What if anything is the most productive view to have when you are writing? I am sure you might say that you don’t need a view at all if you are diligently typing the Great Canadian novel. However every writer has those spells when a word or a phrase goes missing from your mind and you lift your eyes from the keyboards and stare into the great beyond for nspiration. Which of course may or may not ir may nt arrive on time. .

I have heard of writers who prefer to face a blank wall to avoid all distraction. I am not on of those. When I lived in a house. which seems a long time ago, I worked in a second story room with a fine green outlook over the back garden. I did see the corner of the house to the left of us and the grassy back yard of the house on our right side. That view changed when the house was sold and a swimming pool was added to the property.The view was largely static apart from movements by a wide variety of species of wildlife. One windy day, I was surprised to see and hear a large pine tree crash down acorss the swimming pool. When I caught my breath, I ran downstairs and outsdie. I wasn’t sure whether we owned the tree or not. It had squashed part of a fence and come to rest inches from the actual back wall of the house. My left side neighbour had come outside too and we decided the fallen giant beloged to her. There wasn’t a fence between us to mark the boundary.

One day, I decided that while a green view was pleasant and rather soothing, it wasn’t my ideal writing outlook for mek. If I had my druthers, I’d like to work in a room at least two or there stories above a busy street. Seeing people and cars mooving around would keep me with one foot in the real world and the other in my imaginary writing world. That sounds uncomortable but it is only a metaphor and they do not have to be comfortable. I haven’t achieve my downtown vision but these days do have another writing view.

Our apartment is on the fifth floor of a condo building and we live in one of the back corners. Because we are on a conrner we look in two directinons. One is over a river and trees and the the other is over the buildings next door. When I write at my white table, I can see one and a bit of those buildings. I also see the apartment parking ot and our parking lot. You might think this is a boring view but you woud be wrong.

People do laps in the aprtment building parking lot. There is one admirable woman who walks briskly back and forth. I am not sure if she couts her steps or walks for a certain period of time. But she is a very quck walker much daster than the guy with the walker or the various people wo walk their dogs on the patches of grass. I someties see the cars going in and out and can guess that some work outsde their home while others who are too young to be retireees are home workers. I suppose these poor people have no idea I watch them from afar.

A set of steps goes down to the river between the retirement residence and the apartment buiding. It is well used by everybody who wants to walk along the creek. There are regular dog walkers as well as family groups. ouples and singles. The other day I watch a guy ride his bike down the steep slope beside the steps.ars and singled. He then whizzed down the path carrying his paddles. Kayaks and canoes lie on the river bank and they have been well used i this latest bout f hot weather. So I manage to write and enjoy my views. I even have a glimse of the road with all its traffic so know which way an ambulance, cop car or fire truck is headed. The world outsde my window is never dull but maybe I would write more if I were facing a brick wall.