for the love of a house

pillows and cushions

2012-02-08T16:20:00.000-05:00

While working on the barn room I've been thinking a lot about pillows, or cushions- a term you often encounter when looking at "antique" pillows, so I thought I would share some of the pillows and cushions I have around the house all together in one post.

I feel pillows send the message: please relax and be comfortable in this room!
Since I love antiques I often use vintage and antique fabrics in making pillows/cushions.

Our living room sofa is covered with down-filled pillows and cushions. The 18th and 19th century antique Flemish tapestries that I had made into cushions are my very best antiquing find and buy...ever! They share the sofa with light cocoa-colored swirl-patterned pillows and two gray velvet pillows.

I love re-purposing vintage fur "muffs" into pillows. This one in the living room is mink.

This small pillow, the same velvet on the sofa, was sized to perfectly fit the French chair in the living room.

An antique tapestry piece with pea-green ticking is a cushion on the chair in the master closet.

A rectangular chocolate velvet pillow shares the linen chaise in the master bedroom with an antique tapestry cushion. The delicate trim on the edge of the tapestry is also antique.

This pillow was made using the reverse side of the fabric which was softer in color and worked better in the master bedroom.

A large antique Flemish verdure tapestry made into a cushion shares the bed with two raw silk pillows in one of the guest bedrooms.

The beautiful piece of antique red velvet and hand-stitched gold scroll-work was originally a bell pull. The large linen pillow expands the width of the full-sized bed in the other guest room.

Another vintage muff turned pillow- this one in leopard sits in a chair in the reading room.

Antique tapestry cushions at the kitchen dining room table.

Master bedroom bed pillows. The large cushion is made from an antique kilim rug.

And, finally- another mink muff made into a pillow in the master bath.

To find gorgeous 16th/17th and 18th century antique decorative cushions contact Debra at
Oreillers .

dancing tulips...

2012-02-03T16:00:00.008-05:00

I love tulips.
I love this time of year when you start to see them at the market. My favorite are the white, but orange tulips have been known to make my heart skip a beat too!

There are a lot of myths on how to keep fresh cut tulips alive longer - things like adding aspirin, or a penny, or bleach, or 7-Up to the water, but in reality all they want is lots of "fresh water!" Tulips are known to dance as they continue to grow even after being cut and placed in a vase, and they twist and turn towards the light! Their movement and spontaneity makes them not only beautiful, but charming too!

To get the most out of cut tulips, be sure to remove any leaves that will be below the water line. Make diagonal cuts (preferable under water so no air enters the stem), and add the stem immediately to a vase of fresh water. Tulips do not need cut flower food like other flowers.

As a rule, I always rinse the entire stem under running water before I cut and place it in a vase; I do this with every type of cut flower I bring home. I have found this one simple step helps to reduce bacteria growth and increases the length of time the flowers stay fresh. I also rinse the stems each and every time I change the water- which I do every day or two.

By simply cutting an inch off the tulip stem every 3- 4 days and making sure they have lots of clean, fresh water you should be able to enjoy their beauty for a week to ten days!

Large Hotel Silver tray from The Biltmore is one of a pair- c.1913. The tray holds:
old salt and pepper shakers, antique English white ironstone pitcher for the tulips, antique celery glasses for our collection of Hotel Silver forks and knives from various American hotels, an antique English white ironstone sugar for Hotel Silver spoons, a pair of small horns and two rattan-wrapped candle holders.

For me, tulips in the house are a sign that Spring is just around the corner!

Here's to dreaming of Spring, and wishing you a wonderful weekend!

