Greetings from Harpers Ferry!

We made it! I almost can't believe it. It seems like we have been packing and unpacking for a year. All but one or two token boxes are left--you know, the ones labeled "misc. stuff"--and I consider us officially done. We have settled in very nicely and are utterly enjoying ourselves. This place is bliss.

I have lived in Harpers Ferry WV before--when I studied at Shepherd College--and it was an amazing experience. Everywhere you look there is an amazing view. You step out your door and you are within walking distance of the Appalachian Trail (for us, its half a block away!). To be living here again is both unexpected and amazing. Needless to say we are far happier living here than living in dinky apartment in DC.

Our house is beautiful. It was built in the 1920's and is filled with lovely details, including some gorgeous stained glass windows. The entire house has wood floors, even the kitchen. We have a nice back yard with 2 purple martin houses, some lovely trees, and a nice old garden. And of course, the font porch is simply divine. The view we have is of Storer College and its fantastic grounds.

Here are some pics:

This is our entryway. All the light fixtures are original to the house, with the exception of the kitchen and master bedroom.



Then there is the livingroom. See the windows flanking the fireplace? They are stained glass, detailed below.

Yeah thats a bowl of yarn on the coffee table!



There a large stained glass panel in the entryway too:


Our dining room. Behind the built-in cabinets we have toyboxes and a dollhouse. I love that you can't see them at all, or the mess surrounding them.



And of course my wheel needs a place to hang out. My pretty rovings can be on display too, in one of those gorgeous built-ins. How freakin rad is that?



Did I mention the kitchen? At first I thought it was a really wierd kitchen. its sort of smallish, has so-so cabinetry and is blazing hot without the air conditioning on. But the first time you experience this kitchen on a bright sunny morning all those things just wash right out of your brain. This kitchen is so sunny and sweet, with light pouring into it you don't mind its shortcomings one bit. My husband opts to eat his breakfast standing up, so he can view the church steeple against the mountain backdrop. I myself love sipping the first hot sips of my coffee doing exactly the same an hour later. And its a cozy kitchen. Its just plain pleasant to be there. Oh, and the giant island in the center with the beautiful marble top doesn't hurt either!



I have already spent quite a bit of time spinning on the porch, listening to the birds and enjoying the mountain breeze. Here is the view I have from my spinning chair. It is amazing, isn't it?

(((pics removed)))

There are about a trillion pics of the house on my Flickr page, so feel free to stop by and have a look there. They include the basement (where my craft room remains unfinished), playroom, "dye studio" (the kitchenette next to my craft room), and jacuzzi. yes, thats right jacuzzi. I haven't taken any great pics of the garden yet, but thats because we've had thunderstorms off and on for days and I'm sure its muddy as all heck back there. I'll be sure to have some pics of my craft room once it is looking halfway decent. And I absolutely have to include some pics of all the yarn that is being spun on my front porch!

I don't want to leave here, so if please please please somebody in the DC metro area hire my husband next year. Give him a big salary so we can buy this place and give it the love it deserves!