Bob and Susan’s Backyard – Santa Fe
It is certainly no secret that I, “sydneyofoysterville,” identify with the village of my family roots completely. With all its warts and wrinkles, I love Oysterville the best of any single spot in the world. But, having said that, I need to admit that I could easily live in Santa Fe and probably – except for the roots part – feel the same way about it.
Our Garden – Oysterville
Never mind that Oysterville and Santa Fe are opposites in just about every respect. The climate, the architecture, the scenery, the geography, the lifestyle – as different from our coastal Northwest as one could imagine. Chili peppers of every description – not clams, crab, oysters out your front door. Vibrant, sun-hot colors on canvases and clothing – not the misty-moisty grays and blues of the seaside. But here I feel at home. Just as in Oysterville.
Downtown Santa Fe
I am reminded of my first struggles with the concept of lifestyle. My realization that I “loved it all” began when I was six and received a dollhouse for Christmas. It was unfurnished and, as part of the present, I got to choose the furniture I wanted from the accompanying catalog. There were choices to be made for every room and in every style – colonial or contemporary, rustic or traditional. I liked them all! I couldn’t have named them, of course, but even then it was clear to me that I wouldn’t be happy to mix and match. I had to choose.
Downtown Oysterville
My decision was to furnish each room in a distinct style. I selected ‘antiques’ for the living room, ‘modern’ for the dining room, chintz for one bedroom, velveteen for another. I wasn’t totally happy with the finished effect but, as long as I concentrated on one room at a time, my solution to ‘loving it all’ was fairly satisfactory. But even then, I knew that in the course of real life, I’d have to come to grips with big concepts to do with lifestyle and creature comforts.
What I’ve found, of course, is that some choices are made for you… and then you adapt. It helps to “love it all” from the get-go. It makes the fine-tuning easy! And it makes the pleasures of travel a constant rediscovery and enrichment! Woot! Woot!
Don’t fall too in love with Santa Fe! That’s too far for house concerts!