Greenhouse of Dreams

Once upon a time Mom and Dad took us to Arkansas. In my early life, we lived on A highway close to the state line. We visited nearby friends, attended church at Mt. Pleasant, went to the big ol’ Supply store, used the ferry. I even rode a school bus to Maynard just for fun, way before school age.

Details are a bit blurry about this particular road trip, though. We lived in StL and may have been visiting grandparents in Ripley County. Or maybe it was one of the family trips to Colorado and we were stopping along the way for Dad’s sanity. Five of us in a Plymouth Valiant had to be challenging.

Two particular images stand out. One - a fascinating stone house. The other - a room inside a house that was like walking in a garden. It wasn’t exactly a greenhouse add-on. From the outside it looked like part of the main structure. From the inside, I remember being intrigued by the regular flooring that blended into a trough of dirt with shelving above filled with all sorts of plants. I was outdoors and indoors at the same time.

So I googled this. Turns out that sensation is exactly what designer Elise Quigley, wife of Albert and mother of five, envisioned. Both memories are from the same site near Eureka Springs - Quigley’s Castle. After Albert left for work one day, she and the kids tore down their regular home and moved into an out-building on the farm. “Hey, honey, I’m home! ... Wait! where is it?”

Quite a drastic way to forge ahead with one’s dream. Everyone’s on board whether they want to be or not! History records that Albert promised his bride a house of her design on property deeded to them by Albert’s dad. Five children later, work began. Perhaps Elise was tired of waiting and decided to give hubby a push on that promise.

The most current info I could find, dated July of 2023, indicates the home is still standing and open for tours from March to November. My recollections need refreshing, so a trip to the area is on my list for 2024.

Doing morning chores today, I had the thought how neat it would be to live in a greenhouse, especially in winter and early spring when I yearn for the vibrant warmth of the sun minus the still chilling effect of the wind, with green and color all around. Even the smell of damp earth is inviting. I can’t cite the physiological reasons this is so appealing but fam, don’t worry. I’m not gonna tear down the house. Maybe I’ll settle for a room-sized gizmo in an open space in the woods. It would be a grand place to sit and do nothing. Even thinking can be overrated.