xojoan

the barn room coffee table

2012-02-01T12:24:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned in my post about the barn room status, while I'm working on the design of the barn room I will post on individual elements in the room in hopes to tide you over!

~~~~~

I think coffee tables are one of the most difficult design elements to find for a room, and antique coffee tables are close to impossible!

I had initially hoped to use the beautiful antique piano legs that we found several years ago as the base for a large upholstered ottoman that I would then use as the coffee table in the room, but they were way too tall, and will work better as a bench, perhaps in the loft. So, the hunt for another table began.

The barn room is fairly large measuring 23' x 27' and has 12' 4" ceilings, so I really needed to find a piece that had the right "look" (I wanted a really wonderful statement piece) and the right "scale" for the room.

While in Maine antiquing one day we found this fabulous table!
It is a 19th-century hand-painted Empire-style table. When we walked in the shop and saw this table at Bob Withington Antiques we both just silently looked at each other with the "this is the one" look! You never want to sound too excited about something when your next question will be
"Is this your best price?" :)
It was everything I was hoping to find, and more!

Note the beautiful carving...

and the intricate details of the gold brush strokes over black.

Even the inside of the table is beautifully painted.
(Please ignore the fabric on the sofa! After saving funds for months I just this week I ordered 58 yards of fabric to slipcover the two sofas in the room and to make curtains for the pair of French doors!)

Sigh...

Then, to top it off (literally :) it has a beautiful, charcoal honed- marble top! You can place drinks on it and not worry- perfect for the casual feel I wanted for the Barn Room!

Bob Withington Antiques is on Route 1 (611 Route 1) in York, Maine- right next to Stonewall Kitchen's flagship store (which is wonderful btw)! Have I mentioned lately how much we love Maine?!!

And speaking of 58 yards of fabric... :)

Perhaps you have noticed that I have added advertising to the blog. I struggled with the decision for a long while. I invest many, many hours (I think you might be shocked ;) in photographing, writing, editing... more editing my blog, and I came to the realization that with the amount of time that I spend blogging that it was the right decision for me to make. I have been very pleased with the ads that appear on the blog and hope you will be too. So many times I've been really interested in one of the ads and I'm just about to click it only to remember that it is against the rules for me to click my own ads... bummer! So, I hope you find them as pertinent and as interesting as I do.

Thank you for reading the blog and for being along on our journey! We appreciate all of your interest!

xojoan

snapshot...

2012-01-29T11:45:00.000-05:00

owl feathers...

(found in the forest)

what all the cool birds are "wearing" this winter!

the farmhouse floor plan

2012-01-26T11:54:00.003-05:00

I was in my late teens when I first started tearing out and saving the floor plans from the back of my mother's Southern Living magazines! I have no idea what I was saving them for, but each month I would place them in a folder to study and keep. So, when Andrea D. wrote and asked if the floor plan from the Renovation Style magazine feature was anywhere on the blog I totally understood her desire to see it to make sense of how all the rooms relate to one another.

the farmhouse floor plan

It was in my late teens that I started to save floor plans, but I was obviously studying them years before as I drew this floor plan when I was 11 or 12! It is entitled "My House at Stable." I loved horses and was fantasizing about living at the stable. So much of this floor plan makes me laugh: that there was a chair and table on the front porch, a pillow on the bed, and especially that I had included a "walk-in closet" and a "store room," which I assume was a storage/tack room. I even had a pretty good work-triangle in the kitchen!

This was the stable where I was fantasizing living! My cousin, Lizzie, and I built this stable from pieces of 2 x 4's that we found at house construction sites in her new neighborhood. The "roof" on the stable is even made from asphalt shingles! You can see the scale from the wire edging in the photo.
We built the stable for our beloved Breyer horses in a corner of her backyard (Thank you Aunt Cappy!) My two horses are on the left; that's Pocahontas on the far-left :) (I must admit that clicking the Breyer link and seeing all the accessories they make for Breyer horses now made my 12-year-old heart skip a beat!)

Please note (or try, as the photograph is so blurry;) that the stable was even "landscaped" with plastic greenery and flowers, with rocks as stone edging. I even included a decorative wicker chair!

The flood of love and memories I get upon seeing this photograph makes my heart happy!

Me and Cherokee!

Cherokee belonged to the stable where I took riding lessons (English) and we had just won First!

I only recently stumbled upon my old "stable" floor plan and photos, so I thought they were fitting for this post! Thank you for allowing me my stroll down memory lane!
xojoan

Post Script:
My sweet brother-in-law, Doug- who is married to my "much older sister Susan", whom I have known since I was eight-years-old;), just sent me this photograph of me riding "Val" at his family's farm that was close to Brenham, Texas.
Thank you Doug! Sweet memories!

the North guest bedroom: details

2012-01-23T12:58:00.002-05:00

Thank you so much for your compliments on the guest bedroom!

As I describe each photo I will attempt to answer your questions, but please let me know if I miss anything.

This North guest bedroom is also known as the "red" room, or "Kristen's" room;) I adore red in interiors, and, in fact, had a red study in Dallas. A red room didn't work for the farmhouse, but as I designed this guest room I found that red accents worked well in the space, and my "red' found a home!

