Giving a Name to Your . . . . . . Home

It's an old custom, naming one's home, not often practiced these days. Of course, these homes were most often grand houses with sprawling grounds, such as "Tara" from Gone with the Wind. Here on Fort Myers Beach, the practice continues. From "Bobby's Place," a funky cottage on the Beach to "Island Refuge," a small green stucco home tucked away on a side street, you will find homes that have names. Not mansions, for the most part, just your everyday island cottages.

My husband and I had talked about naming our beach cottage for years, but we just couldn't come up with quite the right name. Then, cruel fate stepped in. We lost our beloved pooch of over eight years to cancer. A few weeks after our Red left us, I realized that that only would her spirt be with me forever, but her spirit also lives in this house and always will. With emotion as my guide, I made a crude sign. In time, I will paint a more formal sign for our home or have it done, but the name will remain the same. We found the right name for our home.