Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Where I Live Now

Dear Friends,

Since turning 75 when I made the decision to retire from the daily office and studio work, I have been fortunate to live in two places of great beauty, spending the winter in one of the Florida keys and the summer in the mountains of North Carolina. My wife Bobbie is from North Carolina and still has friends and family nearby so we both feel right at home and taken in by the warmth of the community there. We have a view of the hills that are sometimes so covered in fog it is like an ocean of mist outside our windows. But the climate in the summer is very comfortable. For many years, we lived in the hills of western Massachusetts, also a beautiful area, (and we moved there from New York City! You see I have been moving around a lot!). We had a very nice flower garden there and I enjoyed watching out for visitors from the nearby forest including bears, deer, porcupines, foxes, skunks and many birds. Once I opened the door from the inside of the house and stood nose to nose with a bear, separated by the screen door only. I don't know who was more surprised! Then the bear ran away. Actually they are very shy.

In Florida, our home is very close to the water and we are constantly marveling at the view of the ocean, Ospreys and Pelicans flying past and Iguanas strutting among the palm trees and mangroves. This is very far from the kinds of views I had as a child in Germany, and yet the closeness to nature is not that different from what I enjoyed as a child when my father took me out for walks and showed me all that could be found on a trail in the woods.

I will turn 80 years old in June and it is wonderful to have these days by the sea and in the hills, with Bobbie and all of our close friends and family nearby or able to visit. And to have a studio to work in both places. I have no complaints.

Eric Carle

15 comments:

  1. Both myself and my 6 year old son are very big fan's of your work. I find your blog delightful and will be be popping back again soon. Thank you for the hours of joy your books have given us.

    Kate and Jacob (slightly me)

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  2. Your homes sound lovely. I visited the Museum in MA two years ago and enjoyed it very much as well as the beautiful scenery there...I hope to return for another visit sometime soon. I especially love the studio! I'm glad that you moved from that beautiful place to another just as beautiful!

    Your books are my favorites for children, and your illustrations are so wonderfully engaging. I love all the textures that are possible with your technique. I have enjoyed your video many times (I own it now), having first seen it in a Child Development class when I went back to college as an over-50 student. I have also bought a few titles in Spanish for my little bilingual nieces who appreciated them so much.

    Thank you so much for your wonderful body of work. I have enjoyed it so much, first as mother of now grown up kids, and then as a preschool caregiver. I look forward to adding more to my collection.

    Debby McCarter/California

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  3. I am living in a peaceful village in Normandy called Colombiers and I teach English to 192 young children aged from 7 to 11 in four rural schools.They have all enjoyed the reading of "From head to toe".Even the oldest loved miming the actions ,learning parts of the body and names of animals.
    Have a happy New Year.
    I am a grandmother of a boy aged 15 months who already l.kes your books Au revoir laure Grados

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  4. Dear Mr. Carle,
    Wow!!! I am so happy to be able to post to your blog. This is great!! I have a question that maybe someone can help me with. I hear that "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" is having an anniversary; is that true? I would love any info on special programs. I am an elementary school librarian in Texas (USA). We would love to celebrate with the world.

    Jackie McNabb

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  5. I'm in North Carolina too, though I enjoy the beach more than the mountains generally. My wife and I live near Wilmington...

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  6. Hello,

    Where in Mestern Massachusetts did you live? I'm thinking it was near me; I live in Northampton, although it's on the north side of town near the Haydenville border.

    Just discovered your blog through my paper art explorations, and realized that I've never been to your museum! That must be remedied, and it seems that this is a good time to do so with the 40th anniversary here!

    Diane

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  7. I love your work. As I teacher has always been you have always been my favorite author to share with the children. I am so excited to hear that you have made a home in the Keys. I was born and raised in Key West, so they are dear to me!

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  8. We just bought my son your Hungry Caterpillar Book. He loves it...especially the part with the ice cream and lollipop. :) I enjoy reading your blog...very insightful! Have a wonderful day!

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