Since I always share my sources with you I realized after looking through the photographs that I should start this post off with a disclaimer straightaway... the only source I can give you is for the curtains.

This brings up a topic that I've never discussed outright, but one that I should address. I'm not one of those decorators who changes their interiors regularly.
(What will we talk about after I show you all my rooms???!)
My goal in designing spaces is that they will be classic and stand the test of time, or trend- meaning that I do have things that are considered trendy, but usually I've had them before they were mass-produced trends and will have them after they are no longer "In" since I purchased them because they appealed to my personal design aesthetic. That being said, I tend to keep things for a very long period of time. I buy things that I really love, and then love and use them for many years.

I guess in a way this is my apology for only being able to source the curtains! Everything else has been with me for years/decades.
Lesson: have in your home only things that you absolutely love- it's good for your heart, and your pocketbook!

All paint is Benjamin Moore.
The walls are Overcast (OC-43), which is a muted green/gray/putty in Eggshell finish.
The trim is White Dove in Latex Satin Impervo.
The ceiling is White Dove in Pearl finish.

The bedroom as seen from the upstairs hallway.
The floors are original to the house; they are random-width Eastern white pine and are face nailed.

The antique rug was found at the Scott Antique Market in Atlanta. I adore this rug and its vivid red- which is very worn in some places. The vintage crystal chandelier is one of a pair that I found in a nearby antique shop; the other chandelier is in the second guest room.
The 100% linen curtains are from Ikea. They are Aina - "unbleached." The thin, black metal curtain rods are also from Ikea. I didn't like the finials that came on the rods, so I found simple wooden balls and painted them black to match the rods. I hung the curtains so that they would just barely puddle on the floor.
The basket on the floor holds magazines and was purchased years ago (I believe it was from Garden Ridge, Brooke ;) The thin crown molding is original to the whole house.

The sheer cotton gauze bed skirt is from Ballard Designs... some 15 years ago. The white, scalloped matelasse coverlet was purchased around the same time. I brought home six or seven different quilts for the end of the bed trying to match the beautiful, but elusive, gray/green/blue in the rug and in the religious painting in the corner of the room. Every time I thought "this one is perfect" I got it home and it clashed. I finally (after months) found the perfect hue. It is actually the same quilt that is on the bed in the master bedroom, just a different color/size (unfortunately, it is discontinued from DKNY.)

The large pillow made from an antique kilim rug (it is very similar in style and color to the rug on the floor) was purchased from the same rug dealer at the Scott show. It sits in front of a pair of shams that match the blue/green/gray quilt. I made the extra large linen pillow that spans the bed using a gorgeous red velvet antique bell pull. The intricate handwork on the pull is stunning, and I bought it not really knowing what I was going to use it for, just because I loved it. Then, one day, it clicked as to how perfect it would work as a pillow in this room! It was a big hunt to find a pillow that was large enough for the length of the bell bull. The pillow form is one of those huge "body pillows" from Bed Bath and Beyond- it spans the entire full-sized bed!

Ahhhhh, the bed frame!
This antique English iron bed frame was my very first antique. My mother bought it for me right after college. It was from lying in this bed and pondering where the bed had come from/ who had owned it before me/ what the rooms and the houses looked like that it had resided in over the hundred years before I owned it - that my love for antiques began in my early twenties. The bed frame is what is referred to as a "three-quarters" size, as it is not quite a full. To be able to use a full size mattress, my father made a wood platform that the mattress sits on, instead of using a box spring. In Dallas the bed frame wasn't used and was stored in the garage for many years. I'm so grateful for my late father's meticulous details and directions written on the wood platform, so that Dan and I could figure out how it all went back together. Even though I wasn't using it in Dallas I could never sell it. I always envisioned it being perfectly at home in an antique farmhouse, and all these years later, it is!

This photograph makes the bed frame look a bit more blue than it actually is. It is painted with Rustoleum Texture spray paint in Dark Pewter. I didn't set out to use the texture paint, but that was the color of gray (there are a lot of grays on the market;) that I liked for the room. The mat texture actually adds a nice authentic "iron" look and feel to the bed.

The religious oil painting is our earliest, dating to the 1600's. It is painted on hand-woven canvas known as tabby cloth and is from a much larger work of religious art. The painting depicts what appears to be a marriage as there is an exchange of a beautiful ring. The painting has gorgeous detail... the pearl earrings the woman is wearing are stunning.

The antique pine chair was found (sans the cane seat) at an estate sale in Dallas. I had the seat re-caned and used to use the chair every day at my vanity in Dallas to put on makeup. (fyi - dry cane causes breakage... a simple trick to keep cane from drying out and therefore keeping it strong and pliable, is to occasionally wet a washcloth, lightly wring it out and place it on the cane overnight.)
Antique wire basket found in France holds a collection of white coral.

