Autumn is here
Last night I lit the log burner after the chill from the sea made me wear a coat when I locked up the girls for the night. As the wind increased in the Churchyard elms and the drop in temperature brought Albert in from his nocturnal exploits early to lie in front of the fire's warmth I realised that summer is over after what seems like only a few minutes and winter will be soon with us. The cottage looked bright and strong against the elements when I took the dogs out for their evening walk as the rain set in for the night and the whole scene reminded me again of an illistration from Anne of Green Gables or perhaps even Candleford..
The cottage always looks at its best at night.
I love looking through the front windows from the road at the two rooms that are our living room and bedroom. Both are lit, with the subdued lighting of standard lamps, which make the 1930's decor and furnishings
look just right in front of the fire and inglenook fireplace.
From the lane, I can see clearly our much loved grandfather clock, the watercolours on the wall and the old green door that I hung myself between living room and kitchen.
The regency swirl hand rail of the staircase can just been seen in front of the cottage door and I love the fact that the bookcase that I designed in the bedroom is on full view laden with books and photographs.......The whole scene looks exactly like I wanted it to....it looks quaint, and old and cosy.
Room watching was one of my guilty passions when I lived in Sheffield. At 10pm me and Finlay used to go for our evening walk around the terraced houses of Hillsborough and I used to love the fact that when he went for a wee I would be able to cop a glance at the décor, design and lifestyle of the house that we had stopped at.
Now I was not a voyeur in the pervert definition of the word ( I would always look away if anyone was sat watching tv in their front room)..... but I was certainly a kind of style pervert! ( In the truest gay definition!)
I loved seeing what wallpaper was placed with what sofa...what accessories went with what occasional table and I used to delight ( in that awful snobby but enjoyable way) when I came across a front room with stripy wallpaper and a bloody awful dado rail that shrieked COMMON!!
It was like living in my very own production of REAR WINDOW
We used to live next door to my waspish blog commentator Bel Ami......I used to love looking in his window when Fin and I returned home......mind you it was only because he has a wonderful pair of Clarice Cliff jugs on the window ledge!!!
Last night I lit the log burner after the chill from the sea made me wear a coat when I locked up the girls for the night. As the wind increased in the Churchyard elms and the drop in temperature brought Albert in from his nocturnal exploits early to lie in front of the fire's warmth I realised that summer is over after what seems like only a few minutes and winter will be soon with us. The cottage looked bright and strong against the elements when I took the dogs out for their evening walk as the rain set in for the night and the whole scene reminded me again of an illistration from Anne of Green Gables or perhaps even Candleford..
The cottage always looks at its best at night.
I love looking through the front windows from the road at the two rooms that are our living room and bedroom. Both are lit, with the subdued lighting of standard lamps, which make the 1930's decor and furnishings
look just right in front of the fire and inglenook fireplace.
From the lane, I can see clearly our much loved grandfather clock, the watercolours on the wall and the old green door that I hung myself between living room and kitchen.
The regency swirl hand rail of the staircase can just been seen in front of the cottage door and I love the fact that the bookcase that I designed in the bedroom is on full view laden with books and photographs.......The whole scene looks exactly like I wanted it to....it looks quaint, and old and cosy.
Room watching was one of my guilty passions when I lived in Sheffield. At 10pm me and Finlay used to go for our evening walk around the terraced houses of Hillsborough and I used to love the fact that when he went for a wee I would be able to cop a glance at the décor, design and lifestyle of the house that we had stopped at.
Now I was not a voyeur in the pervert definition of the word ( I would always look away if anyone was sat watching tv in their front room)..... but I was certainly a kind of style pervert! ( In the truest gay definition!)
I loved seeing what wallpaper was placed with what sofa...what accessories went with what occasional table and I used to delight ( in that awful snobby but enjoyable way) when I came across a front room with stripy wallpaper and a bloody awful dado rail that shrieked COMMON!!
It was like living in my very own production of REAR WINDOWWe used to live next door to my waspish blog commentator Bel Ami......I used to love looking in his window when Fin and I returned home......mind you it was only because he has a wonderful pair of Clarice Cliff jugs on the window ledge!!!
Memories eh?
Do you think it is an English habit, this looking through windows after dark ?
ReplyDeleteI seem to share the same behaviour, just can't resist trying to catch a glimpse of the choices of decorating and oh, when the lamps are lit, and the whole room takes on it's own coziness, I want to step inside and see more....
Any chance of a peek at your place ?
Ooh, well....
