By Land or By Sea

Photo by Marianne M. Smith

I’ve always lived a little off grid.  Not in the solar sense (though I would like to try that), but just not in your typical dwelling.

My first home (away from parents) was a duplex in which I found my elderly neighbor hiding in a closet that had a connector door to both of the units.  My second place was a tiny studio behind the main house of a talented harpist.  She played with her French doors open and I got to listen to fabulous free concerts from my patio.

Later I lived in a paper warehouse overlooking The Mississippi River.  Presently I live on a donkey farm out in the middle of nowhere.  Not sure why I’ve always been attracted to strange spaces, but square rooms and traditional floor plans just don’t work well for me.

I dream of living in a church, or a yurt—in a dome, or a firehouse.  My latest dream is a floating home, or maybe even a houseboat (with the square walls removed, of course).

But while I’m yearning for water, I remain ferociously tied to land.  I just can’t fathom a life without farm animals or gardening.  I’ve figured out lots of ways to garden on a houseboat, but I’m not sure the donkeys would like the heat of the upper deck!

Why is this particular affliction (by land or by sea) just now rearing its ugly head, I ask?  But the pull of the water has become very strong.  For now I’m kayaking while thinking about what either choice entails.  We live very close to one of the most beautiful lakes I’ve ever seen (Center Hill Lake), and I’m checking out what it would be like to live on the water there.

Maybe the land, with all its built-in chores and obligations, has finally worn me down.  But I have no illusions that life would be maintenance-free on the water.  Simpler, perhaps.  Maybe I’m just ready for a completely new adventure.  Or maybe I’m fascinated by something so foreign to my land-loving nature?  The jury's still out, but I find myself daydreaming about water.

Any of my readers out there ever lived on a boat, or even thought about it?  I’d love to hear how you feel about that notion…

Marianne M. Smith
Writer At The Ranch
Making You Look Brilliant One Word At A Time
http://writerattheranch.com
wordsmith@writerattheranch.com