Cottages and Colors

My last post centered around my fantasy of moving to a new locale and living in, perhaps, a beach house. To elaborate on that living scenario, I would like to mention my desire for a little retirement cottage. I would, of course, love to be right by the sea where I could watch the waves and walk the beach but that particular desire has little chance of coming true. The retirement cottage is not out of the realm, so let’s talk about that.

When my then husband and I bought our very first house, one of my very favorite things to do was to work on making the house into our own by painting, wallpapering, and making curtains and crafts. I remember, thirty-five years ago this summer, when I was pregnant with my son, painting the paneling in the den. We had cut it down and wallpapered above it. I was touching up the avocado green color we painted it to match floral striped wallpaper of gold and green on an off white background. The laundry room sported similar colors in a plaid wallpaper and the pantry cabinets were barn door replicas painted goldenrod and white. Where that color scheme derived from, I have no idea. I guess it was kind of circa 1980s. We even had a studio couch in the den with a slipcover in that hideous green shade. Thankfully, my taste evolved.

By now, all these years later, I long for a palette to please my more sedate senses. When you have a landlord, however, it is not always possible or practical to make major color changes. The walls may be blandly off white or they could be of a color scheme that does not please and you just have to make the best of it. Oh, but this is a fantasy cottage so, in my mind’s eye, anything is possible.

If I were to have a cottage, by the sea or not, I would like a soothing sea-like palette. I would love the walls in my main living space to whisper to me of the sea’s tranquil turquoise. In Kingsport, TN, where my brother and sister-in-law once lived, there was a boutique run by the inimitable Keta. This boutique, sadly, closed recently, but the name, I feel sure, will live on in some Hilton Head incarnation in Keta’s future. She chose the name, “Turquoise,” because of its meaning. According to the website Bourne Creative, “Turquoise, a blend of the color blue and the color green, has some of the same cool and calming attributes. The color turquoise is associated with meanings of refreshing, feminine, calming, sophisticated, energy, wisdom, serenity, wholeness, creativity, emotional balance, good luck, spiritual grounding, friendship, love, joy, tranquility, patience, intuition, and loyalty.” Ah, yes.

In my bedroom, I envision blues or mint greens or, perhaps, a deeper shade of blue or turquoise. The comforter would, indeed, be comforting to me because I imagine it in varying shades of blue or green paisley, and I am a huge fan of paisley. If there could be a window seat in this space, I might think it was heaven on earth. And, if the window seat could look out upon the sea, I would be hard-pressed to ever leave my cottage.

The kitchen might have white or off white cabinets. My daughter-in-law has created a cozy and welcoming home comprised of soft colors which are reminiscent of the sand and the sea. She has white cabinets, a back splash of sea green subway tiles, and various creative touches, such as starfish and the like to form an open, airy, welcoming yet soothing space. To enter their home is to feel like you can breathe that salty air of freedom.

Of course, my little cottage would contain many books. I love to be surrounded by books upon books – read and to-be-read – because books were my first love and remain a constant in my life. I would also have a little table in my home –probably covered by my turquoise and white gingham table cloth and containing a pitcher of daisies, always daisies. Perhaps there would be a garden to grow the Shasta daisies for my table or my very favorite roses (whose name I do not know) – those yellow ones with the reddish tips. I also like pink roses, maybe ones that climb on a trellis. And hydrangeas. I was once told to use nickels and nails to change the makeup of the soil and, thus, to change the color of the hydrangeas. Let’s add a bird feeder, maybe a bird bath, a butterfly bush, food for the bees, and a hummingbird feeder (non-red because they don’t need the dye). And a white picket fence.

Oh, and the dog, because you may have known this was coming. The Basset Hound I often yearn for. Ideally, she would be red and white, like my Wendy girl of long ago, but there are so many delightful variations of floppiness. And, speaking of that, could I have a lop-eared bunny to round out this dream? A Basset and a bunny. I used to say I wanted a red and white female Basset named Penny and that might be the case. What would the bunny’s name be? Hmm. I feel like Flopsy, from Peter Rabbit, might be a contender.

There have been times, at summer’s end when, on the beach at Cottage Place, I told myself to remember the sun’s rays upon my skin, the gentle breeze, the soothing sound of the sea’s ebb and flow. I wanted to commit this dreamy summer scenario to my mind and heart so I could recall it when the November chill ran clear to my bones and the winter never seemed to end. It recalls to my mind a quote by Albert Camus. When I went to find the exact wording, I found there is more to the quote than I have thought for all these years. Herewith:

“My dear,

In the midst of hate, I found there was, within me, an invincible love.

In the midst of tears, I found there was, within me, an invincible smile.

In the midst of chaos, I found there was, within me, an invincible calm.

I realized, through it all, that…

In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.

And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.

Truly yours,

Albert Camus”

And, now, perhaps, I have a name for my cottage and my dream: Invincible Summer.