From the front path, the yard looks... interesting. The beloved weeping cherry still in its place of honor, ALL of its very dead branches artistically lopped. The big trees that line the road have all their little branches trimmed. The front bushes are neatly trimmed, letting the rhododendron blossom in all their glory. The dead limbs of the red bud are gone, the tree snug to the chimney removed. The dead & dying limbs of the tree at the corner of the fence are gone, letting the remaining tree regain its strength.
The yard looks healthy, well watered. It might not be showcase-ready, but we let it be itself, keeping it well trimmed in order to not a) alarm the neighbors and b) keep ourselves in the township's good graces.
The plants in the flower beds were carefully selected, with help from the Rachel Carson Landmark Alliance, to attract pollinators.
The property in the back looks similar to the front, although a tad wilder, with plants selected as much for their use as for their looks. In addition to the wooden fence that's firmly anchored to the wire fence, there is a natural fence of flowering trees that line the end of the property. A charming wooden shed at the far right end provides safe storage of our yardening tools & the grill. Bird houses dot the property & hang from quite a few branches.
The back door opens onto the den, which is used mostly as a guest room (having solved the challenge of kitty scents & dander). It's still a fairly dark room, but cozy. The same wood paneling has been there since what seems like forever, but it suits the room. The curtains that cover the floor-to-ceiling windows facing onto the front & the ones at the front are a lovely peach, as is the couch & large upholstered chair, both of which convert into super comfy beds. Mom Murphy's piano is now in the home of someone whose children love to play but couldn't afford one. In its place is a low book shelf that divides the social area from the beaten pathway to the garage door, den bathroom & the door to the basement.
The basement is my special area, my place to relax & read, wash & iron, my stress-free zone. My only difficult question is - Do I hang the wash on the line, spin it through the dryer or hike it up to dry outside?
The garage is where we park our primary car, as well as having wonderful shelves & cabinets for storing tools & light bulbs & other homey items. And the portable oven, which is still occasionally pressed into service if I have a big baking or one that needs hand-crafted care.
The kitchen has a new fridge & a heart's-desire stove with a terrific convection oven, with a combo convection/microwave oven over it. It is a wonderful place to cook & bake.
The cat's room (formerly the dining room) has a walkway around 3/4 of the room, with a pole for climbing up & a perch for leaping. Enough space for them to roam but falling short of being a bother in the kitchen.
The hardwood floors in the living room & dining room were replaced with beautiful floor covering that's more cat-friendly, with charming throw rugs in the living room. The furniture looks nice, but came from BATS - as long as we have cats with claws, we'll be leery about investing in expensive upholstered couches & chairs. The mantel is still laden with dolls & stuffies, ditto the tops of the hutch cabinet & tall book shelf. It is a relaxing room, one that welcomes us to haul out the portable dvd player, sink into the cozy couch & listen to Prairie Home or watch an NCIS video.
Heading upstairs, the computer studio looks ship shape & Bristol fashion - a funky combination of getting down to business & creativity prompts. Both the front room & the computer studio are off-limits to the cats. The front room is as calm & restful as the computer studio is designed to draw out great work. The front room is for meditation, contemplation, writing.
The 2nd floor bathroom is for feeling pampered. It's deep bath is perfect for a soothing soak.
The 3rd floor master bedroom is all soft colors & textures, designed off the wedding quilt Aunt Gay gave us. It is a place for peaceful slumbers. The master closet is beautiful, soft buttercup yellow with moss green trim.
It is a welcoming house, where I feel at home, at rest in every room, connected to every space.
This is how my house makes me feel.
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