This guest bedroom is the smaller of the two guest rooms, so I was very pleased to be able to incorporate the antique French desk that we found at the Paris flea market. The antique hand-painted egg prints were found at the Scott Antiques Market. I framed them in a pair of antique gilt frames with the original wavy glass still intact, that I found at an antique shop in McKinney, Texas. A vintage red leather ottoman sits under the desk with extra throws.

The vintage Louis XV style chair is one of a pair; its mate can be found in the reading room. I purchased the chairs about 20 years ago, and I hand-applied gold leaf (the real kind, not the paint) to the frames. You can see a hint of the gilt on the chair back. Twenty year ago I had this fabric upholstered on them using the reverse side of the shiny damask fabric that was so popular at the time. This side looked like a patterned linen. I remember the upholster thought I was crazy, and I had never seen it done before, but it felt like the right decision. It has proven to be a good one, as I have used and loved them for 20 years! About six years ago I applied a grey wash over the gilt chair frames, and tea stained the fabric (while on the chair;) to soften them a bit.
We purchased the vintage watercolor at estate sale in Dallas many years ago. At the time the painting hung in our hall in Dallas and I didn't want to invest the money to reframe and re-mat the piece, so I spray painted both the frame and the mat!

The unsigned oil painting was found in this frame at an antique shop in Austin, Texas years ago. We almost didn't buy it as it as it was out of our budget. We left the store and sat in the car discussing if we could/should buy it and then I ran back in to purchase it! Thank goodness!

The antique iron and marble topped table was found in an antiques shop in Natchitoches, Louisiana. It was from Rosemont Plantation.

The wood baluster lamp is a favorite that I have had for 20 years. Don't be surprised when you see another one just like it (different shade) in the South guest bedroom... I have a "thing" for balusters, evident by the number of them I have around the house! (fyi- I see the term misused often at antique shops, so to clarify- a "baluster" is a single piece while a 'balustrade" is the entire railing made up of individual balusters.) We purchased about 25 of these at one of the first estate sales we ever went to in Dallas. It was a fabulous old Highland Park house (for those of you who know Dallas) and we bought every single baluster knowing that they would make great lamps. They were a very popular seller in my early years as an antiques dealer. The are solid wood, so Dan had to drill a shaft through the baluster for the wire to go to the base.

Small antique iron urn holds an African violet and shares the table with a silver hotel tray, an antique oil painting of sheep that was recently framed by having an antique frame cut down to fit, a piece of white coral and a black oval framed antique chalkware carving of a boy that we found in France.

So, when shall I be expecting you?!!! ;)

the North guest bedroom

2012-01-20T14:42:00.000-05:00

the winter front porch

2012-01-15T15:01:00.005-05:00

In Texas we could grow pansies throughout the entire winter; here pansies are spring and early summer flowers! Since nothing grows outside in the winter months it becomes a fun challenge to find filling for the antique urn at the front door. The last couple of years I have left the Christmas boughs in the urn, but this year I felt the need for an all-white arrangement, probably due to the fact that until this past week we haven't had any snow, to speak of, on the ground since that unusual Halloween snow storm.

I filled the urn with white birch branches that we found on the forest floor!

(these photos were taken before the snow arrived)

A large basketball-size Japanese fishing float keeps the urn company, along with a collection
of "white" conks.

Please note the large conk attached to the branch.

The day after I made the above arrangement of all-white at the front door I found this....

a "white" conk at the base of the mailbox!

A gift !
I assume it is from our handyman/painter, but perhaps it is a gift from the conk fairy?!

my twenty-year-old topiary

2012-01-12T09:59:00.005-05:00

After the last post I was asked how I have kept a topiary alive for twenty years, and the honest answer is... I have no idea!

But, I might have a clue...

Twenty years ago you couldn't just walk into your neighborhood grocery store or Lowe's or Home Depot and buy an ivy topiary like you can today. Twenty years ago the dearly departed Smith and Hawkin had yet to even set up a storefront in Dallas. I saw topiaries in magazines and coveted them. Since I had no known sources I knew I would have to grow my own. I found the "ball" topiary form in the Smith and Hawkin catalog (remember, this was back in the day before computers;), but at $12 plus shipping it was too rich for my very frugal blood at the time! I was very happy when I found an old ball topiary form at an estate sale in Dallas, even though I thought the $5 price tag was overpriced!

I then went to the local Wolfe nursery and bought a small-leaf ivy. I haven't a clue as to what type of ivy I bought and apparently it was the wrong kind. To say it was a slow grower is an understatement... it took about two years for the first single tendril to even reach the topiary form!! I was patient, and by the fifth year the ivy finally (sparsely) covered the ball!

When we moved from Dallas the only plant I brought with me (I had tons of plants that I gave away) was this one ivy. I almost lost it in the move to New Hampshire as we moved in January, and although it had a very special spot in the car it apparently became frost bitten when carried into the hotel each night.

The first week in New Hampshire it lost all of its leaves, and I thought it was dead. I was sad, but kept watering it and within several weeks tiny little green leaves started to appear. It survived! Then, a year later in the midst of the farmhouse renovation I was distracted and didn't water it for a period of time, and again I thought I had lost it. It revived and, thankfully, is as happy as ever.

