---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: She nearly stopped forever just outside…"
description: "\"“She nearly stopped forever just outside Ashton, because she came to a tiny cottage buried in a garden. I could live there all alone, she thought, slow..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27d/shirley-jackson-1526_cottage_she-nearly-stopped-forever-just-outside_2478268.jpg"
---

#  She nearly stopped forever just outside Ashton, because…

![“She nearly stopped forever just outside Ashton, because she came to a tiny cottage buried in a garden. I could live there all alone, she thought, slowing the car to look down the winding garden path to the small blue front door with, perfectly, a white cat on the step. No one would ever find me…” quote by Shirley Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27d/shirley-jackson-1526_cottage_she-nearly-stopped-forever-just-outside_2478268.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27d/shirley-jackson-1526_cottage_she-nearly-stopped-forever-just-outside_2478268.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27d/shirley-jackson-1526_cottage_she-nearly-stopped-forever-just-outside_2478268.jpg)

> ““She nearly stopped forever just outside Ashton, because she came to a tiny cottage buried in a garden. I could live there all alone, she thought, slowing the car to look down the winding garden path to the small blue front door with, perfectly, a white cat on the step. No one would ever find me there, either, behind all those roses, and just to make sure I would plant oleanders by the road. I will light a fire in the cool evenings and toast apples at my own hearth. I will raise white cats and sew white curtains for the windows and sometimes come out of my door to go to the store to buy cinnamon and tea and thread. People will come to me to have their fortunes told, and I will brew love potions for sad maidens; I will have a robin. . . .””

[Shirley Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-jackson/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A yearning for isolated sanctuary where one can control surroundings and find peace away from society.

**In simple terms:** Desire for a private, safe haven.

Key Takeaway

Create personal spaces that nurture you.

Themes

isolation control fantasy escape

Mood

melancholy hopeful reflective

Type

literary descriptive imaginative

When to use this quote

- home design
- mental health retreats
- creative writing
- gardening

Key Concepts

personal sanctuary self‑sufficiency rituals

Questions to Reflect On

- What does your ideal sanctuary look like?
- How might you balance solitude with community?

A Different Perspective

Idealizing isolation can neglect human connection and societal responsibilities.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Buried Garden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buried-garden-834910/) [Cottage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cottage/) [Cottage Buried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cottage-buried-834908/) [Front door](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/front-door/) [Outside Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outside-ashton-834909/) [Tiny Cottage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tiny-cottage-690509/)

## Related quotes

> [Wherever Harry went inside the tiny cottage or its garden, he could hear the constant ebb and flow of the sea, like the breathing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wherever-harry-went-inside-the-tiny-cottage-or-its-garden-he-could/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Success is buried in the garden of failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wakeman/success-is-buried-in-the-garden-of-failure/)

[Rick Wakeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wakeman/)

> [“I could live there all alone, she thought, slowing the car to look down the winding garden path to the small blue front door…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-jackson/i-could-live-there-all-alone-she-thought-slowing-the-car-to-look-down/)

[Shirley Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-jackson/)

> [The snow has left the cottage top; The thatch moss grows in brighter green; And eaves in quick succession drop, Where grinning icicles have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-clare/the-snow-has-left-the-cottage-top-the-thatch-moss-grows-in-brighter/)

[John Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-clare/)

> [I still see myself as a bit of a cottage industry. Being in a room creating stuff and seeing if anyone wants it, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/i-still-see-myself-as-a-bit-of-a-cottage-industry-being-in-a-room/)

[Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/)

> [“That night, I fell into a deep, travel-weary sleep, lulled by the familiar sound of the waterfall beyond the window. I dreamed of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazel-gaynor/that-night-i-fell-into-a-deep-travel-weary-sleep-lulled-by-the/)

[Hazel Gaynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazel-gaynor/)

> [“If I was an eccentric old spinster in a Merchant Ivory movie, I'd want to share my lovely cottage with Holly and that's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-samson/if-i-was-an-eccentric-old-spinster-in-a-merchant-ivory-movie-i-d-want/)

[Lisa Samson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-samson/)

> [John is a cottage industry in Baltimore and the city opens its doors for him whenever he is making a new film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mink-stole/john-is-a-cottage-industry-in-baltimore-and-the-city-opens-its-doors/)

