On Looking Out

When we moved into our house . . . back in 2003 . . . I was delighted by our windows. At that time, they were much different than they are today.

(This is today, by the way.)

Each window was broken up into those little grid patterns that look so charming from the outside, but are a nightmare of dusting from the inside. (They really did look charming.) Further, our two front bay windows and the big living room window at the back of the house were first subdivided into 3 narrow, vertical panels, with each panel divided into the little grids. It looked nice, really, although it was a lot of grid.

Within a year, though, I convinced Tom that the little grids had to go. It wasn't so much the cleaning part (although there was that), but all those grids really broke up my view . . . looking out. The narrow, vertical panels remained, however.

Years later (in 2016), we replaced all the windows in the house, and it was my chance to start fresh. I had to go to the mat with the window guy . . . insisting that I wanted big, open picture windows and NO grids or panels in my windows at all. He thought I was nuts. He kept going on and on about "curbside appeal" and how wonderful the gridded windows would look from the street. He kept foisting "samples" at me . . . of all the different window grid styles I could choose from.

But those little window grids? They just aren't for me. They are absolutely charming, but I want to SEE out my windows. By then, I had created some lovely views in my yard and gardens, and we have gorgeous sunset views from the front of our house. I wanted those views to be part of my house from the inside . . . without being broken up by the grids. With gridded windows, things might look "better" (nicer? more desirable?) to people on the outside, looking in. But those grids really distort the views for the people on the inside, looking OUT.

I held my ground, and in the end, I got just what I wanted: plain, big, ungridded glass windows!

I have never regretted my decision.

"The window has a wonderful view of the lake, but the view doesn't view itself."
                        --- Wisława Szymborska

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I hope you have a wonderful week, with plenty of time for looking out . . . at all the best views.

Window Magic

Every once in a while, I write a blog post inviting you to look out my windows. But . . . I'm not going to do that today. Because my view is tedious these days. Early Michigan spring . . . is not much to look at. Still mostly dead, although beginning to wake up.

Besides. Today . . . it is snowing again.
(Le sigh.)

So I'll show you my magic windows instead!

I have these two stained glass windows in the corner of my bathroom (which is a pretty luxurious and generously sized bathroom I must admit). I don't know the story behind these windows, because they were there when we bought the house and the owners didn't share the history/story. I initially thought they were . . . interesting. But because the bathroom was wallpapered in a really dark stripe pattern, and because the carpet was dark as well, I never really noticed their magic.

A few years ago, we re-did the bathroom. We removed the dark wallpaper and replaced the carpet. We also pulled out the jacuzzi tub (I know; but we never used it and it had become just a place to pile stuff up on, y'know?) and created a "yoga corner" for me.

With the lighter walls and floor, we were amazed by our magic windows! 

Winters in Michigan tend to be . . . very gloomy. We don't get a lot of sunshine. (It's being surrounded by the Great Lakes.) But when the sun DOES show up . . . my bathroom is The Place To Be!

On sunny mornings, my yoga practice is like a light show! My magic windows brighten up the gloomiest winter (and spring) days. The patterns are incredibly varied - and always changing.

So, sure. None of this is happening today. It's gloomy and (sigh) snowing. You don't want to look out my windows today. But, like me, maybe you can look at my magic windows and dream of a sunny day!

I'm sure they're coming.
Eventually.

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Happy Monday!
Here's to a good week for all of us.

Out My Window: A Bit of Magic

“Don’t fight darkness—bring the light, and darkness will disappear.”
                                – Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

The first holiday decorations I put up inside my house every year? Twinkle lights! And I put them up everywhere -- on my mantle, on my tables, in my entryway, on my stairway, pretty much . . . every surface has twinkle lights. (Which has gotten much easier and more do-able now that light sets are so often battery-operated -- with built-in timers.) When it's time to put the holiday décor back in the boxes in January, I usually leave some of my twinkle lights up. 

It's so dark.
The nights are so long.
And the twinkle lights add a warm glow.
They make me happy in a gloomy time of year.

This year, I tried something new, twinkle light-wise. I ordered sets of "curtain lights" (these, from Amazon) for every window in my house. While they took some time to "install," it wasn't hard. And I've loved the results. The little built-in timers turn on my lights every night around 5:30, and they automatically turn off at 11:30. (Magic.)

They have made these dark months cozy and warm and inviting. I love my twinkle light windows!

My holiday decorations are long packed away by now. This is it, as far as twinkle lights go -- just my window "curtain lights" remain. I'll probably take them down sometime before the end of the month, though. It's time. The days are getting longer, and I just don't feel as strong a pull for the twinkle lights anymore.

But it's been such a pleasure . . . to look out my windows and see the warm, glowing light in the darkness.

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Happy Monday. I hope it's the start of a good week for you.

Out My Window

The window frame is not that important. What is important is the light that comes through the window.
                –Eckhart Tolle

Magic happens . . . out your windows.
Make sure to take a peek!

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Here's to a good week for all of us. Happy Monday.

Out My Window

Tonight is the winter solstice . . . the longest night of the year.

When I look out my windows during the day, the scenery is pretty bleak.
There is no snow to speak of.
The garden is dormant. 

But at night, out my windows, I get this . . . 

My lights . . . are doubled! Those lights on the right - through the patio door? It looks like there's a tree outside, but that's just a reflection of the birch tree inside.

It happens all over in my house. Reflections of my inside lights . . . out my windows!

I call it my solstice bonus.
And it's very welcome right now.

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Today is also this guy's birthday . . . 

Happy Birthday, Tom! 
Here's to a year filled with all the things you like best! (Me, included.)

Out My Window

"Throw open your window and let the scenery of clouds and sky enter your room."
                -- Yosa Buson

I am very fortunate to have wonderful, big windows in my house . . . along with some pretty great views. (It helps to live on a hill.) (And to be a gardener, too, I suppose.) I thought it might be fun to share my views with you once in a while.

Last Friday, as the sun was coming up, I could see some remaining fall colors in my little "grove" of trees (there is a little, glowing serviceberry peeking out on the left, then the now-nearly-bare larch, and then the red-bronze dogwood on the right). A storm was due to come in, so I wanted to capture what might have been the last of the color . . . out my window.

Meanwhile, this is what that sunrise looked like from the other side of my house - looking west, out my front windows.

That glow gets me every time!

And here's something new this year. . . 

That fabulous orange tree? It's an oak tree. And never in my years of looking out this window has it turned orange! It's one of those oaks that holds on to its tough brown leaves all winter long. . . usually. But in this very strange color season, its leaves have turned a brilliant orange -- and I can see them out my window.

Then the storm came through . . . 

And I got this view out my window . . . 

Here's to a great week for all of us!
Don't forget to take in the view . . . out your window.