2/17/16

For the Joy of Home-Keeping

Hey everyone!  What a glorious week this has been so far!  I'm feeling stronger by the day, needing fewer afternoon naps (although I do hate to give those up...heehee), and thoroughly enjoying home-keeping.  During the past few months, when I was too exhausted & weak to do much of anything, my heart ached for the simple pleasures of tending our home.  What does home keeping mean to you?  To me it's all of the things, big and small that give life to our home.  While cleaning the toilet might not rank right up there as a joyous chore, it has to be done so our families stay healthy.....that's the joy. The Man did a wonderful job of taking care of all the basics, and it gave him a renewed respect for all of the things that go into making our home run smoothly.  I don't think he ever realized what I did behind the scenes that he just took for granted, but I'm sure I would be in the same situation if I had to take on his responsibilities.  That's why we should always be mindful, grateful, and hand out sincere "Thank you's" for even the smallest of tasks....there is much joy and love in being grateful.






Have I always found joy in home-keeping?  Absolutely not, but I have always taken pride in having a clean & inviting home where good food was cooked and served daily; but terms such as "housework" & "chores," didn't really evoke much pleasure of any kind.  It wasn't until I heard the term "Home Keeping," that I found new respect and joy in the things I did to care for our family and our home.  It's amazing how a few simple words can so greatly affect us.





Our home is not big by today's standards, but certainly more than adequate for us.  It's not grandiose or filled with high-end fixtures and expensive trappings.  It is filled with love and memories, things that remind us of special occasions or vacations, and mementos of special people who are no longer with us.  It doesn't really matter what your decor is or whether you spend a lot or a little to dress your home, it's the love of tending our homes that brings joy.









Puttering or tweaking, whichever term you use, is a major part of home keeping....in my humble opinion anyway!  Puttering (my word of choice) is sheer pleasure to me.  Sometimes puttering involves a lot work, like rearranging & styling bookshelves, or it can be the simple act of pulling things from my "stash" to create a new floral arrangement.  It still evokes a wonderful feeling of bringing joy and love into my home.  Puttering is high on my priority list for home keeping!






How do you feel about home keeping?  Is it a list of "chores" that have to be done, obligations that cause you stress or even anger because you are the one doing them?  I've been there and understand the overwhelming feeling of not being able to get it all done, and wondering if there was ever going to be time for "me."  It's okay to ask for help, and it's okay to give yourself a break....spend a little time puttering or tweaking!  Maybe then you will find joy in home keeping.

Thank you so much for stopping by, and I always appreciate your sweet comments.  If you have a "NoReply" email, it will probably take me longer to respond.  I hope the remainder of your week is wonderful.

I often party with these lovely bloggers:

Monday
Dee at Meatloaf and Melodrama for Merry Monday
Cindy at Dwellings--The Heart of Your Home for Amaze Me Monday
Maria Elena at Our Home Away from Home for Tuesdays at Our Home

Tuesday
Marty at A Stroll Thru Life  for Inspire Me Tuesday

Wednesday
Suzy at Worthing Court for The Scoop

Thursday
Jemma at  At Home With Jemma for Thoughts of Home on Thursday
Pamela at From My Front Porch to Yours for Treasure Hunt Thursday
Richella at Imparting Grace for Grace at Home

19 comments:

  1. Because I have been 'in' your home, I agree that you have a beautiful and very welcoming home! I love spending time with you in your comfy space! It brings me such joy to hear you talking about being healthy enough to 'putter' in your home! So much Joy!! You continue to be in my prayers! Hoping we can have lunch soon, before it gets too hot! Blessings, Cindy xo

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  2. Carol - Great post. I love to putter and tweak but one thing moved always turns into a major overhaul. LOL

    Judy

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  3. Carol, it makes me smile to hear you are doing so well and are back puttering and tweaking :) You are so right about the chores. In this new year I have a new outlook on life, I will do what I can and don't stress about what needs to get done. And like you, puttering will come first, every time! LOL Have a wonderful day. xxx Maria

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  4. Carol, it's so good to hear you are gaining strength and desire for puttering and just being yourself again! I feel very blessed at the stage of life where I am right now, and puttering is a big part of what I do - in the home (especially during winter), and in the garden in warm weather months. Even mundane chores like laundry and cleaning bathrooms give a sense of accomplishment. I love the simple pleasures of the smell of clean laundry and feeling of scrubbed floors, walls and basins. I'm happy I am well enough to do these things and I can appreciate your sense of enjoyment in being able to do them again. What a feeling you must be experiencing!

