Fairy Bower

As a follow up to the canoe post, I thought I'd give a brief glimpse into the grounds of my best girlfriend "Sneaksleep's" parents' house in Maryland.  Sneaksleep's parents moved from Central New York to Maryland a number of years ago, and have this wicked cool house set in wooded hills that my husband and I love. Although they are now selling the house for their move to Ireland, I will always think of many aspects of their Maryland house as being my ideal.

As you know, I am a gardener.  I deeply love gardens - rich lush growing things, and all the surprises and delights they give.  I also love wooded places.  Sneaksleep's parents' house is a mix of both, in an intoxicatingly delicious way.  My husband and I long to have a woodland home like it: a contemporary home with lots of exposed beams and windows, decks and patios and walkways galore, hundreds of varieties of birds, and gardens, gardens, gardens.  Oh, and no neighbors who can be seen from the house.  There is truly no need for any kind of curtain at this house - the only witnesses to one's morning shower are bugs, trees and foxes.

The house seen through the trees, looking like a tree house.  From here, the house reminds of of Lothlorien (for any Lord of the Rings fans):

The Japanese style tea house which serves also as a pool house:

The salt water inground pool.  Coolest pool ever.  I hate chlorine, but do find the idea of a pool appealing.  This is the perfect solution.  No "shocking" the pool with highly toxic chemicals, no chemical smell or taste, no drying of your skin.  Just salty water, about the salinity of tears, actually.  Such a delicious place to swim:

Pablo, enjoying a nap:

Being Maryland, they have rhododendrons and azaleas galore, which were in bloom.  They also have an intoxicating mix of other plants, including the largest Jack in the Pulpit I've ever seen, columbine, Japanese maples, hostas, ferns, myrtle, irises, and about a thousand other flowering leafy things.  All of those lovelies are along paths that wend their way through the woods.  Some of the walkways are on the ground, and some are elevated.

The moss garden:

A tiny goldfish pond.  One of its occupants became a snack for either a very fat or a pregnant raccoon the night we were there.  Oops.

I completely understand Sneaksleep's parents' decision to move.  There are a lot of things that factor into it, most especially their desire to live in Ireland, which is more "home" to them than anywhere else.  I understand that.  I spent the happiest year of my life in England, and felt in some soul-deep way that I was more at home there than the U.S., where I've spent the other 34 years of my life.  Believe me, more than once have I had the urge to become an expatriot, too.  For that matter, my mother's an expat, as well - she moved to Tuscany when she retired.  And truly, based on the photos I've seen, I'd say Sneaksleep's parents' new house in Ireland is incredible - every inch as inviting as the Maryland house, and then some.

I am excited for them for their new Ireland adventure, but I am so glad I've known this house and its grounds.  Perhaps some day I, too, shall have a fairy home in the woods.