However, we have dear friends who decorate in lots of red and it is perfect for them. Another friend uses flowers in every color in every room — flowers on the wall, bedspreads, chairs and curtains just everywhere. It is beautiful in their home. Those are the things they love. I have made little samplers for my nieces and some friends that say, “Surround yourself with the things you love.” I do and I enjoy going to people’s homes, where they do the same things. Their treasures reflect their personalities and make their homes distinctively theirs. Everyone feels welcome in their habitat. It is all the variations that make their houses their homes.

Some people keep their houses squeaky clean, removing their shoes before they walk on the carpet and hardly sit on their furniture. Is that really a home? I want a house clean enough to eat in but not so “nasty-nice” it fails to be a livable home. Bathrooms should be clean. The kitchen should be spotless. But it doesn’t bother me to see newspapers and magazines within reach of the homeowner. And dog toys don’t bother me at all, I guess because we have this darling puppy that has toys strewn all over the house. It is, after all, his house too.

I saw an ad in a newspaper or magazine just this week that suggested we make every room in our house our favorite room. I do believe our home is that way to us. Jim has a favorite room that absolutely is full of Marine Corps stuff. It is like a museum from ceiling to floor and every inch of every wall is crammed with pictures and certificates and stuff. Even the bed and furniture in that room are crowded with Marine memorabilia. When our grandson (who was — is — also a Marine) comes for a visit, he feels he has to sleep at attention in that guest room.

I love the other bedroom in our house because it is full of ranch/ native American things that are special to our heritage. It reflects our ranch way of life. Our third bedroom is not a bedroom at all but my office. It is the room where I write, play on the computer, sew, meditate, think and read. It is my sanctuary. And it goes without saying I love to live in the kitchen and dining room. I have surrounded myself with the things I love.

Our den is where we and our little puppy stay most of the time. Richey, the dog, has his crate in there and his toys and the special chair he sleeps in during the day. His food and water and sleeping bed are not in that room, but he feels it is his room nevertheless. We haven’t told him it is our room too. Richey also believes he should surround himself with the things he loves.

I remember my grandmothers’ homes and both had distinctive aromas. Every once in a while I will get a whiff or something that brings back such wonderful memories of their kitchens and surroundings. Every home should have a special aroma that evokes memories. Freshly baked bread, apple butter, making pickles and other activities spur memories and take me back in time.

We used to be able to tell what we were having for supper by the wonderful aromas that drifted from Mother’s kitchen to the barns while we were doing evening chores. We could tell if it was kraut and ribs or chicken or steak or beans or whatever and could anticipate a wonderful meal. Those wonderful meals also are special memories and made a house a home that reflected laughter and visiting and having family close. These things make any modest house a mansion.

If you make this cake and serve it to guests, no one will even notice if your house is a mess. They will see it only as a happy home. My niece shared this recipe with me and she has the happiest, most lived-in home I know, with five delightful, fortunate children and a sweet husband.



Simple Strawberry Shortcake



1 white cake mix

2 (10 ounce) packages frozen, sweetened, strawberries, undrained

1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding

11⁄4 cups milk

1 (eight ounce) carton whipped topping

Prepare and bake cake by package directions, baking in 9x13-inch pan. When cake cools, poke holes with a knife or fork in top of the cake and pour thawed strawberries over the top. Prepare pudding with milk and when it is set, pour over the strawberries. Cover cake with whipped topping. Keep refrigerated.



Send your comments to: Peggy Goodrich, Food For Thought, P.O. Box 1192, Enid, OK 73702.