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Monday, February 28, 2022

No Place Like Home

Judy Garland, The Wizard of Oz (1939)
There's no place like home, so declared Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale in the 1939 film, The Wizard of Oz. She clicked her ruby red heels and hoped to return to the Kansas farm of Auntie Em and Uncle Henry.

Homesickness is an emotion shared by many,  young and old. While the American spirit has always encouraged travel and exploration. We usually are happy to return home — at least for a while.

And, so it was with Grenville and myself, maybe even more as my name is also Dorothy. However, I have never owned a pair of ruby red shoes.

After nearly 3 weeks on the road traveling from NH to FL and places in between, we were ready and happy to return home to Nashua. To be sure we had a great time and, thankfully, no bad weather, aside from rainy days which prohibited outdoor adventures. Yes, we are fair weather explorers, who do not enjoy walking around in inclement weather. While there were some indoor venues we could have visited, as luck would not have it, a couple were closed on the particular days we were there.

But as posted about earlier, the main focus of this trip, aside from Grenville's ham radio convention in Orlando, FL, was to also visit friends and family in NJ, FL, AL, and GA some of whom we had not seen in several years. It was great to see everyone again; hopefully, the next time will be sooner.
February 25 snowstorm in Nashua, NH
We arrived home last Wednesday afternoon and had timed our arrival to be ahead of a predicted snowstorm on Friday which arrived early morning as forecast. Before moving out late Friday afternoon, there was a fresh 8-inch snowfall left behind. We had the day before to get out and do some needed grocery shopping.
Clearing after the snowstorm
This snowfall was a light and "fluffy" one and by early the next morning, main roadways had been plowed and by late afternoon were nearly down to blacktop. 
Forecast for Nashua, NH, this week
Today's forecast indicates that it will be the coldest one for the next few days, and later in the week a lot of daytime snow melting will happen in the city.

Anyone who has been away from home, knows there are a myriad of tasks to catch up on, which for apt dwellers such as ourselves, are lessened somewhat. Besides shopping, there's always the laundry and housekeeping chores.

In addition, I spent several hours this weekend catching up on some of your recent blog posts. Because of time constraints, I did not comment on all of your earlier posts; but did endeavor to comment on the most recent posts. Most days, many  of my fellow bloggers are more prolific than myself in posting. I enjoy your images, views and photos, thank you.

L. Frank Baum, circa 1911
As many know, in The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy killed the Wicked Witch of the East by tossing water on her while attempting to douse fire the
wicked witch induced on her Scarecrow friend. Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, instructed her to click her heels and think, There's no place like home. Dorothy says it aloud several times before waking up in her bedroom, just like she had never left.

Did you know that Lyman Frank Baum, the author of The Wonderful Wizard of Ozdid not name any of the witches in his series of 14 Oz books? (neither did I). In the novel, Dorothy simply throws water on the WW in a fit of anger.

There won't be many posts detailing our recent road trip. I still have catch-up posts about several of our 2021 New England explorations.

Before then, a future post will detail our visit to a GA town which has trademarked itself as The Hollywood of the South. 

Thanks to everyone for the reactive comments to last week's Friday Funnies. It was fun reading them. And, now, some may also be looking at commonplace items in a different (funny) way.

32 comments:

Pamela M. Steiner said...

So glad you are home safe and sound, even if it is a bit of a chilly welcome! It just got kind of chilly here again after 80's all last week, today's high was 63 earlier today. It is 59 now and cloudy and supposed to rain soon. We do need the rain, so I won't complain. We are so blessed. Praying for Ukraine and their good people who are suffering right now. I am praying they will still have homes left to go home to. We are so very blessed here, even with our high gas prices and creeping/escalating inflation. We are still mostly safe and so very very thankful. Looking forward to your other posts from your trip and beyond. Stay warm!!

Barbara Rogers said...

Thanks for the up-date. Glad you got home in time to start the catch-up-chores and goodness, it's gonna be cold there tonight! I just did a walk in the sunshine, after lots of rain yesterday morning...so avoided puddles everywhere. Welcome home!

Bijoux said...

It's been a brutal February with lots of snow and ice. Spring can't come fast enough or me! My husband came from a family of Wizard of Oz fans. It scared me as a kid and I've just never come to appreciate it.

NewRobin13 said...

It must feel great to be home after three weeks on the road. Now time to relax and get back into the good routines there. Ah home!

Linda G. said...

It IS nice to come home, but it is equally nice to be able to travel near and far! A good amount of our snow has melted and will continue to do so.

Lee said...

You say your name is "Dorothy"...I must be a late starter! Why then have I been calling you "Beatrice"?? :)

There certainly is no place like home. I'm a real homebody these days...I love being home!!

Take care, Mary! :)

Retired Knitter said...

