Three Seasons in Pond Cottage
Pond Cottage, the cosy little 'cottage in the woods' of my childhood dreams, is three-seasons old, and is now enjoying its first autumn. Hugged all year round by evergreens, it now looks out over a dazzling autumn display of golds and reds.
Pond Cottage's First Autumn
Last winter I planned where the cottage was to be built, and dug the foundations in a freezing, southerly storm, fresh from the Antarctic. Then spring saw much of the interior finished. The freshly painted cottage featured in some delightful spring photographs with foreground blossom trees.
Minimus the Cottage Cat
Summer and Autumn
Over summer I collected and installed Pond Cottage's furniture. I visited Charity shops picking up pictures of needlepoint flowers and embroidered cats, and chose second hand books for its rustic cane bookcase. I planted pretty summer flowers by the pond's edge, which contrasted with the huge leaves of the pond's Gunnera and Phormiums. Nearby roses completed the cottage's splendid summery look.
In late summer we had an excess of house visitors, and I spent a couple of nights sleeping in the cottage. It was my childhood dream come true, and I've been there ever since. I have young Minimus (my grey cat) as the resident Pond Cottage Cat. I have power, tea-making facilities, an electric blanket for the now chilly autumn nights, and an old porcelain chamber pot - purely decorative, you understand.
Early Birds and Stormy Nights
In the mornings I enjoy watching the early birds scuttling around the pond paths. Stormy nights are magical, lying in bed warm and cosy, listening to the splattering rain rhythms on the roof. Autumn wake-ups are wonderful - both windows frame a deciduous tree whose leaf colours seem deeper and brighter each morning.
Autumn Views from the Cottage Windows
I love autumn colours, and I love Pond Cottage's autumn 'look'. Do I hear a little voice saying 'Roll on winter?' with perhaps a picturesque dusting of snow? Hmm...