Story Weekend: What's Outside Your Window?
What do you see when you look outside your window? (If this is your view, I’m coming to visit!)
If you’re new to Story Weekend, here’s how it works: I pick a theme and you share something from your life that relates to that theme, however you interpret it. Thanks to all of you who’ve contributed. As always, there are a few “rules”:
▪ The story must be true
▪ Try to keep it under 100 words. Embrace the challenge! That’s about six or seven lines in the comment form. I want others to read your story, and most people tend to skip if it’s too long. I know how tough it is to “write tight” but I hope you’ll accept this as a challenge.
Outside my window the chickens are deciding if they should venture out into the cold. The crows are searching the driveway for misplaced seed, and the smaller birds are swarming the feeders. One of the dogs just raced out of the dog door to bark at nothing. In the distance, the mountains are still frosty, but the sun is beginning to peek over the tops of the trees. Typical morning in the mountains of Western North Carolina. I do love it here.
I look out into the back yard and see the barely visible form of a mother deer. She stands stock still, alert for any dangers. Over the years, her hunting grounds have shrunk to a few, carefully planned groupings of trees and bushes. In the spring, those same humans will provide wonderfully colorful food for her and the family. Yes, her search today will not be too fruitful, but in April the red, yellow and white tulips will provide a hearty meal!
I live in Derbyshire UK.
At the end of my garden are trees, beautiful trees. Lots of birds feed on the seed feeders and nuts that I put for them. I see blue tits, blackbirds ,robin and even an occasional woodpecker.
I love watching them.
I see memories
Buried like ashes under the orange tree in the backyard outside the window.
A resurrection today
A coming of saplings-nurturing the life that gave them birth. or put them to rest.
Bitter. Sweet Semisweet .
The landscape outside my window — inside my beating soul.
Je Suis Skyagunsta.
Since my neighbours had their tree cut down my front windows let all the sunlight in and I have a clear view of the comings and goings in my cul de sac without having to go outside and seem ‘nosy’. Today, I am glad of that clear view as I can watch my children ride their bikes and have an unlimited amount of fun in the warm weather. Armed with water pistols, I head outside to tempt them with a water fight.
It is mid-winter in the Southern USA and my country view is beautiful, I see a fresh cut field with hay in bales ready for the farm animals soon. A new home is going up across the road. It will welcome a family of four soon. When I turn my head a little I see the cows in the pasture waiting to be fed. The trees are bare but that’s ok, I know spring will soon arrive and everything will once again be vibrant. There is beauty in all four seasons in the South.
The view outside my patio door is best in the summer.Everything is that lush green that only summer gives us. Five backyards provide a park like atmosphere because noone has a fence.Over the last twenty two years I have lost three trees which used to shade my flowers and hostas. The leaves in the fall carpet the lawns and I love to watch them flutter and dance merrily to the ground in the stiff fall winds.Icestorms can glisten and bow tree branches to the ground,but give me the forsythias and other harbingers of spring to bring me back my lush summer view.
A tall stand of evergreens seems to embrace the yard and house, offering the cacophony of resident birds running recon on the marmalade cat on the fence. A pair of mourning doves nestles in the lower limbs, nearly camouflaged by the feathers of mist that linger and mingle with chimney smoke.
I’m writing this at night but on a clear day and if the blinds are fully open if you look out the front window you can see people doing their normal routines, dog walking, walking to school and cars but not a lot I live on a quiet street.
If you look out the back windows you won’t see much but our neighbours(during the summer they have dinner parties) and we always tend to spy on them. They are up so late.
New Years Eve there were fireworks and I hate hearing them but not being able to see them.
Outside my window I see the blue sky of a crisp winters day . The trees bereft of their finery salute the sky , hopeful that Spring will come . There is a roof of a house only just visible . A lady lived in the house . She became ill and left . The house seemed sad . Now there is a family . I catch glimpses of tiny children , wellies and mittens . Laughter . The hose is no longer sad . Outside my window I see hope .
The view outside my window is of a ranch style fence fronting an open field. I can only see grass, trees and horses. However, the field holds many secrets. Deer, tawny owls, foxes, rabbits and various rodents hide themselves away. If I could just get up at 5am, I may spot them! They think that I am unaware of their existence. I am not. In summer, black-current bushes are prolific. Oh, I wish that I could bake!!
Outside my window is a partially snow covered ground with some patches of road sneaking through, it is not fresh snow so there are tire marks and foot prints all around. The sky is grey and threatening to cover the world again with a fresh coating of white. The neighbors black car is parked close to the door, too cold to walk far. My cat is perched on the window sill watching, waiting…not sure for what nothing is moving for now.
