In the late 1960s, a couple with 2 young children bought their first house in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The trees shaded the house and the garden. The children played beneath the trees, and the mother and father planted flowers in the garden so that they could sit outside and enjoy their color and fragrance.
The children grew, too, fed at the kitchen table.
They grew tall and strong…
…and enjoyed their own place to dream and read and learn.
As time went on, the children grew to adults and moved away from the house. The couple lived there still, and grew older together. Then the father died, and the mother lived there alone. Finally, she decided to sell the little home to another young family with small children…and a baby on the way. So she and her grown-up son said ‘good-bye’ to the place together.
Thank you, little house, for sheltering this family. Thank you, trees and garden, for living and growing with them. May you continue to shelter and live and grow with the new family, in peace.
scillagrace 
A lovely tribute to the changing fabric of our lives. Thanks.
I like that they stayed in the same, small house for all those years. Never felt a need to “upgrade”. The trees grew; their ‘footprint’ didn’t.
Touching story.
A milestone, a rite of passage, perhaps. She’s now in a senior community that seems very accommodating.
Few lines, big story…….
Another lovely post Scilla.
S
Thanks, pal!
Magic!
I’m not sure if this story is magic…it’s really quite a common story. But there is something mystical in the passage of time, to be sure.
I think magic is to be found in the most commonplace of things. This is magic to me ~ stability, organisation, love, the passing of all things…things being just as they were meant to be!
I love how you told this story of a couple planting their roots in a house to raise their family that became their home for over 50yrs and now the time has come to let go of that home and open the door for another young couple to make this house their home. The circle of life. (great photos)
Steve was 3 when they moved into that house, and he’ll be 50 in November. Her new apartment is very nice, with lots of social offerings. She’s doing quite well!
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This is so lovely. Time, time, time..I love these houses too, so much more appealing to me than our crushed-up-all-together ones!
Here in the U.S. we have more buffer space because…we can. California is becoming a place of “tract mansions”, huge luxury houses all crowded together because real estate is so valuable in that desirable location. Personally, I like having wildlife space all around and fewer people.