I think the answer to its longevity "might" be that I purchased a very slow growing ivy. My guess is that the ivies that are mass-grown are fast growing and always want/need to be re-potted. This is purely conjecture on my part, so if there are any ivy aficionados out there, please feel free to weigh in!

I have re-potted mine maybe twice in the twenty years, and I very rarely use fertilizer. I water it every 7 to 10 days, letting it dry out fairly well between each watering. When I water it I water it several times- meaning, I water it and let it soak in, then water it again to ensure that the soil is completely soaked. The dirt is covered with sheet moss to retain moisture.
Occasionally the topiary will get spider mites (though I must say this happened more often in Texas than it does here for some reason) and when it does I use Dr. Bronner's Peppermint liquid soap. It has to be the peppermint to work mites or aphids. I use a mixture of 1 teaspoon of soap per quart of water, and then spray it on the plant leaves.

As you can see in the photograph I am letting several tendrils grow and they are about half way up the stem; I think they've been growing for about a year now.
In another year they just might reach the ball!

the winter mantel

2012-01-08T12:14:00.000-05:00

I wanted to add some warmth and color to the living room mantel for the cold winter months...

Antique French confit pots share the mantel with a trio of antique brass church candlesticks, a large tree fungus "conk", a sculptural piece of a tree root from our property, a bee hive, my 20-year-old topiary, and an antique French horn letter opener.

Antique earthenware confit pots were utilitarian pieces used primarily in the South of France (Provence) for the preservation of meats such as duck or goose. The bottom halves of the pots were unglazed, as the pots would be half buried in the ground to keep the contents cool and fresh. Since these pots were utilitarian pieces chips and imperfections help authenticate the true antiques from the many reproductions on the market.

I love old repairs on pottery... the wire on the neck of the small pot was an attempt by someone many years ago to contain a crack in the pot.

A copper tray from India commands the coffee table.

a sneak peek...

2012-01-04T16:50:00.002-05:00

The barn room still isn't complete- but since it's the new year, and you've all been so lovely I thought I would give you a little "peek" into the room!

(for perspective, the slab of soapstone on the old worktable base is 8 feet long)

Yes, yes I know- I can't wait to see it finished either (trust me;)!!

Now, repeat after me... "Patience is a virtue!"

Say it.

Again... ;)

to the new year...

2012-01-02T12:05:00.000-05:00

“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.”

- Ralph Waldo Emerson -

xojoan

from our home to yours...

2011-12-23T10:48:00.018-05:00

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all who left your calling card!
Dan and I have read and reread (multiple times) each and every comment and email! It has been so fun to learn about you. Thank you for sharing yourself with us.
Thank you also for your very generous compliments- I laughed, I cried, I blushed ;) - I loved every single one of them. It has been an overwhelmingly amazing gift of blog-love and I am so very grateful.

Our most sincere thanks to each and every one of you...

Sharon in France, Susan in Fort Worth, Mary Beth in Pennsylvania, Laura in NY, Nancy in South Carolina, Pearls in Dallas, Becca, Agneta in Arizona, Sharon in England, Elizabeth in Ottawa, Razmataz in Ontario, Jane in Chicago, Andrea in Canada, Marianne in Ontario , Cindy in Massachusetts, LauraC in NY, Tracey in Australia, Amy in Washington, Liz outside of Chicago, Jessica in Washington, Kathy in Michigan, Kat in Maryland, Elizabeth in Ontario, Sarah in Indiana, Steve in Cambridge, Kim, Diane in Maryland, Kathleen in Oregon, Vicci in Oregon, Leonora in Virginia, Janet in California, Donna in Massachusetts, Ashely in Pennsylvania, Maria in Dallas, Christian in Virginia, Kristine in Kansas, Debra in Texas, Lynne in Washington, Wenda in Utah, Melissa in North Carolina, Tiffani in Texas, Lisa in Ottawa, Miss Flibbertigibbet, Heather in Ontario, Lisa, Kirsten in Georgia, Jenni in Australia, Beth in North Carolina, Vanessa in Florida, Karen in Wisconsin, Nicole in Florida, Audrey in Massachusetts, Dianne in North Carolina, Jessica in North Carolina, Mary in New Hampshire, Bonnie in Wisconsin, Karen in California, Lisa in Vermont, Barbara in Georgia, Jennifer in California, NB in Ontario, Gwennie in Wisconsin, Karen in Ohio, Anon in Florida, Kim in North Carolina, Samantha in Australia, Lillian in Australia and Hong Kong, Terri in North Carolina, Sondra in Colorado, Sandra in New Hampshire, Kat in Pennsylvania, Heather in Kansas, Maggie in Tennessee, Stacy in Alabama, Lizabeth in Michigan, Mary in Massachusetts, Virginia in California, Nora in San Antonio, Carolyn in North Carolina, Victoria in SW Florida, Karen in Australia, Chris in New Hampshire, Karen in Nebraska, Paula in Florida, Alison in Illinois, Lori in Oklahoma, Carolyn in Indiana, Megan, Mary in Ontario, Janell in North Carolina, Jen in Massachusetts & NY, Cathy in NJ, Joyce in Pennsylvania, Verlan in Oklahoma, Mary in Georgia, Lisa in Texas, Maryann in Pennsylvania, Rhonda in Florida, BethA in Texas, Gina in Virginia, Kathy in Georgia, Anon in North Carolina, Ellie in California, Brooke in Alabama, Carmen in Ohio, Jamie in Tennessee, Pinky in Pennsylvania, Ann Marie in Texas, Layne in Nova Scotia, Connie in Tennessee, Lindsay in Massachusetts, Kristen in Texas, Martina in New York, Maggie in California, Stacy in New York, Mystica in Sri Lanka, Diane in Tennessee, Chris in California, Shine in Tennessee, Angelo, Onescrappychick in New Hampshire, Cate in North Carolina, Linda in Florida, Kathryn in South Carolina, Lindsey in Portland, Diana in Maine and Texas, Dotti in New York, Jane in South Carolina, Kim in California, Roxanne, Anon in