Tuesday 30 March 2010

Outside my front door: The Gallery




It is raining cats and dogs outside my front door (which is the new prompt for The Gallery) at the moment. Meanwhile, on the inside, it is fair old chaos, as we try to pack for a 10 day roadtrip taking in Florida, Georgia and all the other states between New York and the South - no mean feat when the weather could range from snowstorms to tropical heat. The Doctor has already announced, with a meaningful look at me, that he does not want to be carrying 'hundreds of little bags' in and out of motels every day, but at the same time that he does not want me to overload the Big Suitcase with heavy stuff. Sigh....

Anyway, here is a picture of our driveway*, taken last November at the height of the autumn foliage. As you can see, we live in an area with a lot of very tall trees. So leaves are very much a feature of our life here, framing the changing seasons.

In the autumn, there are so many leaves that the council has special leaf-collecting lorries that trawl the streets once a week to remove the debris. Residents spend most weekends leaf-blowing and raking, while others employ large gangs of 'landscapers' for the task. But as you can see, it is beautiful.

In the summer, our street is cool and green, shaded by the huge trees. The boys collect pine cones by the dozen, and the leaves are so thick you can hardly see the neighbouring houses.

Winter is much more public, with unexpected vistas of neighbouring homes, but I rather like the extra sunlight it affords our house. The trees are battered by frequent storms, and it's not unusual to see a large branch down, or half a tree lying in the street. We live in fear of one falling on the car (it's happened to a number of people I know).

Now it is spring, and the driveway is covered in pinky-red blossoms that fall all over the car windscreen and stick to the soles of my boots.
*Note also, in the centre, our all-American mailbox. I still haven't got used to the fact that letters don't come through our front door, and I have to remember to go and empty it. But the Littleboys love being asked to go and look inside.






14 comments:

Tara@Sticky Fingers said...

Painting the most beautiful picture of where you live.
Wish it looked that gorgeous outside my front door!

London City Mum said...

Packing own bag now and offering to house sit any time you need..... ;-)

LCM x

fenngirl said...

Oh, that is just gorgeous. Am quite envious of the view outside your back door. Those colours are heavenly - and I love the description of the different seasons. M x

Not From Lapland said...

wow, what a lovely place. Those colours are fabulous.

Jen Walshaw said...

How wonderful to experiance the season just outside your door. I am extra envious of the blossom, I was commenting to MadDad last night that I miss our ornimental cherry which we had in our first home

Mwa said...

Gorgeous. I might start my own search for a house with trees and a driveway tonight.

nappy valley girl said...

Tara - thank you. I am lucky, I know. It wasn't this pretty in London!

LCM - as long as you promise to babysit too, you're on!

Audreyhorne - thank you. It's amazing how having trees around makes you notice everything much more.

Heather - the US definitely outranks England on autumn colour....

TheMadHouse - I love blossom. I wanted to have branches of it at my wedding, but it wasn't possible - over by May....

Mwa - the driveway can be a mixed blessing. LIke when it snows and you have to shovel the entire thing....

Iota said...

Lovely picture.

And have a good trip. That's some mileage you're planning to cover. Good for you.

Home Office Mum said...

Right. That's it. I'm coming over. Enough is enough. You've been tantalising me with talk of this new life for long enough, and now seeing it, I am there. Expect me on your doorstep imminently.

nappy valley girl said...

Iota - yes, are we crazy or what? We're doing some of it by Auto Train but the rest of it will be by car....

HomeOfficeMum - you're always welcome!

Calif Lorna said...

That looks so lovely. I love all the trees and everything looks so green.

Hope you have a fantastic trip - I get told off for taking lots of little bags too.

Expat mum said...

The man next door has just been out with his leaf blower - and blew all the leaves right in front of my hoose! Cheek!

angelsandurchinsblog said...

How lovely - red trees at this time of year. What, by the way, do you do with 'pine cones by the dozen'? My second one is obsessed with collecting the things, and I don't know what to do with his treasure trove.

A Modern Mother said...

That looks very New England!