[Mink Stole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mink-stole/)

> [“cousin, or something.’ Vivien raised an eyebrow as she passed back Henderson’s glass. ‘Even people who’ve lived here their whole lives can’t get back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-muchamore/cousin-or-something-vivien-raised-an-eyebrow-as-she-passed-back/)

[Robert Muchamore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-muchamore/)

> [I have always been attracted to the cottage industry side of this business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-bailey/i-have-always-been-attracted-to-the-cottage-industry-side-of-this/)

[Derek Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-bailey/)

> [Khaddar does not displace a single cottage industry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/khaddar-does-not-displace-a-single-cottage-industry/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [You're buying for the benefit of the cottage experience at a fraction of the price.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-bird/you-re-buying-for-the-benefit-of-the-cottage-experience-at-a-fraction/)

[Brad Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-bird/)

> [“The bedroom was larger than our entire cottage. Its walls were pale green, delicately sketched with patterns of gold, and the mouldings were golden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/the-bedroom-was-larger-than-our-entire-cottage-its-walls-were-pale/)

[Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/)

> [“It doesn't matter how busy life's been, how long the five of us have gone without seeing one another: meeting at the cottage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-henry/it-doesn-t-matter-how-busy-life-s-been-how-long-the-five-of-us-have/)

[Emily Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-henry/)

> [I read the rumors, and I know there is a cottage industry of meanness out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lauer/i-read-the-rumors-and-i-know-there-is-a-cottage-industry-of-meanness/)

[Matt Lauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lauer/)

## More by Shirley Jackson

> [I can't help it when people are frightened," says Merricat. "I always want to frighten them more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-jackson/i-can-t-help-it-when-people-are-frightened-says-merricat-i-always/)

[Shirley Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-jackson/)

> [“She could not remember ever being truly happy in her adult life; her years with her mother had been built up devotedly around small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-jackson/she-could-not-remember-ever-being-truly-happy-in-her-adult-life-her/)

[Shirley Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-jackson/)

> [“Upstairs Margaret said abruptly, 'I suppose it starts to happen first in the suburbs,' and when Brad said, 'What starts to happen?' she said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-jackson/upstairs-margaret-said-abruptly-i-suppose-it-starts-to-happen-first/)

[Shirley Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-jackson/)

> [“The beautiful clarity of all marked outlines occurred to her--there would be a deep satisfaction in strengthening fences, for instance, going along on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-jackson/the-beautiful-clarity-of-all-marked-outlines-occurred-to-her-there/)

[Shirley Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-jackson/)

> [“And we held each other in the dark hall and laughed, with the tears running down our cheeks and echoes of our laughter going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-jackson/and-we-held-each-other-in-the-dark-hall-and-laughed-with-the-tears/)

[Shirley Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-jackson/)

> [“Why do people want to talk to each other? I mean, what are the things people always want to find out about other people?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-jackson/why-do-people-want-to-talk-to-each-other-i-mean-what-are-the-things/)

[Shirley Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-jackson/)

> [Within, walls continued upright, bricks met neatly, floors were firm, and doors were sensibly shut; silence lay steadily against the wood and stone of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-jackson/within-walls-continued-upright-bricks-met-neatly-floors-were-firm-and/)

[Shirley Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-jackson/)

> [“It was as though the people needed the ugliness of the village, and fed on it. The houses and the stores seemed to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-jackson/it-was-as-though-the-people-needed-the-ugliness-of-the-village-and/)

[Shirley Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-jackson/)

> [“Eleanor—“I plan to stay up and read for a while.” “Are you still reading Pamela?” Eleanor asked the doctor. “Volume two. I have three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-jackson/eleanor-i-plan-to-stay-up-and-read-for-a-while-are-you-still-reading/)

[Shirley Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-jackson/)

> [“Is everyone really crazy but me?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-jackson/is-everyone-really-crazy-but-me/)

[Shirley Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-jackson/)

> [February, when the days of winter seem endless and no amount of wistful recollecting can bring back any air of summer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-jackson/february-when-the-days-of-winter-seem-endless-and-no-amount-of/)

[Shirley Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-jackson/)

> [“it’s quite a hazard, quite a hazard indeed, people knocking you down. Still, it’s a genuine pleasure to find one as willing as you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-jackson/it-s-quite-a-hazard-quite-a-hazard-indeed-people-knocking-you-down/)

