I have been offline for the past week, as we moved into our new house, which is located on the same lot we lived on before. We still do not have Internet, so I go to a local coffee shop once a day and sometimes every other day to catch up. Purple Rays provided a wonderful post to get back in the groove.
When we bought our house 40 years ago, it came with two relatively large spruce trees in the front. Those remain in place as proud sentinels and, as Mary Oliver describes trees in to the new houses we build on the same lot, one for Kathy and I and the other our youngest son built.
We chose to stay and build for several reasons. First and foremost, it gave our son a chance to have his own house. Second, we enjoy the community we live in and have been part of the fabric of it for 40 plus years. It is an area of Edmonton that has tremendous stablity despite the rapid growth of the metro area. We have neighbours who have lived in this community longer than we have.
The house on the left is our house and the one on the right is our son’s house as the trees stand guard.
Teacher as Transformer 
How wonderful for all of you.
Thank you Cindy. The boys wonder why they grew up in an 800 sq. ft. house and we are retiring in a 1700 sq. ft one.
Sounds wonderful! How nice to be part of a community for such a good while:)
Thank you PR.
Congrats on moving in. That’s a nice looking house. I like the plan.
Thank you Dan. Kathy was raised on a farm and, when we walked into the house, we could see the back door from the front. That was the idea here, although you cannot see it from outside.
Congratulations and the trees, and the houses, are beautiful. Enjoy your new home.
Thank you Gigi.
Ivon, my heartfelt congratulations to your family. What wonderful blessings all around! I wish you all well as you settle in. What wonderful sentries, those beautiful trees! Enjoy!
They will likely be there longer than we will, standing guard for the next people who call this home.
Welcome home. Again.
My car knew the way back.
Wow, congratulations. What an amazing outcome.
It has been a bit of a journey.
So nice that you took the time to keep the trees on guard. I’m not sure I would want my sons living that close to me, but you must have a caring family.
He is a good son. All three of them are. He moved back in while I was in Spokane completing my PhD. He is a bit of a throwback despite being the youngest. Does very little tech wise and is a bit of a homebody.
Home sweet home! How lovely to have your son next store! Wonderful post!
How wonderful! I adore Edmonton. It’s an amazing Canadian city.
It is lovely and has an understated river valley.
Agree! the river valley is fabulous!
As a matter of fact, most of Canada’s north is understated in terms of beauty.
Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
“THE TREES ARE ALIVE…WITH THE SOUND OF WELCOME….!” 😀
They are. They welcomed us home.
Wonderful!
Thank you Bette.
Sending wishes to you and your family for a blessed and beautiful Christmas and New Year, Ivon!
Thank you Bette. May you and your family have a wonderful Christmas and prosperous New Year
Thank you, Ivon!
These are lovely houses. My house was blue.
Thank you Micheline. In the planning, we wanted to distinguish between the houses a bit.