If I wanted to change my house
I'd find one more fit for a mouse
than a lord with his lawns to mow
that are always on show.
I'd nestle behind trees well grown
with thick shrubs and grasses unmown
On a shady veranda, I'd sip my tea
and not tall glasses of dry sherry
If I wanted to change my place
I'd pick a house with a friendly face
It might need a lick of paint
but I've never been one to faint
over work to be done
that can be so much fun
with a house as sweet
as this one
Don't you agree?
As a footnote, both these little houses (the first and last)reminded me so much of South Africa......not so strangely, we found them in Flanders. By the way, did you see the cat on the roof??
Val, the first house could easily be found in rural Ontario, although it's probably much smaller than the rambling farmhouses of turn-of-the-century eastern Canada.
ReplyDeleteThe second house - yes, I DID notice the cat - is wonderful! Sadly enough, it reminds me of a tumble-down crack shack we had here in town. Why is it that many of the quaint old homes of yore that are left to decay, end up becoming drug dens?
And lastly, is that cat real?
Actually, I meant the third house...
ReplyDeleteThe middle house is too big.
I love these houses, the feel of quiet simple life of times gone by. I love the fence around, and no I had to go back to notice the cat. Is that photoshop?
ReplyDeleteI am glad Sindy is doing well, maybe she just needs time to adjust to her new meds. poor girl.
We had sun, but it has been cooold! But I send you some of our sun :)
xo
On the other hand the first house could fit in like a hand in a glove here in our neighbourhood.
ReplyDelete"...than a lord with his lawns to mow.." Tell me something I don't know :) Lawn mowing is the piece of argument in our family nowadays. And it many times ends with me mowing the lawn in anger...
There is a story with a photo in Ingelas blog from last year showing the outcome of one argument with Ian, he went out to work, slamming the doors, the lawn mower started and worked for some few minutes and then stopped. He had mowed a piece in the middle of the lawn, he had cut out the contures of a big d*ck and then left...
Hi Val,
ReplyDeleteDale is absolutely right about the first house- there are many such houses just around Toronto's more rural townships.
I love the cat on the roof.
Grace, we've gone from winter to summer in one week. From freezing to roasties.
xx
AM
Hi Dale
ReplyDeleteThat's interesting to hear that you have houses so similar. I love the steps up to the door and the veranda. It makes me want to buy a rocking chair!
By the way, the cat isn't real...or if it is, then it's a master of its own motion...or lack of it. And I agree, the middle house is way too big, and just a tad pretentious too, although it has a beautiful setting by the river there. Yes, it is such a shame these old houses are left to go to ruin. Apparently, this one is owned by an old man, though, who refuses to sell and refuses to do anything to it!
Grace, the cat isn't photoshop..I don't know what it is really, but it's definitely real...if not a real cat. The weather is lovely here now!
Hans! I love your story there! That's precious...lol..I'll have to go to Inge;as blog and take a look.
Anne Marie, I think I would like Canada ;-)
Vally, is the poetry yours? It's lovely, and very whimsical. As for the houses, I think I like the first one best, although I love the position of the second on the river. I like the space too! Lots of rooms for me to spread out in. The third is very sweet and mysterious, but looks like hard work.
ReplyDeleteMy dream is an old farmhouse, maybe 16th century (so not here, obviously), with oak beams, a huge fireplace in a big hall, a big old kitchen full of my favourite pots and pans, and lots of smaller rooms to cosy up in. Woodland, paddocks and a small lake or river please, and stables.
So what am I doing in a 1930's Californian bungalow in suburban Melbourne?
Hi Val,
ReplyDeleteSorry for giving the wrong information :)
That story isn't in Ingelas' blog here on blogspot.com she wrote it in the blog/forum of the Finnish radio channel X3M but you have to be a registered member to go there and read stuff and look at photos. Sorry!
wow, that is an amazing pic.
ReplyDeleteYour words are always so beautiful when you drop by, I only wish I could write with such fluidity. The Summer and June comparisons, I loved them :)
If I could change my house you see,
ReplyDeleteT'would be a farmhouse right for me...
Up o'er a hill and near a dell,
That is what would suit me well.
Old and creaky, worn with care
Its porch lined with a crooked rail
And if I dream a little more
An ocean would horizon adorn.
So I will wait and I will see
Someday a farmhouse... perhaps.. for me
And until then remain content
For the wetlands here are heaven sent!
I love the houses Val, and have always wanted a farm house to live in, even since I was a little girl! Ah well, one day!
Love to you and Koos and Sindybin!
xo
S
Hi Val,
ReplyDeleteI do not really have something on 'if'. I just wondered about the Vereeniging's engine. Is it running again?
Love,
E.J.
Those houses look sooo quaint!..
ReplyDeleteI love the cat on the roof!..
Lovely poetic explination too!!..
You're not moving again are you!?..
Well thanks again all, and Erik Jan, so very nice to see you again! It's been a while now, so we are very curious to know what you've been up to. We've even been in your part of the world, but didn't know where you are now, so hesitated to come looking. The Vereeniging's engine is running fine. I'ts just the gearbox (keer koppeling) that has been giving trouble. Koos is going to give it a final once over and then hopefully we'll be ready to go again.I've been doign quite a bit of other work on the barge, so you must come visit again to see the latest improvements ;-)
ReplyDeleteMargie, the poem is mine. It just came out, inspired by these pics taken along the banks of the Leie River near Gent in Belgium. The second house does have the most beautiful grounds, I do agree, and in fact, I rather liked it as being the only one to have a sense of elegance and style. Most of the others were rather like overgrown bungalows!
Stevie, your poem is too lovely!!! And yes, I would also love to live on a farm. I used to, of course...
Hans, I did wonder, but never mind. thanks for letting me know anyway, and not leaving me thinking I was as blind as I am dumb ;-)
Gypsy!! How are you wee one? No I'm absolutely not moving! This was just a what if idea that was prompted by the beautiful places we saw. My argie bargie is still my first love, and the little house on the prairie is there to stay too. I've been really busy on my boat these last few weeks, so it's getting ready to sail away in the summer....can't wait.
Correction to the correction...
ReplyDeletephew...!
It is in Ingelas blog from the 2nd of Marh this year:
http://alegniinoffice.blogspot.com/2008/03/grsmattskonst.html
I don't understand how I must have skipped over it when I searched for it.
Enjoy the picture :)
When I was house hunting, I saw many like the first house. A friend of mine has one just like it - yes - she lives in a place called Carleton Place, Ontario!
ReplyDeleteThe cat is cute, but I'm wondering whether you have any hot tin roofs over there :-)
XX
L
If you were a mouse, you'd fit in a house, just as you've described. You do indeed like to paint, your houses so quaint, even barges with their names enscribed. A little mouse so funny is my little mummy, who wouldn't live in a modern house if bribed.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what happened to me, but so it should be, that if I never saw a paint tin again, I'd be so happy with glee.
LOVE YOU MAAAAAAAAA
arrggh! The link should be appended with .html
ReplyDeletelike this:
http://alegniinoffice.blogspot.com/2008/03/grsmattskonst.html
Sorry for the inconvienience.
Hans
*sigh*
ReplyDeleteI'll throw in the towel...
I certainly agree! That kind of a house is like from the dreams.
ReplyDelete