[Shirley Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-jackson/)

> [On the moon we have everything. Lettuce, and pumpkin pie and Amanita phalloides. We have cat-furred plants and horses dancing with their wings. All…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-jackson/on-the-moon-we-have-everything-lettuce-and-pumpkin-pie-and-amanita/)

[Shirley Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-jackson/)

> [She walked quickly around her one-room apartment. After more than four years in this one home she knew all its possibilities, how it could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-jackson/she-walked-quickly-around-her-one-room-apartment-after-more-than-four/)

[Shirley Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-jackson/)

> [I very much dislike writing about myself or my work, and when pressed for autobiographical material can only give a bare chronological outline which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-jackson/i-very-much-dislike-writing-about-myself-or-my-work-and-when-pressed/)

[Shirley Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-jackson/)

[Explore all 224 Shirley Jackson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-jackson/)

## More Cottage quotes

> [I read the rumors, and I know there is a cottage industry of meanness out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lauer/i-read-the-rumors-and-i-know-there-is-a-cottage-industry-of-meanness/)

[Matt Lauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lauer/)

> [“It doesn't matter how busy life's been, how long the five of us have gone without seeing one another: meeting at the cottage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-henry/it-doesn-t-matter-how-busy-life-s-been-how-long-the-five-of-us-have/)

[Emily Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-henry/)

> [“The bedroom was larger than our entire cottage. Its walls were pale green, delicately sketched with patterns of gold, and the mouldings were golden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/the-bedroom-was-larger-than-our-entire-cottage-its-walls-were-pale/)

[Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/)

> [You're buying for the benefit of the cottage experience at a fraction of the price.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-bird/you-re-buying-for-the-benefit-of-the-cottage-experience-at-a-fraction/)

[Brad Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-bird/)

> [Khaddar does not displace a single cottage industry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/khaddar-does-not-displace-a-single-cottage-industry/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [I have always been attracted to the cottage industry side of this business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-bailey/i-have-always-been-attracted-to-the-cottage-industry-side-of-this/)

[Derek Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-bailey/)

> [“cousin, or something.’ Vivien raised an eyebrow as she passed back Henderson’s glass. ‘Even people who’ve lived here their whole lives can’t get back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-muchamore/cousin-or-something-vivien-raised-an-eyebrow-as-she-passed-back/)

[Robert Muchamore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-muchamore/)

> [John is a cottage industry in Baltimore and the city opens its doors for him whenever he is making a new film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mink-stole/john-is-a-cottage-industry-in-baltimore-and-the-city-opens-its-doors/)

[Mink Stole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mink-stole/)

> [“If I was an eccentric old spinster in a Merchant Ivory movie, I'd want to share my lovely cottage with Holly and that's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-samson/if-i-was-an-eccentric-old-spinster-in-a-merchant-ivory-movie-i-d-want/)

[Lisa Samson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-samson/)

> [“That night, I fell into a deep, travel-weary sleep, lulled by the familiar sound of the waterfall beyond the window. I dreamed of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazel-gaynor/that-night-i-fell-into-a-deep-travel-weary-sleep-lulled-by-the/)

[Hazel Gaynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazel-gaynor/)

> [I still see myself as a bit of a cottage industry. Being in a room creating stuff and seeing if anyone wants it, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/i-still-see-myself-as-a-bit-of-a-cottage-industry-being-in-a-room/)

[Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/)

> [The snow has left the cottage top; The thatch moss grows in brighter green; And eaves in quick succession drop, Where grinning icicles have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-clare/the-snow-has-left-the-cottage-top-the-thatch-moss-grows-in-brighter/)

[John Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-clare/)

> [The cottage garden; most for use designed, Yet not of beauty destitute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-smith/the-cottage-garden-most-for-use-designed-yet-not-of-beauty-destitute/)

[Charlotte Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-smith/)

> [A cottage will hold as much happiness as would stock a palace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamilton-wright-mabie/a-cottage-will-hold-as-much-happiness-as-would-stock-a-palace/)

[Hamilton Wright Mabie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamilton-wright-mabie/)

> [Let them show me a cottage where there are not the same vices of which they accuse the courts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-them-show-me-a-cottage-where-there-are-not-the-same-vices-of/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

[Browse all 133 Cottage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cottage/)

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