The Great House Hunt of 2022: Oh My Garden!
Readers from my Bemused Muse days will remember the front yard at our old house. We were members of Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh. Our yard reflected the gardens there. Every day, I came home to a beautiful and relaxing view, regardless of the season!
I stumbled upon the listing while doing my morning house hunting. It's over our price range but the low taxes make it affordable.
And then I saw the rest of the pictures. Wow. Just OMG wow!
Before I delve into my discovery, I might as well post some of the history of the town we'd move to if we make an offer. I knew very little about it until today.
Martins Ferry enjoys the honor of being the oldest settlement in the state of Ohio, having been settled at least as early as 1779. The community was a westward extension of the city of Wheeling, Virginia (now West Virginia), but, at that time, settlement on the west bank of the Ohio River was not permitted. The town was disbanded a couple of times before finally becoming permanent in 1785. In 1835, Ebenezer Martin, the son of Absalom Martin, one of the city’s earliest settlers, redesigned the town with a grid system of streets, much of which survives to this day. It was from this family that Martins Ferry took its name. - CITY OF MARTIN'S FERRY
There's much more to it but my focus is really on the house and not the city. I do see several ways I could contribute to the historical society or become a member of a variety of organizations.
Back to our unscheduled blogcast. [You can view a large version of following photos by right-clicking on them to open in a new tab.]
The house's interior is cluttered. Plants are everywhere. Everywhere! This is a man that loves nature. I won't share many of the inside pictures, however; I feel that it would be an invasion of his privacy. Family photos fill the walls. The real estate websites show it all, a practice I'm uncomfortable with.
The house boasts 1700 sqft of living space. It's hard to see it due to overwhelming plants, pictures, and keepsakes.
This is the living room. A second view shows us the front door (not included in this article).
We don't have much living room furniture left. A couch and loveseat. A tiny recliner. A small curio. The chest of drawers, an antique sewing machine and Victrola. I'll inherit my mother's china cabinets eventually. These would replace the ones I lost. I need to make certain I have room for them. A major thing is the old organ. My dad restored all of it himself. The bellows are now cracked from age. I'll fix them, just like he did sixty years ago.
Yes, that is a plant growing on the chandelier as well at growing up a wall covered by a trellis.
The man's love is readily apparent. Plant passion. Every room has a plant in it, save one room. This remains empty save for a few items. Perhaps they keep it that way to honor a lost child? I don't know.
I get his passion. I'd do the same, but it would be inside a covered patio or screened porch rather than the house.
Let's be honest: this house doesn't look at it's 1702 sqft. Not with the small eat-in kitchen, small living room, and small bedrooms. There is a family room sort of area downstairs in the basement but there's also a huge garage as well. I sincerely hope that garage isn't counted as square footage!
I will hazard a guess that the realtor doesn't know how to take a proper picture.
Grad a machete 'cause we're heading to the back yard. Onward!
There seem to be pockets all along the path, including on that takes us to an unknown bush or tree with a tiny pond beneath it.
We'll see. I'll try to get it running and make it a bit more woven into the tapestry around it. I've always wanted a tiny pond in our yard.
I'll let the rest of the pictures speak for themselves.
There you have it. We see the house tomorrow afternoon. My fingers are crossed. Lord, please give us enough room inside to contain our scant furniture and anything we inherit from my Mum.