Bringing The Outdoors In

  When you get to be a certain age, or of a certain age, things begin to change around you. Your focus changes, the things that normally matter just aren't the same as when your in your 20's or 30's even

into your 40's. I suppose one would say, "your priorities shift" that is, if your one of the lucky ones.

 

Now, that doesn't mean you stay stuck in those years, or you carry them into your 60's. It just means you've grown and if you're lucky it also means your growing with the world, in it's crazy fast moving changes. And if your really lucky... things don't matter anymore, whether there old, worn out, dusted daily, it's when less is more and stuff that sits everywhere ends up at the thrift store.

 

Believe it or not... most of what you find at the thrift shop comes from older people. The trash of there life collected over the years to impress those that walked in and out, becomes something to someone else. Which is not always a bad thing, just simply a sad thing, that we are such a disposable society.

 

 

I found two of these chairs a few years back in an upper class section of town. The elite people so they call them. Funny, you leave high school to join the rest of the people working and walking the world, only to find out nothing has really changed, but hopefully you have.

The clicks still remain, maybe not the ones connected to high school or college, but they find there place in life. The low life's, the poor, the middle class, the rich, the hunger, the lost, the broken hearted, etc, it just ends up on the streets of everyday living...no longer walking the halls of a school.

Yet if you've changed, none of those labels will matter to you....as they are just what they are.. labels. Labels to make those who don't know themselves, who can't look in the mirror to face there own life, think they have a handle, a control of that life. Most often fake, brightened by compliments, labels, things and more things, becomes a never ending circle.

And that's just not me....so I rescued those chairs, Adirondack to be correct. Both in nice shape not a nail or piece out of place. Simply someone with money wanted something more....seems there is a problem there don't you think?

 

 

They have been sitting on my deck for many years now, I've enjoyed there simplicity, there aging, the time it took someone to cut the wood and construct the pieces.

I brought one inside this year, I love bringing the outdoors in as much as possible. I've dreamed of living in the middle of the woods surrounded by it's beauty, it's soothing noises... without a label, it accepts us all.

The chairs have aged... the wood is meant to do so from what my neighbor has mentioned. The space has been a bit of it's own work in progress leading me in the direction it wants to go. I had no vision, no thought that doing this space would even occur....No big hurry though, I just let time show me.... it will mark the way the space is meant to be...

I've crocheted a couple blankets, knitted several pillows. I am not big on color, I find neutrals soothe my soul with pops of white or creams that compliment and brighten my days.

 

 

Recently I was outside cleaning the garden area and preparing the lavender for winter....I passed my grapevines and began to cut them again. I had this old milk type vase in a closet, brought it out and began placing the grapevine in the piece.

 

 

The photograph does not do it justice at all, it has 3 small white little birds perched on the branches with the ends of the grapevines touching the ceiling in a very natural way... as if it belongs. Oh, look what has appeared a little elegant white bird who is the size of a hummingbird.

 

 

The curtains I have had for decades, gorgeous muslin type have grown with me, just as the clock. I am a lover of unusual clocks, especially large ones.

Look closely at the branches, see the 3 canning jars hanging in the vines with 3 round 7 watt bulbs that offer the perfect lighting. They light the space so elegantly, it warms the heart as the branches come alive in the night. The light fixtures my son gave me for my birthday from World Market, they are so easy to use. If I can hang them so can you.

 

In the end, everything finds it's way, it's place in it's own time. I have no time to impress... only time to enjoy...I have no time to care whether someone approves or not, only time to bask in the beauty that brought it's way into my life. Not costing me anything other than being aware of everything around me, not searching for anything other than to be happy in this life...and I am.

 

When we don't expect or want, things have a way of showing up by themselves. And after all, isn't that the best way? The space will continue to evolve on it's own whether the chair stays weathered or white washed. I've cut ivory canvas to add padding to the chair but that's up to the chair. It will let me know if that is what's to happen.

No rush, no worries, no hurry....simply let it be.

Tag along and see how this corner evolves. Oh, and I am getting a bit daring and incorporating a blue egg shell color to the livingroom, through knitting and crocheting. Take time to look around the next time you go outside there are so many beautiful things waiting for you to discover.
 

 

<3 Pamela