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Home

I’m curious.

When you think of the word, home, what picture comes to mind?

Since leaving home and going to college, I’ve lived in Hattiesburg, Jackson (MS), Baton Rouge, Natchez, McComb, Hattiesburg (again), Laurel, and now Tennessee. Graduate school and the nature of my husband’s job has taken us to many places. Some felt more like home than others.

Of course, whenever I’m with my husband and children I feel like I am home, but if I think of home in terms of a place....somewhere that is truly a part of me and where I have roots, there is no question that home is...

here...

This is the place that my entire family: parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers, friends, etc call The Lake.

This is my parents’ home.

It was built by my grandparents as their retirement home. It’s actually in LA, just across the bridge and a 30 min drive from where we all grew up in MS.

For my brothers, cousins, and me, The Lake was our favorite place to spend time as kids. We would work with our Mimi and Pop in the garden digging potatoes, picking beans and tomatoes. We would eat homemade peach ice cream made with peaches that Mimi grew on her peach trees. We would spend time on the front porch in the big swing or in the rocking chairs, shelling peas and listening to my Uncle David play guitar and sing.

Believe it or not, Grandma Sandy actually learned how to cut the grass at The Lake. (please don’t tell The Chef I ever knew how to do that!)

Yes, yes, as a young teen, I’d jump into my swimsuit and ride the riding lawn mower while singing The Star Spangled Banner at the top of my lungs. I’ve no idea why I chose that particular song and it didn’t occur to me until years later that sound travels incredibly well over water so lord only knows who heard me.

OMG actually, now that I think about it, I’m certain that a well-known CNN anchor with the last name of Brown and the first name of Campbell (I knew her as Cami) who lived right down the lake more than likely heard me. I’m trying not to have a slight panic attack as I have just now realized this as a 41 yr old woman. I kid you not...I’m very close to breaking out into a cold sweat.

Deep breath....moving on now.........

My cousin Sarah and I would spend weekends with Mimi baking Christmas cookies. We had our family Christmas and Easter meals at The Lake. It was in this house that I first learned to sew. It was on this lake that I learned how to bait a hook and catch fish. As the oldest grandchild, I am blessed to have clear memories of my youngest brother and cousins being infants at family gatherings in this house.

I was 7 years old when my Mimi and Pop moved in. I am now 41 (eek! sorry...still freaks me out that I’m in my forties). If I’m not mistaken, it was about this exact time of year, 34 years ago, that this house became their home.

Now it’s my parents’ home but it’s really still all of ours. So many memories!

In fact, The Lake is really more of a family member, rather than location, with a personality all its own.

Allow me to introduce to you some of the things that make The Lake, The Lake.

Some good, some fun, some beautiful, some to be admired from a distance, and some really horrifying.

I’ll start with the horrifying.....

We kill huge, disgusting snakes at The Lake!!

(but not that often and it gets better from here, I promise!)

We catch HUGE catfish!!

We observe interesting...creatures...ahem...from afar....

Thankfully, these ‘gators were photographed by a family friend, on the north side of the lake and not actually by our house. I like to pretend that they don’t venture too far.....

And during crawfish season, we eat as many crawfish as possible from Joe’s Crawfish spot.....

Joe has the best crawfish around.

Hey Joe!!!!

One of my favorite views is the one I see from the front porch..

However, the very best view is only witnessed if you’re up very early.

or very late.....

At times I wonder if my Mimi and Pop knew what a special place The Lake would become to us all. I’m sure they hoped...it was without a doubt a magical place for them. I can only imagine the satisfaction they experienced as they watched my brothers, cousins, and me loving being there and I love seeing my own children fall more in love with The Lake each time we are able to visit.

And every time I see something like this.....

I’m reminded of these verses:

The heavens declare the glory of God;

the skies proclaim the work of His hands.

Day after day they pour forth speech;

night after night they display knowledge.

Their voice goes out into all the earth,

their words to the ends of the world.

Psalm 19:1-4

Isn’t that so true??

So, The Lake is home to me.

I’m curious. What, where, and why is home, home to you?

*credit for the beautiful sunrise and moonlit pictures goes to my brother!