New Views

window |ˈwindō|noun
an opening in the wall or roof of a building or vehicle that is fitted with glass or other transparent material in a frame to admit light or air and allow people to see out.

It is the view that begs for a window to appreciate it.  Without the window, there is no view.  There is no light.  Without light there is only a dim reflection of what is.  Darkness remains without windows to allow light.  Light always offers clarity.

If I imagine for a second what a home would be without a window, I would suddenly feel closed in and trapped.  The window helps connect me to my outdoor surroundings.  I have had many views out various windows in the span of my life.  Some views were glorious while others were not.

Views of busy roads and neighborhoods.  Those were views I did not like as well.  Living in town, the windows not only gave a view to the outdoors but also a public view of the inside of our home, including our activities, to all the passers by.

I have had the prettiest views of blue skies, laundry on the line, trees, and pastures that are dotted with livestock.  I can say I like those kinds of views most of all.  I like feeling connected to the land.  Most homes are equipped with a window above the kitchen sink.  That is because when you stand by a sink for an extended period of time washing dishes, you enjoy having the light and the view it gives to you.  I love looking out my kitchen window to see a random butterfly or bird land on a branch near the window.  It is lovely and it makes the chore of washing all the more joyous.

This week, my handyman/husband is replacing all the old rotted out windows.  If only they were not single paned windows.  If only they were energy efficient and sound.  They are so charming!  I love old windows with panes separated by painted wood.  BUT, they have to go.  I am hoping to re-purpose the old windows as works of decorative art someday.

Mark popped out the old windows and the tin that was covering the sills.  The sills were the home to thousands of fire ants or termites!!!  He took his air compressor and blew them all away and also had to remove the sill board as well.  It was completely rotted out.  He walked out to the old barn and found a better board to put in its place.  With a zing of the saw blade and a few knocks from his hammer, we had a new sill to brace our new window. 

It is cheaper to buy window replacements than to buy windows for newly constructed homes.  He had to look high and low for the exact replacement size which was not easy.  Some windows have grills (simulated panes) and others do not.  We are remodeling on the cheap so we have to take whatever we can find that is either free or at a bargain.

At times like this my husband shakes his head and says his all too common phrase, “Really, this house should be bulldozed over, but I will just have to make it work.”  It is pretty amazing to me how he can make everything work in such a crooked architecture to start with.  He had to measure and try to level the boards in order to make the window actually fit in its new place. 

He would tap smaller pieces of wood to fill in gaps and pull the area into level.  Sometimes it required pounding nails into crooked boards that were sagging from time.  Other times he has to carve out wood where it is bulging.  He never needs a manual to get the job done.  Somehow, he just knows what to do.  He may take his hat off and scratch his head while he exacts his plan in his mind, but all the same, he makes everything fall into place just as it should.

Lastly, I will show you our master bathroom all framed in already!  We could have had an enormous bedroom but we decided to add a bathroom in that extra space.  I am happy we did, because in the middle of the night, I will not like having to climb down the precarious, cobbled together steps to find the bathroom. 

We will be placing our claw-foot bathtub, an antique dresser that will be converted into a sink, a toilet, and a stand up shower.  It will be very functional, yet old fashioned looking.