I came across an interesting weekly at Cee’s Life Photography blog. It’s called Share Your Week, and usually posts several questions each week as a kind of “getting to know you” prompt. If you want to check it out, click on the banner below and go see what others have to say.

This week is a photo share, asking to share your three favorite photographs and explain why they are your favorites. Or, to describe three favorite scenes. Well, I’m not a photographer, but would like to share these scenes with you anyway, because each has a special meaning to me.

This is the first home I lived in when I moved to Switzerland. We (my then-husband) lived in the right half – as in the right side of the photo, where the three windows are. It was actually a rather small place, the first floor had just a kitchen and dining area, the second floor where those windows are had our living area across the front, with a hallway, small bedroom, and bathroom along the back, then upstairs to the main bedroom. We shared a veggi garden plot with the neighbor next door and grew tomatoes, potatoes, leeks, huge zucchini squash, and strawberries. I made tomato sauce from the extra tomatoes, and strawberry jam, all put in hermetically sealed jars for later consumption.

We were in love, and life was uncomplicated, well, for the most part. Our first daughter was born when we lived in that house. Finances were shaky at best, but we made do. Sometimes struggles can make a marriage strong. It’s when there are no more struggles, when things go well, that ennui can seep in and do its damage. But I digress. Next photo.

This is the view outside my study window.  I even have it as one of my desktop themes. Can you see the rainbow? This is the home we bought to try to repair a broken marriage. Note – buying houses will not repair what is broken. But when we divorced, theEx gave his half of the property to our daughters, and I took over the payments. It has been a good home these past 15 years, but the girls are grown and one is already on her own, the other looking for an apartment, and I cannot keep up with it on my own. We will be selling it this year, and oh how I will miss that view!

And finally, my study, my home within my home, my main living quarters besides the bedroom. That exercise bike doesn’t get used as much as it should, because I am usually sitting in that chair looking at the computer screens. When we sell the house, I will probably set up the computer in the main room, living room whatever you want to call it, and just add a small sofa and maybe a comfy chair for visitors. It’s really all I need – a bedroom, a bathroom, a kitchen, and a place to put my big corner desk and computer.  Oh yeah, and the exercise bike.

It’s funny, but in all the time we lived here, I never had any of the walls painted. It always felt like a transitional home, even though it did last 15 years, got me through the divorce, kept my daughters safe and sheltered as they went through adolescence and bloomed into young adults. This was “our” house, and will always be special to me. But I am looking forward to moving, to finding a small cozy apartment just the right size. I’m already thinking of what color I want to do the bedroom and living room. Hmmm… anticipation is such a lovely feeling.

I will miss this home, but I’ll always have the memories – and the pictures to spark them to life.

Thank you Cee, this was fun.