Oh yes,I love looking in windows at night to see how people live,not in the pervert way! When Hubby was in the Navy we lived in San Diego and I loved to drive through the "rich" neighbor hoods at night so I could see how the upper crust lived!
ReplyDeleteI think window wishing as we called it is a world wide habit i am sure. lol
ReplyDeleteHubby and i used to do that when we lived in Chicago.
John i adore your Cottage it is what i have always wanted.
Sue.M
Hmmm, no fair! I cannot see squat! Here I am, straining my eyes to see SOMETHING and .... nope.
ReplyDeleteI look at the windows when it's the holidays.........
This is much too busy a road to be walking on at night, so window wishing isn't a habit that I ever got into.
ReplyDeleteI do love your word picture of the cottage, all battened down and cozy against the chill of winter. That's how I feel about my old farmhouse, too. And, it's one of the reasons that I love winter so, because I feel so safe, secure and even a little isolated (old hermit lady that I can be sometimes)in my home.
I love to do the same thing John, and if I was your neighbor I'd be looking into your windows after dark too--But you've described it so well, I feel like I already am!
ReplyDeleteLoved your description of being on the outside looking in at night. Have always done this since I was a child. And like you, have been enthralled by different tastes, decorating, and design. Actually became an Appraiser/Realtor many years ago, so now I get to see others homes and get paid for it!
ReplyDeleteHaha room watching is the best! Unless it's raining or cold... Then you just get jealous of the people warm and cozy in their houses.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to see that non-Canadians also read Anne of Green Gables!
I like this post. A nice end to the summer.
What a descriptive post this is! I didn't know there was an official name for window peeping (other than Peeping Tom). There was one house on our block when we lived in central Phoenix that had orange walls and a huge painting facing the window. At night that window seemed to glow. We had sheers on our front downstairs windows so probably had our share of peepers too.
ReplyDeleteThe way I see it is that everyone knows that when its dark outside and light inside people can see in so if you don't want that you pull the curtains too. If someone leaves them open then I assume they don't mind people looking in so which is more perverted?
ReplyDeleteThere's a name for people who look through windows, don't ya know?
ReplyDeleteI don't have to do this where I live. I can HEAR my neighbour's wallpaper when I walk past.
With you, and your mesmeric neighbour "Bel", Wynyard Road did somewhat resemble Barbary Lane.
Well, almost.
Nx
lol
ReplyDeleteNige....
yes Bel was definately a bit of a Anna Madrigal figure...... but I dont quite think I was Mary Ann Singleton
For me the best window watching is at christmas. we no longer bother with a tree ourselves but I love to see other peoples in the windows at night.
ReplyDeleteAnd the only thing worth commenting on was a pair of Clarice Cliffe jugs?????
ReplyDeleteI love the description of fall you just immersed me in. I felt just like I was there, needing a coat.
ReplyDeleteSadly, yesterday afternoon here was a yucky and humid 95 degrees.
oh Bel
ReplyDeleteyou usually closed your curtains at night as I recall!!!! you shy devil!
Guilty as charged! I am a room watcher, as well. I could not care less to see any people in the houses (so no peeping Tom), but I want to see their furniture! Depending on what I see, I am then either green with envy or sooooo glad that MY taste is superior! Is this a pitiful little hobby, or what?!
ReplyDeleteI love Rear Window. I first saw it in high school when my English Teacher (Mrs. Cutler from an earlier post) had us watch it and Some Like It Hot with Marilyn Monroe).
ReplyDeleteWindow "wishing?" I like that. Smacks of holiday magic and twinkle lights...communal and festive. Definitely beats peeping and leering.
ReplyDeleteOh John you brought back happy memories for me! When I lived in the little Ski village in British Columbia my friend and I used to go for walks in the evening. In winter it was great because it was dark and so you could see into the beautiful homes where we would take our walks but they couldn't see you. We loved it when the homeowners left their blinds open! One evening we were standing in front of one of our favorite houses on the road discussing what we thought the layout of the house was like inside. We were using our gloved fingers to draw the plans in the snow bank when all of a sudden we heard voices and snickering as a man and woman passed us. Embarassed we started on our way only to watch the couple walk up the driveway and into the house we were discussing! Caught in the act. We were a little more discreet after that. I love your cottage and I'm looking forward to hearing all about its past. Have a great day...Maura :)
ReplyDeleteI have linked into your blog from son-in-law Dan's (will I be a "grand-duck" when he collects the new family members - and will he be able to bring only 3 home?) This post has got me looking for my old copies of Tales of the City, so long since I read them and now I am linking into other blogs from yours (the mouse tale was very moving) I am going to have so much reading to do I may have to give up work.
ReplyDelete