Happy Vine

I had always wanted to live in a house covered by vines. When we bought our lovely old house more than a decade ago, I was so happy, but there were a few things on my “wish list” for a house that our particular house did not have:

1. A big, lovely front porch. (We just have a small series of concrete steps banked by brick leading to our front door).
2. A big walk in attic with windows (We have an attic to store things in with a pull down ladder, but it isn’t tall enough to stand up in, wouldn’t work to refinish, and has no windows).
3. A clawfoot bathtub.
4. A kitchen island that kids could sit at to eat.

I also really wanted a mudroom, but it turns out that we remodeled our tiny garage into a wonderful mudroom that I enjoy every day now.

The last, trivial thing on my wish list was vines crawling on the outside of the house. When we moved in there were no vines. But then, as if by magic, about a year after we took up residence, two vines started crawling up the outside brick walls on the south side of the house. They grew and grew, and I loved them to pieces. They’ve turned corners, crawled over windows, and I cherish them pretty much all the time.

In the summer the vines keep things cool and private. In the fall they turn a fiery shade of bright red and all the light that streaks through the windows during this fine season is yellow and orange and lovely. They make me sigh a pleasant sigh of contentment.

My husband thinks the vines are a bit like a two headed monster. To be sure, they often look a bit wild and out of control. I think they are a perfect fit for our family.