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  5. Carol, I feel the same way that you do about home keeping. I think Susan Branch calls it Home Arts. :) Home is our nest and if you have a grateful attitude then most of those tedious jobs are transformed.

    I'm so glad you are feeling better. It makes me smile to read that.

    Thank you so much for joining us at TOHOT #2.

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  6. So happy you are feeling better. Your home is always so lovely.

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  7. I love your attitude! So glad you are feeling up to doing more. I have more time for (and interest in) our home since I stopped teaching full time. It's great to be able to keep up with laundry and cleaning instead of facing it all on the weekend. I also enjoy making little changes around the house.

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  8. Home is my haven, Carol, and while I don't enjoy emptying the dishwasher or doing laundry I do love to fluff a clean home. So it's all a means to an end! I am so glad to hear that you are feeling better. That is wonderful news. Have fun homemaking! It really is a joy, isn't it?

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  9. I'm thrilled that you're feeling so much better! Makes my heart sing, my friend! :) I love the word "home-keeping." I truly love being in my home. It's my favorite place to be. I'm such a homebody. Hee hee! I actually enjoy cleaning. I think it's the sense of accomplishment because I can actually see the difference it makes (like those pretty vacuum marks ~ lol!) I love when I finish cleaning my entire house, then I sit down with a cup of coffee and look around and just enjoy it. :)

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  10. Such wise words Carol! Always good to be reminded of appreciating each other. I do love a clean home. It makes me feel good.....now to just get as organized as you!!! Always working on it. Have a wonderful weekend Carol!

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  11. I love a good day at home 'puttering' - I have posted about that more than once! Home keeping is a lovely way to put it - my home is in need of a good day of upkeep at this point - I've been working far too many of my days off to keep up with it lately!

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  12. Always the wise one! I go back & forth with phases of wanting to putter & phases of just not wanting to do anything. Right now I'm focusing on switching our office over to a workout room. With laptops & tablets we don't need an office anymore. I'm so glad you're recovering well but if I were you I wouldn't give up on those naps! lol!!

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  13. Hi Carol, I so enjoyed visiting your blog today. Blossoms and Books are two of my favorite things. I can't pass a stack of books without trying to read the spines. LOL I can almost smell those lilacs. How I long for spring to arrive in NW Wisconsin! Today I have two projects: cleaning out two pantries. It's time consuming, but feels great to look at a clean and organized pantry! Have a nice weekend. I'm following you via GFC and Feedly. :-)

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  14. So glad you are feeling better and your attitude is contagious and inspiring. I have always loved making my little house a home. I enjoy making it mine. I have friends who have a more grandios abode and I don't envy them at all. Many of them have someone to do their decorating for them. I can't imagine that. I enjoy moving things about to make it mine. We share the same feelings about home.

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  15. I am so glad you are feeling stronger Carol. I adore your spring plants.
    It is such a joy to have you join the gathering at Thoughts of Home on Thursday. You really help to elevate it to something very special.

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  16. Hello Carol - it is nice to meet you! I am visiting from your link on Jemma's blog. I love homekeeping and have since day one - which is when I got married and had a place of my own. I was only 22, but I discovered a new "love" in life and it never left. Even during all the days of working outside the home, my heart was always at home. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

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  17. Excellent post Carol! I love hearing you are able to putter around and tend to your home again more. I love puttering and tweaking the most. I am lucky to have a husband who does a lot of the chores especially when I was working but I am so glad to be home now doing more of them myself. It is a blessing to be able to be home and I am reminding myself this each as I tackle the to do's when I want to putter instead. I will keep your word (home keeping) in mind during the not so enjoyable tasks. Thank you! I am so happy to hear you continue to heal!

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  18. So happy to hear that you are feeling stronger Carol! What great news. I love a clean house but I must admit I don't always enjoy the journey to get there! lol I do love puttering and tweaking though...I don't feel this is a chore but a choice I make, so my attitude is different from the get go.
    Take care
    Jeannette

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  19. So glad that you are feeling stronger, Carol. Have been catching up with a few of your posts, tonight and enjoyed reading about your latest adventures! Decided to comment here, too, since I love house keeping, or home keeping as you call it, which, by the way, does make all the chores and duties sound a little more personal, and something to be proud of once accomplished, doesn't it?

    Since starting my full time job at the law firm, I find that certain chores get put on the back burner and tend to pile up, so I usually devote a day on the weekend to catch up, since I'm simply too tired to tackle them on weeknights after a long day at the office.

    Wishing you a lovely week ahead,

    Hugs,
    Poppy

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I truly love to hear from you and try to respond to each and everyone. If you have "no reply blogger," I will respond in my comments section and then visit your blog as soon as I can.

Make this a great day!
Carol