Writing Prompt #23: Home Sweet Home

Home sweet home. This is an expression I grew up with. It is the title of a song in the opera Clari. It is also a sentiment. The phrase expresses relief at coming home after a long journey.

To market to market to buy a black pig

Home again home again jiggety jig

I remember my mom reciting this nursery rhyme throughout my life. She still says it. As soon as she pulls her car into the garage she says, "Home again jiggety jig." The Mother Goose nursery rhyme is a bit longer.

We traveled a lot when I was a kid. A lot a lot. When I was 3 we traveled to Miami, Florida. When we returned my dad asked if I had gone to Miami. I replied, "No. We went to my mommy's ami." We traveled to Argentina when I was 5 or 6.

My mom and me in Argentina.

We traveled to Hawaii when I was 9.

Me in Hawaii.

We were forever traveling to Kansas. That is where my grandparents lived and where the Dick family farm is. Officially it is called the Sharon Dairy Farm. It is still there, though I haven't been in too many years.

That's me on the far right end. I was 2 or 3.

Me on the far right end again.

Most of you know I lived in Germany for 4 years.

I was 11 in this photo of me, my baby brother, Stefan, and my babiest brother, Alex.

For the past 11 years, I've lived on a small ranch in the Texas panhandle. Our house has gone through many changes. So have I.

This was how it looked when I first came here in 2010. My husband's grandparents owned this place. When his grandpa died, his grandma went to live with her oldest daughter. When she died, we came out here and started fixing the place up.

This was the view from the back. 12 years later and those small trees are huge. The grass isn't as green. We have the orchard blocked off so the goats and sheep don't get in to bother the chickens.

What I realized, facing a move to NY in the coming months, is home is where the heart is. And my heart is my husband. Wherever he goes, I will go. Wherever he lands, I will land. He is my home.

What is home for you? Is it your childhood house? Is it a person? Is it sweet? Home is not necessarily a safe place for everyone. Some people can't wait to get away. My Oldest daughter left home the second she turned 18. She went to University. My youngest did the same. He was gone within the week after he turned 18. I don't think he was fleeing home so much as he wanted out of the tiny city.

I want to hear about your home!

This has been a PromptlyJonica writing prompt. Would you like to join us? It is easy and fun!

1. Join the Promptly Jonica community here

2. Write anything about snow

3. Write 100% original content

4. Submit your article to PromptlyJonica

5. Tag me, @JonicaBradley

6. Have fun!

   All images photos by Jonica Bradley