Monday, April 10, 2006

Landed

I’ve been on an historical fiction jag. It started with Outlander and The Other Boleyn Girl and continued with the rest of the Outlander series and more Phillipa Gregory novels (Wideacre, Earthly Joys). An unexpected side effect of my reading has been a newfound appreciation of being a property owner. Unlike the characters I’ve read of, I’m not a serf, I’m not indigent, and I do not live in the middle of political upheaval. I’m a landed lady, exactly as the women in my novels aspire to be.

Last week, we had one of our first sunny, warm days in a long while. By the time I left work, my fingers were itching for garden dirt. I had a pleasant bus ride home, reveling in the feeling of sunshine on my neck and the smell of spring in the air. As we traveled up Vine Street, I saw many of the area’s residents out on corners, stoops, and sidewalks, likewise soaking up the sun. I couldn’t help but feel that it was a very poor way to appreciate spring. Besides the weather, the change of season was nowhere evident: no bulbs peeking up from the earth, no trees cloaked in a haze of green, no amorous birds scuffling in the leaves. Instead, the view was of the unchanging dirty streets, oppressive buildings, and belching traffic. Most, if not all, of the people I saw taking some air, rent cramped apartments nearby. They spend day in and out within the cityscape. Spring means nothing more than a change of wardrobe and bills. Again, I felt grateful to be a home owner, with our small plot of land in which to revel in the earth’s yearly resurrection.

I do, indeed, feel lucky that Mike and I were in the financial position to buy our house and its surrounding land. The bank owns a good chunk of it, but we feel as if it were all ours. I am also thankful for the fact that we live in a time and country in which we can feel secure in our ownership. I fear no political unrest will unland us. As long as we can keep up with the mortgage and property taxes, we have a place to call our own. Our hold may be somewhat tenuous, but I feel secure, fortunate, and connected to the earth.

4 Comments:

Blogger Jenn said...

I, too, deeply appreciate being 'landed.'

1:57 PM  
Blogger Entangled said...

Thanks so much for the gratitude reminder. It came at exactly the right time for me - stuck inside crunching numbers and pushing paper on Monday - and I just had to revisit and say thanks.

2:08 PM  
Blogger Rosemarie said...

Very true, we just bought a house and feel very fortunate. Maybe it because I too have been on a historical fiction kick just having finished the 4th book of the Outlander series (and eager to read the other books you mentioned).

8:37 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh my gosh.....I want to go to Scotland and find Jamie RIGHT NOW! So what if I have a husband and two daughters....I must find Jamie!!! Seriously, I have read ALL of Diana Gabaldons books and they are great entertainment. Even enjoyed the small book "Lord John Grey and the Private Matter." A Breath of Snow and Ashes definitely leaves you wanting more (6th book I believe)

6:51 PM  

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