Wow, you timed your return home extremely well. Imagine being delayed by a snow storm - when all you wanted to do was go home! Great pictures.

Red said...

It takes a lot of effort to travel .The more effort we put in , the better the trip.

Veronica Lee said...

Home sweet home!

I am a homebody but I love to travel far every now and then.

Happy Tuesday, Dorothy!

diane b said...

Its true. It is great to go on trips but it is always good to get home. I don't know that I would like to come home to snow. We have had lots of rain and floods recently.

David M. Gascoigne, said...

It's always food to be home after a trip. After all, you have to begin preparations for the next one!

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

Glad to hear that you're home, though looking at that snowfall, I might have been tempted to linger further south.

Edna B said...

We just got another batch of snowfall. Spring isn't far off though, so I'm hoping that this is our last snow of the season. It's time to let Springtime start peeking through. Enjoy your day, hugs, Edna B.

Jon said...

Traveling can be an exciting and rejuvenating experience, but it can also be exhausting. There truly is no place like home - especially during foul winter weather.
I'm glad that you got to see family and friends during your recent trip.

The snowy scene from your apartment window is beautiful. Here in rural TN there were snow flurries two nights ago, but today (March 1st) it's 60 degrees. Spring isn't too far away.

Jon said...

I forgot to mention that, when I was a child, I saw L. Frank Baum's house in Los Angeles.

Anvilcloud said...

It looks like you had a lovely New England welcome home.

I see little hope here in the next few weeks.

My name is Erika. said...

March is starting off as a lion for sure this year. As I write this comment we have some more light snow coming down. It's been a tough winter and I am quite ready for spring. Hope it actually hits 44 tomorrow.

Carola Bartz said...

I agree, there is no place like home. What about if you have two homes? Germany is my home, but so is California. I always miss one of them. Both my parents were refugees after WWII. My dad never returned to his hometown, but it was always home for him. When I visited that area in 1993 (which belongs to Poland now) I could understand why he loved this region so much. My mother also never returned to live in her home"town" (Berlin) that she had to leave in 1943 because of the heavy bombings, and she went to the East to live with relatives from where she had to flee the Red Army. She always missed Berlin, but she didn't want to live in a divided city (understandably).

Marcia said...

I got home from being away for the month of February just yesterday. I had a pile of mail to sort, bills to pay, checking account to balance, laundry, etc etc. Grocery shopping will happen tomorrow.

More on my away time to come. Posting on the blog is on my to do list.

Vee said...

Good to get away and good to be home. Glad you beat the storm.

nick said...

Yes indeed, there's no place like home (unless you're unlucky enough to be in a crumbling flat with a greedy landlord). We love travelling to other countries but after a while you get weary of having to adjust to unfamiliar routines and customs and home becomes increasingly enticing.

baili said...

i agree that there is no place like home dear Dorothy and i have started to realize it more with time specially while we are on trip to our native town and various parts of capital city Islamabad ,i feel homesick soon now i miss my mobility in my own home and business :)

i am happy that you guys are back safe and healthy after long trip ,snowstorm on arrival can be disturbing when one have to do groceries urgently so true .

all images are exquisitely captured and give brief view of your beautiful area .

if i remember correctly i have seen this movie in my mid teens what remained in my mind mostly was when she realizes that she was in her room and it was just a dream :)
wishing you health ,peace and joy dear friend!

gigi-hawaii said...

I would have preferred warm rain over cold snow! LOL.

Brenda Kay Ledford said...

Yes, it's good to be home. Glad you got home and had a good trip.

William Kendall said...

Great snowy scenes!

Jeanie said...

Welcome home, Dorothy! And what a snowy welcome. I know what you mean -- there IS no place like home, especially when you've been away from it for awhile.

Oh, my dad would have loved to attend a big Ham convention. He always did the field days and his local club but I don't think he ever had the opportunity to do this.

Rita said...

Always good to be back home!! :) :)

Kathy said...

Glad you are home safely after a huge trip along the east coast. We have missed the snow, but have the cold weather. We are predicted to be in the 70s next week, so I'm looking forward to that. Looking forward to reading about your trip to Georgia. Sounds like fun!

LL Cool Joe said...

I always feel that wherever I lay my hat that's my home, but it's always nice to get back to your own bed! I'm glad you had a good trip and managed to see so many people. Haha it always rains in the UK so I'm kinda used to it now. If I stayed indoors every time it rained I'd never go out!

Jenny Woolf said...

I know what you mean about it being nice to get home, though. But I am usually keener to get home when I'm not coming to freezing weather, I don't enjoy it at all. So, I think I might have stayed in Orlando a while longer.....!!!

Eggs In My Pocket said...

Love this post and so good that you had a great time and made it home safely!

My Tata's Cottage said...

It is always good to be home again. I enjoyed seeing all your photos. What a wonderufl blog you have. Enjoy this week.