Japan, Parnassus in Taiwan, Michelle in California, Kimberly in Virginia, Barbara in California, Maura in Kansas, Zolane in Pennsylvania, Becky in Arizona, Tammy in Washington, Kathy in Australia, Dawna in Alberta, Millie in Australia, Carrie in California, B in Texas, Pat in Virginia, Brenda in California, Gail in Texas, Jane in Alabama, Adriana in Australia, Calliope in Greece, Elaine in Alabama, Lisa in South Africa, Penelope in California, Sharon in England, SusanT in England, Jenifer in Germany, Tina in New York, Jennifer, Lori in Texas, Jen in Indiana, Alaina in New York, Patricia in New York, Kirsten in Pennsylvania, Jacqueline in Pennsylvania, laney in Georgia, Erin, Donna in Georgia, Linda in Tennessee, Jeanette in Michigan, Angel's Mom in Texas, John and Sally in Massachusetts, Vicki in Iowa, Michelle in Oklahoma, Amanda in Georgia, Angela in Virginia, Jill in Georgia, Rosie in Illinois, Marie in New York, Betty in Mississippi, Sarah in Indiana, Kara in Iowa, Terri in Missouri, Lauren in Georgia, Betha in Alabama, Amy in Kansas, Jen in Canada, Kate in New Jersey, Marcie in Georgia, Kristincita in New Hampshire, Kinley in Connecticut, Corinne in Louisiana, Zoe in UK, Book in Iowa, Jennifer in Pennsylvania, Irene in Scotland, Carmella in Wyoming, Kristi in Utah, Tami in South Dakota, Cassandra in California, MarySue in Arizona, Spring in Washington, Judy in Alabama, Marla in Ohio, Gerry in Missouri, A-M in Australia, Mia in Washington, Tima in Tennessee, Kathy in Massachusetts, Jennifer in Georgia, Julie in Kansas, Jenny in New Hampshire, Bev in Canada, Candice in Argentina, Janice in Illinois, Jo in Georgia, LL in Kansas, Mary in Connecticut, Dawn in Eden;), Carol in Kentucky, Lee in Maine, Rebecca in California, Pamela in News Brunswick, Karla in Tennessee, Cathy who had lived in Alaska, Sara in Ohio, Nicolle in New York, Mary in Maine, Delivered in Kentucky, Mary in Massachusetts, Leslie in Illinois, Theresa in Nebraska, Victoria in South Carolina, Tara in Ukraine, Pondside in Canada, Leah in Australia, Vicki in France, Susan in Pennsylvania, Prahlad in Australia, Vicki who asked after my pillow, Maria in New Hampshire, Anon in Switzerland, Cheryl in California, Rebecca in Montana, Charlotte in Georgia and North Carolina, Kate in Maine, Michele in Pennsylvania, Jacqueline in Japan, John and Mandy in UK, Kim in New Jersey, Linda in Texas, Katherine in England, Wendy in Florida, Melanie in Illinois, Paddy in Australia, Elizabeth in Virginia, Maria in Spain, Anon who's son is gutting grandparent's farmhouse:), Amy in Tennessee, Liz in Indiana, Peggy in Michigan, Vicki in Australia, Robin in Kansas, Trina in Oregon, Wendy in Australia, Kathy in Ohio, Sandy in Virginia, Mary Lauren in West Virginia, Susan in Florida and Pennsylvania, Ruth in Massachusetts, Pam in Colorado, Pam in Texas, Shilpa in Connecticut, Katherine in Canada, Andrea in Michigan, Ginny in Colorado, Claudia in Indiana, Xenia in New York, Angélique in Holland, Patricia in Texas, Alie in Australia, Anon in Oklahoma, Shawne, Jeff in North Carolina, Mary Carol in Kansas, Rebecca in Virginia, Jo in Australia, Janette in Kentucky, Kate in India, Donna in South Carolina, Lumen Drops in Virginia, Bethany in Virginia, Susan in New Hampshire, Annie in California, Nina in Virginia, Jennifer in Massachusetts, Lauren in France, Erin in Illinois, Kathy in Arizona, Julie in Virginia, Angela in Nebraska, Di in Australia, Jeanette in Sweden, Piritta in Finland, Nadia, Theresa in Maryland, Eleanor in New Jersey, Gretel , Sheila in Michigan, Patti in New York, Sally in Washington D.C., Joelle in France, Janel in Kansas, Anon in South Carolina, Donna in Massachusetts, dmw in South Carolina, Angela in Mississippi, Marcie in Utah, Kathleen in Virginia, Amber in Kansas, Nancy in Virginia, Jaybird in Texas, Haden in Tennessee, Alana in Canada, Meagan in Vancouver, B.C., Susan in Colorado, Rita in Texas, Anon in Texas (no, it isn't Coquille;), Jones in Texas, Regina, Mary in Massachusetts, Elizabeth in New York, Julie, Shanna in Florida, Donna in Virginia. Laura in Alabama, Kathysue, Michelle in Washington, VintageBeachGirl in Alabama, Kim in Houston, Pamela and George in Greece, TDM in Australia, Karen in Rhode Island, Karen in California, Debe in Texas, Elizabeth in Florida, Roberta, Carol in Texas, Julie in Alabama, Delores in California,Gwen in Tennessee, Vinitha F in Sweden, Anon in Washington, Teresa in Washington, Beth in California, Tammie in Tennessee, Lisa Perry in Texas, Brooke in California, Marisa in Portugal, Dee Dee in Ohio, Randy in Georgia, Gwyn, Debra in Kansas, JamieK, Donna in Florida, Lisa in Oregon, Barbara in Massachusetts, Heather in Oregon and Heidi.

from our home to yours...
we wish you a very Merry Christmas!

dan, joan
and
ella
(wearing her red velvet Christmas collar!)

please leave your calling card...

2011-12-15T17:22:00.000-05:00

I think Christmas is the perfect time to tell you thank you.

I want you to know how very grateful I am that you visit us, and that you are interested in the happenings at the farmhouse.

Your presence here is a gift, and for that...

I thank you.

It is that time of year again when I bring out the antique brass "Christmas" tray and place it on the living room coffee table. The tray would have been originally silver-plate, but when we found it many years ago only hints of silver remained.

It is engraved:

from
Mary and Nannie
Christmas
1881

As I wrote last year...

Over the years I have spent hours wondering who was MA?, who were Mary and Nannie?, what was their Christmas like the year this beautiful tray was given as a gift?, where did they live?, and on and on... .

Just as I wonder about these three people whose names are engraved on an antique tray that has a presence in my home, I also wonder about you, who also have a presence here.

Some of you I know, as you leave me dear comments or send me emails.... but others of you remain a mystery. On my site meter I get visits from places that are near and dear to us, and places that are far away and magical. Dan and I always talk about and wonder who all of you are!