Like Kathie, I too live in WNC. The view from my back window is the same, minus the chickens. My dog jumps through his doggie door, barking, just because he can. After all, there may be something lurking somewhere. The front window affords a view of the street, neighbors’ homes, and during this winter season a view of Forge Mountain as a backdrop. Periodically we’ll see a doe and 2 or 3 fawns grazing in back yards or bravely standing in front lawns at night, visible only with headlights. A bear and a fox are nearby at times.
Outside my patio window is a view of the hills–not so green because of the drought but beautiful none the less. Also a view of the huge ficus tree that really needs trimmed but gorgeous when it is full. And lastly, the birds at the various feeders we have hanging. I get such a sense f peace when I look out this window!
The ice storm this morning has turned the world into a forbidden place with the branches of the peach tree bent low and the concrete patio floor shiny and pretty and dangerous to one who might venture outside. And yet my green Buddha on the icy wooden patio steps endures all this weather with patience and in prayer. The stone offering before him reminds me that I too can endure anything that is sent my way if only I will practice patience and stillness.
Out my windows, I see memories of last summer. My oldest hits a wiffle ball, and excitedly runs the bases as my husband feigns a fall in his attempt to get her “out.” Her arm is in a hot pink cast covered in Sharpie autographs from a tumble off her bike. I also see my youngest pushing a pink baby stroller several paces behind my husband as he mows the lawn. She has important work to do, she says. In the backyard, my husband and I are sitting on our patio sipping wine while counting fireflies and our blessings.
Today, in my backyard, is a backhoe digging a ditch for new plumbing. So instead I am writing about a nice summer day. In the morning I see the patio where I will sit and have my morning coffee. The sun is still behind the trees, so the temperature is pleasant. The bees are pollinating the small blooms of my purslane. My hardy Hibiscus plants are in full bloom. The Crepe Myrtle also adds color to the landscape. The windchimes are playing a song just for me. I listen to the cardinals calling out to each other. Sometimes I will play a game with them. I have bird calls downloaded on my phone and Kindle I am sure they can’t tell that its me. I always tell them they are cheating on their mates. In a few hours the sun will be high enough over the trees that my grandkids will enjoy swimming in the pool. The neighborhood kids also love my backyard. We have them knocking on the door to ask permission to play on the big tree house swing set. As the sun starts to go behind the trees, we sit outside and enjoy the shade. Maybe we will light a fire in the outdoor fireplace and cook hotdogs and marshmallows.
But right now, I just hear the backhoe running and the guys repairing the plumbing. Thank goodness the weather is unseasonably warm and not the below freezing temperatures of the last few weeks.
Outside my window is a small elevated vegetable “garden”. It is a sad little garden because the vegetables that were in full bloom over the summer were left to die. Dead stalks from peppers, tomatoes, and assorted vines lie in the box, unattended, uncared for and unclipped. Sigh…
Outside my window a see a neighborhood of people struggling to exist day by day, homes run down and built so close together that there is no privacy. Then I look up and I see the beauty of God’s creation, by day it is in the birds that sit in the trees serenading us, at night it is the stars that are like diamonds strewn across black velvet. It is at these times when I know God has truly blessed me, He sends the birds and the stars to cheer me up and fill me with wonder.
Outside my window I see a beautiful golf course. It is bathed in sunlight and sheltered by trees, many of which are older than the development of south Florida. A family of Egrets are pecking the grass, their feather’s dazzling white against the green. Two golf carts just rolled past and I know, the golfers will be appreciating the, warmth and sun, for they are probably snow birds from Canada. For me though, this is my backyard, all year, and though I miss mountains and hills, I appreciate the often solitary walks, with the variety of sounds from the wildlife across this combination of natural and manicured beauty.
Outside my window I see a wall with the starlings I’ve adopted chattering and quarrelling over their food, and a line of silver birch trees forming a barrier to the sea, whose roar I can hear at night when all else is quiet. These last few months have been hard but the sea and the starlings remind me that life and nature have their rhythms and patterns, and that maybe better days lie ahead.
As I sit peering outside the window the ocean laps softly upon the beach. Today the beach is empty except for the occasional person walking their dog, a bird searching for a snack, or lovers on a winter stroll upon the beach laughing as the water comes so closely to their feet. As I sit here memories flood my mind of those beautiful lazy days when we would escape to our cottage and enjoy our little slice of Heaven. Our lives were filled with dreams and aspirations of things to come.