Paula is hosting today's Simply Lovely Fair, and though I don't always get to participate in these fairs, I knew this one was a definite. Windows?? If you've been reading my blog for even a short time, then you know how much I loooove my windows. ;)
Not because they're fancy; they're not. And not because they're brand spankin' new; they're not that either. (In fact, most of them are pretty old.)
Simply put, the reason I find my windows so lovely is because they are a portal to the world around us - most notably the natural world. They keep us in touch with the seasons, the weather, and the nature all around us. You know, there's a whole lot of nature that can be observed without ever leaving the comfort of the couch. :)
Windows also connect us with the subtle changes of the day. We watch the light move across the room as the morning unfolds. The golden light of late afternoon reminds us it's time to start supper. Through our open windows we hear a spring storm approaching, or the tree frogs deep in the woods. We might smell rain in the air, or maybe the smoke from a distant brush fire. We see frost on the panes some mornings; on others we feel the humidity rising with the sun.
But whatever the world outside hands us - be it wind or rain or worse - we close our windows and we are safe. They warm us in the winter, cool us in the summer, and they lock us up tight when night falls.
Well, I could wax poetic for some time about windows (obviously), but I think at this point I should start sharing pictures. :) It's been rainy here the past few days, but finally we have some nice weather, so as the sun rose, I started snapping my favorite window spots around the house ...
The first thing I like to do in the morning, just as soon as it gets light, is to raise the blinds in all the bedroom windows. This one is Earlybird's:
The valance was made by my mother-in-law (EB's room has a lighthouse theme). I must say the one thing that stymies me about windows is window treatments. Very few of my windows actually have curtains - I tend to keep them bare and just hang things like vines and little lights along the top. This is mostly because A. I don't like to obstruct the view and B. I have no sense of style whatsoever.
Coming back out into the kitchen for another cup of coffee, I find the morning light spilling in ...
My kitchen is on the north side of the house, so it can be dark in the morning. We are toying with the idea of putting in solar tubes to let in more light, which as any homekeeper knows is essential in the kitchen - for efficiency as much as atmosphere. Still, I love my view of the woods. :)
And here is the family room, just waking up ~
These are the biggest windows in the house, and despite my previous statement about our house having old windows, these are relatively new. We put the family room on about three years ago (or is it four?). The one stipulation was lots of windows - I wanted to feel like I was living in my woods. Notice my cup of coffee in the lower right corner. This is where I enjoy my morning cuppa(s).
You might notice these windows still need to be trimmed. It's on the list. ;)
Next we have our French doors, which are not actually French doors, but a slider with extra big sidelights. They offer us plenty of light (that's the sunrise) and a nice view of the backyard.
Here's that same shot, an hour later:
I so love the morning light. :)
And last but not least, our learning room windows. These are my most favorite of all:
Just outside these windows is the huge spruce tree from which hang - at last count - eight birdfeeders. Through these windows we've identified birds of all kinds. We've observed the (sometimes bizarre) behaviors of squirrels - back, red and gray. We've spotted toads and bugs bigger than big. We've saved critters from cats, watched turkeys scale a fence, and we've spied on our nocturnal neighbors as well. (Just to clarify, I mean raccoons and skunks.)
It's a wonder we get any learning done around here. ;)
The way I see it, through these windows we experience life - the quiet everyday nature of life that passes almost unseen by most of the world. These windows allow us to be privy to that - in a small, but not insignicant way. The world is a big place, and learning all about it takes a long time. It's best to start small. Because that world begins just a step outside the back door - or I should say just beyond the window screen. :)
Well, I thank you very much for stopping by today, and my apologies to Paula for being so late with my Fair entry! Her Fair was just lovely without me though - I hope you'll pop on over to check it out! And ... I hope you all have a good night ~ I'll see you all again sometime soon.
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