The house at 1975 Windward Way at The Moorings is fondly referred to as the Bird’s House by those frequenting the street. And a variety of birds – pelicans, wood storks, great blue herons and egrets – does congregate along the river’s edge hunting for food, but the house owned by John and Patsy Howard is actually named after Birdie – the resident dog.
The Howards were in Florida visiting Patsy’s mother when they first discovered The Moorings.
“I’d never been in the state of Florida. We drove into Vero; and by the end of the weekend, we owned a place on Spyglass and we’ve loved living in The Moorings ever since,” says Patsy, referring to the vacation home they previously owned.
Twelve years later, while out taking Birdie for a walk, the Howards noticed a ‘for sale’ sign at the Windward Way house. “I thought the dog would love it,” recalls Patsy. “We bought it, fenced the yard and the dog has been happy ever since.”
The house sits on 95 feet of river frontage on a pie-shaped lot at the head of Blunderbuss Bight.
“The great thing about living there is that you have a marina at the end of the inlet so you can see all the boats coming and going; and you don’t have to go in a boat, you just have to watch other people do it! I love watching the boats go by and I love looking out over the river,” says Patsy.
“I will really miss the view, the view, the view. When you get up in the morning, the sun is blasting in the windows and it’s just so pretty.”
“You can see out to the open river and you can see down Blunderbuss Bight,” adds Judy Hargarten, realtor with The Moorings Realty Sales Co. “You’ve got a Southeast exposure and can even watch the sunset from here.”
Located at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac, the home’s circle driveway invites guests to stop by for a visit.
“The house is a very easy living house. It’s easy to keep up. You have plenty of places for people to sit so you don’t have to all be squished together. It’s a very nice place for a family,” notes Patsy.
The foyer opens into the formal living room at the center of the house where two skylights ensure there’s always plenty of natural light. To the right, the en-suite guest bedroom with built-ins is equally suited for use as a home office. Its proximity allows for privacy whether you’re working from home or have a guest who likes to sleep late.
The kitchen, a sitting room and dining area finish off the western wing of the house. Three, large picture windows offer a spectacular view from the dining area. These rooms open to the sunroom across the back of the house providing a natural flow for entertaining.
It’s a beautiful spot to take in views of the waterway. The sunroom offers the best of indoor-outdoor living with sliders that open perpendicular to one another – literally opening the room up as if it were an outdoor lanai. Sunshades ensure you can keep the light out when you’re not quite ready to engage the day.
The family bedrooms are located in the eastern wing of the house. Two bedrooms share a bath at the front of the wing with the owner’s suite enjoying pool and river views at the rear of the house.
Outside, you can lounge poolside amid lush vegetation for that added sense of privacy. The backyard is completely fenced – even along the seawall – keeping children and pets from wandering too far afield.
The 30-foot boat dock has plenty of space to moor your watercraft, fish from, or sit and watch the boats come and go from the marina.
“We’ve met a lot of nice people here but what we really like is that The Moorings has everything you could possibly want all wrapped up in one nice place: the club and the neighborhood,” says Patsy.
One perk of living near the beach that John has made the most of is the beach access. A prolific, well-known painter, John photographed the beach and the dunes often for inspiration for paintings, which Patsy says he does in the oversized, two-car garage. He could pop in and out of the house through the kitchen door under cover of the eaves during inclement weather.
Originally designed as a boating community, The Moorings Yacht & Country Club offers championship golf, croquet, tennis and pickleball, fitness center, resort pool, spa a yacht club, and fine and casual dining. For families with children, Saint Edward’s School conveniently abuts the community.
The Moorings is a short drive to Vero’s Ocean Drive for shopping and dining or to the Riverside Theatre and the Vero Beach Museum of Art for cultural outings.
Photos provided
