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Nearly all the leaves on the large trees have fallen and I know it's "way down in the fall" when the Acer palmatum 'Emerald Lace' just outside the kitchen finally colors up. It's always the last to turn. When I went out to take a closer look at the show, I noticed this one spring of green amid the sea of gold, red, and orange. Holding on to old-fashioned ways, remembering the good old days.
Sometimes I feel like this rebel sprig of leaves, holding on to styles of the past. I'm an internet real estate junkie and love virtual tours of homes, especially historic ones. It thrills me to see an interior that's been lovingly restored, the old dark wood shining beautifully; original light fixtures or good reproductions gleaming. To my eye, it's shocking to see an original Victorian exterior, every detail of gingerbread intact housing an ultra modern, painted wood, stark interior. I love modern interiors but much prefer them in modern homes. I have dear friends who love the look of modern interiors inside old homes and, of course, one can do what one wishes with his/her own living space. I'm not a purist by any means but when original, hand-carved woodwork is ripped out and stained glass removed to make way for something more contemporary, I find it sad. Hand-crafted beauty like that isn't easy to replace once removed. More and more of the historic homes on the market have been stripped, flipped and staged to resemble every other home on the market. (It's a Costco world.) Oh well, not everyone thinks
this is gorgeous and in five billion years (give or take) life won't exist on the planet so it really doesn't matter. For the moment, I'll enjoy living in a space that's a bit out of step, like these silly green maple leaves.
Happy Thanksgiving Peter! Such an interesting comparison to houses with owners so quick to rip out the old. Sometimes it's the reverse with adding traditional trim to modern homes.
ReplyDeleteStick with being that green sprig!
I'm with you, Peter. By no means a purist, I feel the same way. Restorations and upgrades - although often functionally necessary - are best when not tone deaf. My son's recent remark on the current adherence to inch-long eyelashes kind of summed it up for me and applies to houses too. He said "Everyone looks like a Russian hooker". I saw a ranch with crown molding the other week. I felt the same cringe... I agree with my son - find your spirit, then enhance. Don't distort.
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way about the Thanksgiving dinner. What's wrong with the traditional roast turkey, bread stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy? I don't want a Thanksgiving dinner that includes truffled risotto at $150 per person
ReplyDeleteI'm not a purist either, but I agree with you about the value of a beautifully restored interior. Except for kitchens, they need to be as modern as possible within reason. I don't think I'd want to cook in a Victorian house the same way Victorians did.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it's sad to see treasures ripped from an old home. They just don't make them like that anymore!
ReplyDeleteA victorian decor is indeed gorgeous and a victorian house on the outside, should have a victorian decor on the inside, although it may be hard to keep it clean and shiny without the servants... At least your own castle is victorian inside and out.
ReplyDeleteMy little Acer palmatum has been bare for weeks now...
I don't mind if a Victorian is all white inside with modern furniture as long as they bones and beauty are all intact. Otherwise what it the point of living in such a house to begin with.
ReplyDeleteI blame all those home "improvement" TV shows for the homogenization of homes, inside and out. People are allowing their tastes to be set by so-called experts rather than exploring what appeals to them on a personal level. Like the Acer, we could all benefit from marching to our internal drumbeat.
ReplyDeleteI think many of us of a certain age tend to hang on to traditional things, whether it be houses or holidays or everyday customs. In many ways I am like that green sprig too.
ReplyDeleteI hope your holiday is joyous.
I think it is sinful to strip out these beautiful Victorian homes. People should just go stack up a bunch of concrete blocks, paint them white and get on with it. And Ship Lap. Amazing how people just LUV that stuff. It looks like unfinished business to me. Oh well, no one really cares what I thing. I am way over that hill.
ReplyDeleteBack to your pretty little tree. Our neighbors huge (silver?) Maple had a huge spot of green like this when the rest of it turned yellow. I watched it for a long time waiting for it to turn.
I'm in agreement about the strip and flip ways defiling some of our old Victorian treasures. Their woodwork is priceless.
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving, Peter. Enjoy the break!
Well-said, Peter. I, too, think it's sad to see classic homes stripped down and modernized. I understand wanting modern kitchen appliances, but ripping out beautiful moulding and stained glass--now that's sad! (Pretty picture of the Maple leaves with the green sprig!)
ReplyDeleteHappy belated Thanksgiving, Peter!
ReplyDeleteI'm interested in your thoughts about old fashioned and modern styles of the homes - inside or outside. You're right saying that old hand-made beauties isn't easily to replace, often the new modern things don't suit to the home style.
"To my eye, it's shocking to see an original Victorian exterior, every detail of gingerbread intact housing an ultra modern, painted wood, stark interior."
ReplyDeleteAgree 100%. A ruinous remodel I always remember was a townhouse in Washington DC built round the year 1800, still with the original interior lovingly cared for and preserved, completely gutted and turned into "mid century modern". Criminal!
One thing that happens here is the Hydrangeas with all their old flowers and falling leaves will produce one or two fresh flower heads. Looks so dramatic, as you say, as if the plant is remembering spring.