Last year I mentioned a regular visitor from a tiny town in Oregon. It is the small town where Dan's father (who died when Dan was two) is buried. I wrote that we would love to know who that person was.

Several days after Christmas, I received an email from this woman. I cried as I read it to Dan. She lives within walking distance of the cemetery where Dan's father is buried. Her son learned to ride his bike there; she and her husband often take walks there. To know that someone across the country just happened to find my blog, and now visits our home, and to know that that person lives so close to Dan's father's resting place, and that this all happened because we share a love of houses is a sweet and dear connection that makes the world seem that much smaller.

You just never know the connections that we all have to one another... .

Last year one of the things that surprised me the most when I did this calling card post was that so many of you commented that you were surprised that I wanted to know about you! I was shocked! Of course I want to know about you!! You are our guest and I want to know all about you... who you are, where you are, what makes you return to visit! Anything and everything you wish to share. You might share something that resonates with another reader, and thus another connection is made.

As was the custom in the period of this Victorian tray, people would leave their printed "calling cards" in trays at the homes they visited.
(click here to see images of Victorian calling cards)

On the tray is a collection of antique tortoiseshell and sterling calling card holders.

Dan and I are hoping that in the spirit of the holidays that you, too, will drop your "calling card" in the tray and let us know that you stopped by to visit! We would love to hear from each and every one of you- those who regularly visit and leave comments, and those of you who usually come and go quietly!!

We are honored to have you all here, and we thank you for stopping by today!

Wishing you the Happiest of Holidays!

dan, joan and ella

the birthday bookcase

2011-12-01T10:53:00.007-05:00

When I originally posted the master bath I had said I would do a whole post on the bookcase that Dan made. I failed to do that, and a recent request (thank you Amy) brought that to my attention!

Dan and I married on my birthday twenty three years ago.

Not long after we married Dan started the tradition that he would "make" my birthday gift. It began with Dan surprising me with a simple wood stand for an oriental Peking-blue porcelain duck.
The gifts evolved into bigger projects like making a zinc-topped potting table,

making a wood garden gate,

making a beadboard vent-a-hood cover for my kitchen in Dallas from vintage beadboard we picked up off a someones bulk trash pile that was going to the dump,

taking out the small entry closet to make a larger entry,

and making a wooden driveway gate!
(funny story.... just out of view at the front of these photos was our large air conditioning unit. It was older, so I painted the ugly metal part the house trim color to make it blend in and go-away visually. One day Dan was walking a contractor of some sort down the driveway and the person said "I've never seen a painted air conditioning unit," to which Dan replied..."And, you've never met my wife!" :):)

One year I designed this bookcase for our kitchen in Dallas.

The project was started, but took a little longer than planned, so it wasn't finished by my birthday... this is what I found the morning of my birthday!

Note the garage of an antiques dealer- three chandeliers hanging in wait!

I wanted the look of an antique piece that had been originally stained, but had been painted-over many times throughout the years.

I have painted the exterior of the piece Benjamin Moore's White Dove since we moved into the farmhouse, but the interior finish is the original French blue that I painted and waxed 9 years ago. It turned out that the interior was almost the same color as the Benjamin Moore Horizon (OC-53) on the walls!
The shelves are adjustable and their design was copied from antique furniture pieces we had seen in France.

Antique glazed terracotta architectural fragment sits on top of the piece.

Collection of vintage alabaster compotes. I love the birds!
I left the ceiling of the bookcase the dark stained wood, which is the base color of the whole piece.

Antique starburst mirror found at The Mews in Dallas. Trio of antique mercury glass vases share the shelf with an "American Brilliant" crystal bowl which was a wedding gift given to Dan's grandparents in 1917.

Old hotel silver tray from the Adolphus Hotel in Dallas found at Round Top. Dan found the decanter while we were antiquing one day- I envisioned it filled with bubble bath; Dan envisioned filled it with Glenmorangie. The scotch won! Antique French gilt wood fragment found at the Porte de Vanves flea market in Paris. Dan found the coral on a beach in Aruba; the tiny shell fossil was found in a wonderful little shop in Creede, Colorado!

Large clam shell with Japanese fishing float and small piece of coral found in Florida. The color of the interior is a little bright in this photo (the color in all the other photos is more accurate), but it gives you a good view of the cut out notches for the wood crossbars that run front to back that hold the shelf . The photograph above with the starburst mirror shows the crossbars well.

Alabaster compote filled with collection of old silvered Christmas ornaments. Antique mercury glass pieces share the shelf with an antique oil painting found at the Scott Antiques Market in Atlanta and an alabaster shell.

I found this large piece of blue coral at a consignment store in a nearby town. I left it. Then came back with a paint chip to make sure it would match the walls and the painted inside of the cabinet. It matched perfectly!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my very creative and talented husband who makes all my designs and dreams come true. Without Dan's creative vision and innovative designs my "ideas" would remain just that.... ideas.

