Virginia Boudreau’s Writing Space
“I’m grateful for this hallowed spot that has inspired and contained so many pleasurable hours of wordplay and growing into the writer I’ve always wanted to become.”
I wish I had “a room of one’s own” but for now, my preferred writing space is a shared one. I have it all to myself first thing in the morning and spend a great deal of time gawking through the window (invariably smudged with dog-nose prints) that’s right beside the desk. I never tire of the changing vistas of our backyard and the salt marsh beyond. It’s wonderful at dawn when the owl’s hooting from the spruce at the cusp of the hill and I can watch river mist rising in the wan light. The view allows my thoughts to meander and fills me with quiet joy and a profound sense of optimism.
The oak desk, solid as the hinges of hell, came from the one-room schoolhouse my husband’s grandmother attended. It has a nifty retractable shelf inscribed with the initials of all those who taught in the village of Canaan and it’s perfect for holding my mug of coffee or tea. I love the fact it has enough nooks, slots and drawers to hold all my writing gear. The desk creates an imposing presence in the room and its comforting bulk helps keep me grounded.
Other things I appreciate are the paintings that depict landscapes evocative of south western Nova Scotia. Much like the books on the back shelf, they can take me out of my own head and into the visions and sensibilities of others, and this I find strangely comforting. I’m grateful for this hallowed spot that has inspired and contained so many pleasurable hours of wordplay and growing into the writer I’ve always wanted to become.
Virginia Boudreau is a retired teacher in Nova Scotia. Her poetry and prose have appeared in international literary publications.
Photos provided by Virginia Boudreau.