I visited Royal Oak, the "big town" next door, while growing up in Clawson. Falling in love with Royal Oak after so many hot fudge sundaes at Sanders, I hoped to live there one day. I graduated from Clawson High in 1972 with my best friend, Doug, then left home to earn my degree in literature and journalism from Michigan State University. After college I married Doug (who became an architect) on the condition that he would shop for our first home in Royal Oak. He agreed.

Twenty-nine years, one child, six cats, and several renovations later, we're still proud to call Royal Oak home. Our son, Nate, moved to Chicago after college, making us official "empty nesters" in 2008.

My freelance writing career began here in Oakland County in 1984. I reviewed plays and films, covered art galleries and hamburger joints, and interviewed circus performers and business owners for several local papers, including the Daily Tribune and The Oakland Press. I've contributed to more than 60 national and regional publications, from The Christian Science Monitor to Reader's Digest and Better Homes & Gardens.

I'm also the author of Writing Home, a memoir focused on home and family themes. While the book centers mostly around life in Oakland County, it won several national awards for creative nonfiction.

I believe everything we do -- whether we're planting tomatoes, making vegetable soup, or building kitchen cabinets -- is an expression of our creativity. My mission as a lifestyles columnist for Patch is to uncover the beauty and richness of daily living. Right under our noses. Right where we are. 

Please visit my blog, Cindy La Ferle's Home Office, at www.laferle.com and read my "No Place Like Home" columns biweekly on Royal Oak Patch.