You’ve probably heard of, or seen the movie, “A Room With A View.” But what I passed on my way home yesterday was definitely a view with a room.I was driving along my usual 2-mile route home from HolEssence, minding my own business, when all of a sudden the ivy climbing this beautiful brick building catches my attention.
“Look at me, just look at me, will you?!” it cries. I slow down to take a look. Not just a cursory glace, but a real look.
The view is amazing! Just look at how the windows are barely peeking out from behind the ivy—like knowing eyes peering out from behind long bangs.
There are cars behind me so I continue past, slowly. thinking, Thinking, Thinking. It looks like the perfect writer’s loft. No. It looks like a Hobbit’s abode.
Knowing I’ve got the camera in the car, I make a right-hand turn as soon as I can, and circle back.
What comes to mind as you look at the windows winking out from behind the ivy?
Tuesdays with Laurie 
Laurie,
The view does remind me of a cloister, hey I was a monk in another life… or in my heart I am one now.
I like the hiddenness right there in front of the world. Like my secret garden…
I am Love, Jeff
Jeff – Ohhhhh, I love what came to mind for you – a cloisterl; a secret garden.
Thank you for stopping by. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Some one who lives in there is really old and doesn’t have the strength or energy to yank them down!!
Mona – Unlike you who would have those windows gleaming from a fresh scrub, every vent in the house vacuumed, and not a single spider daring to spin the smallest web in your space. You’re house is neat as a pin – inside and out.
I’m glad for your visit this morning, thank you for stopping by 🙂
Okay, I’ve just dropped by for a sec on my way to the garden….that view makes me want to grab a ladder and my pruners and get to work. I am with Mona, someone needs to rescue whoever is trapped behind that wall of creeping oblivion. Beautiful growing up the side of a stone castle or even cottage, but detrimental to the wooden window frames and blocking the light of day from the interior. As a Virgo, I must admit that it disturbs my sense of tidiness, however, that is just me being judgmental, something I need to watch. As the old saying goes, “pull the weeds in your own garden before you complain about your neighbor’s”. And so, here I go, tools in hand, to conquer my own!
Sandi – As a Master Gardener, I know that sight has to send you through the roof. Innumerable buildings have been destroyed by ivy that has crushed it with it’s death-grip hug. It’s captivating to look at though, and certainly sent my imagination into overdrive. With milder temperatures, I know you’ll have a fantastic time working in your own garden today.
As luck would have it ( perfectly timed of course!), my brother David drove up just as I was pulling up the last of the crowder peas vines and not too much later the tiller was tearing through the soil. I got a good sized bed of kale seeded and a bed ready for the turnip seed that will be planted tomorrow. As I told David, full of gratitude mind you, ” this is so much easier when some one else does the plowing for you!” I only got a Look in response…..
Sandi – Bless your brother David!
We had delicious kale earlier this week when we were at the Tinkler’s house having Kathy’s famous “red soup.” You put torn up fresh kale in the bottom of your bowl, and then ladle the soup over it — Oh my gosh, it was delicious!
What a lovely, lovely place…..wouldn’t it be magical to sit in one of those windows with a good book and peek out amongst the leaves?
Miss Amy Lynn @ Flandrum Hill has windows that are tucked into ivy like this!
Cindy Lou – As a die-hard reading addict, I resonate strongly with your idea of sitting behind one of those windows with a good book (a cuppa hot tea), periodically peeking out through the leaves. And thank you for letting me know about FLANDRUM HILL – now that’s a magical place, to be sure. Thank you for your visit – have a great weekend!
It’s a hidden world…the people who live behind this Ivy are writers. They peer out through their magic window and stories appear to them from other worlds. Their computer is now covered with ivy. It’s taking them over, but they don’t care. Too many enchanting stories are entangled in the greenery.
Kathy – magical windows, enchanted stories, other-worldly writers … I love it!
The first thing I thought of was the Kudzu vines in Atlanta that grow so much that they tear things down…..
I was also watching an idol of mine, Jane Goodall News on ABC…..Apes using vines/twigs…. as a tool to find termites to eat……
I love houses that have vines, it gives a bit of intrege and mystery to the house…
Kim – Like you, I think that Jane Goodall is the best. I especially like her book, “Harvest for Hope.”
The first thought that came to my mind was that it was a window to a writing room, and the writer who lives within the room has to open the window from time to time to cut back the vines so that he or she can continue to see the far away lands. Ivy is a good place to hide. It covers all of the imperfections. It makes excellent camoflauge. The writer can be anyone he or she wants to be while hiding behind the ivy.
Barbara – far away lands, good place to hide, camoflauge … it must be a mystery writer. I was thinking in terms of time travel. The room hidden behind the ivy is somewhat of a way station … a hidden place to get resituated from wherever you’ve just been, or to get ready for where you’re about to go.
A way station is a perfect description, Laurie. The window is the entrance and exit (why use a door when there is a perfectly good window just waiting to be opened?). I think I might go there someday soon.
Barbara – I like the idea of the window being an entrance and exit (sort of like a revolving door).
As a crazy garden girl, I think it looks really cool. I get compliments on the vines growing up my cement stairs. It’s all in the way you see it. Do you see the wall half vined-filled or half empty. hahahahaha
Beth – I’m curious to know if you saw 32,000 carved pumpkins today? I sure hope you took photographs! I promised you some information about the therapeutic and metaphysical properties of jasper:
JASPER – The Supreme Nurturer
Jasper is a stone of gentleness and relaxation. It enhances one’s ability to relax and brings tranquility, comforting, wholeness, healing, and gentle endings. It is sometimes called the nurturing stone for its nurturing and protective energies. In the physical realm, jasper is used for the liver, gallbladder, soothing the stomach, and balancing yin/yang energies.
Wasn’t there ivy growing around the main house in THE SECRET GARDEN? Anyway, the mystery and foreboding in that lovely tale does carry over into my feelings whenever I see windows sunken in behind the foiliage.
I just saw such a house earlier this week when surveying a famed street in our area that is known for communal Halloween decorating. That house was really spooky.
Sam – I loved reading the book, The Secret Garden, and I believe I’ve seen two different movie versions – both British. “Mystery” and “Foreboding” are both great descriptors!
Our street doesn’t seem to do an excessive amount of decorating for Halloween, but we definitely get our share of trick-or-treaters. Living 3 blocks from an elementary school and a junior high school, at last count we had 42 kids under the age of 18 living on our street! I keep a large first aid kit — it was meant to be a fishing tackle box — by the front door because someone’s always getting hurt and when that happens, they come running for “Doctor B.”
great find along the route.Makes me want to say “crystal clear”It also reminds me that one has to be present to see what is really out there.
Roamer – I’m sure glad you stopped in for a visit. You sure hit the nail on the head with: “One has to be present to see what is really out there.”
Pingback: Leonard Bernstein, ‘Play Dead,’ ‘Kimberly Akimbo,’ Ozu and ‘Hereafter’ on Monday Morning Diary (October 25) « Wonders in the Dark
Readers – If you want to jumpstart the Halloween scaries, head over to the Wonders in the Dark horror movie countdown. Boo!