Thank you my talented Dan!

saving sweet memories...

2011-11-22T14:03:00.001-05:00

This photograph captured a very sweet memory of one of the many dinners we shared with our dear (and much missed) friends and neighbors, Don & Michel, at our home in Dallas. Judging from the glazed lemon pound cake, which was one of Don's favorites, I would guess this was his birthday dinner as I would always try to make their favorites. I remember taking this photo at the end of the meal thinking it was such a wonderful night that I wanted to remember it forever. I love how it is slightly blurry, and the table is in disarray- just like a sweet memory, faded and softened around the edges.

One of my favorite personal possessions is my guest menu-book that I have had for the last 20 years- where I have kept the names of all guests/family that I have made dinner for with the date and menu, how I decorated the table, what dishes, glasses, flatware and napkins I used. I write down any notes about preparing the meal, any comments from the guests about the meal... . It has become a journal of sweet, wonderful memories centered around the dining table and sharing meals. Reading it transports me back to that memory and all the guests who have graced our table.

I also will, on occasion, take photographs of the table before the guests arrive, but my favorite photographs are the ones I sometimes take after the meal, like the photograph above- when the table isn't set and perfect, but the memory of one meal and one wonderful evening is captured forever.

I wish you the makings of sweet memories as you gather around the table with family and friends this Thanksgiving!

xojoan

the barn half bath: details

2011-11-19T11:46:00.002-05:00

Thank you all so much for your wonderful, wonderful comments and emails on the barn half bath!

I greatly appreciate them and am thrilled to know that you like the room.
If I miss any of your questions in this "details" post, please ask again.

The walls are new, random-width (8-12 inch) pine boards stained to look like old, oxidized barn boards. (My custom stain formula can be found under "My paint and stain colors" on my sidebar, as is the floor stain.)

The vanity is painted Benjamin Moore's Ashwood Moss (1484) in semi-gloss.
(This color is from their Classic Color Collection and isn't on the current color wheel, but sample chips can still be found at a BM paint store.)

The toilet to the right of the vanity sits in front of a full-size window. I love the luxury of light from full-size windows in baths. I use a simple paper cellular pull down shade for privacy.

The antique hand-painted bird prints with their antique birdseye maple frames and original antique wavy glass were found on the Oregon coast several years ago. Having never found the perfect place to hang them, they sat in a drawer. When I was decorating the room I remembered them, and thought they would be perfect here as I loved the idea of the contrast of the frames to the wood walls.

View from the window in late afternoon light.

As I mentioned several posts ago, the painting is one of our favorites and you've seen it leaning against the mirror on the mantel in the living room awaiting its place here while the room was being renovated.
The picture light was a steal (around $30) and is from Home Depot.

The last cuttings from my favorite coral-orange tuberous begonias from Summer in a vintage mason jar. I love the blue of the jar. The antique ironstone soap dish is marked "Hotel" on the bottom... the stories it could probably tell! French Savon de Marseille olive oil soap sits in the soap dish.

When we found the marble it had simple iron screws that (as you can see) had rusted on to the marble. I had intended to look for a clavos (a large, usually round, decorative iron nail) but then remembered this antique brass-rimmed porcelain curtain tie-back that I had used in Dallas as a picture nail (I hung a painting on a chain from the tie-back). I "thought" I actually had two, and after a hunt I found the second one. Their stems were cut down and retrofitted to work on the backsplash. They actually protrude just slightly from the marble, and I love the effect. I also love how it mimics the porcelain piece on the faucet. This one is cracked, which only makes me adore it more!

Leather wrapped vintage rack hangs over the vanity.

The small old iron lamp was found at an antiques shop for only $8! I loved its lines. It was so dirty that I had no idea it had this great gold paint on it until I got it home and cleaned it up! The small, gold-lined, shade is from Cranberry Hill Lighting in Cape Neddick, Maine. The real-wax sleeve covers are from Lumiere. I found the flame-tipped light bulbs locally, but Lumiere sells them; and they sell the standard base bulbs, which are extremely difficult to find. (See my sidebar for a 10% discount coupon code from Lumiere. Also, thank you to all of you who have let me know that you have purchased from the company and love their wax sleeves! I love sharing great sources.)

For this lamp I did something a little unusual... I used regular sized sleeves with chandelier bulbs. I wanted the "weight" of the regular sleeves for the lamp base, but also wanted the delicacy of the smaller bulbs in the room. I then had my electrician (Dan;) lower the sockets so that you can not see in to the larger sleeves down to the socket.

A small iron hook, original to the property, was used for the towel hook. The dark gray towels are Thomas O'Brien from Target (they are deliciously soft) in Fighter Pilot Blue, which is really a dark slate grey.

We also had an original extra-large version of the iron hook that I realized would be perfect to use as the toilet paper holder. But, no matter where I tried to place it, it was like a bright white blinking light when you walked into the room. I just couldn't do it! I finally came up with the solution for the t.p.- it now sits in a small antique iron urn next to the toilet, hidden from view, but perfectly functional.

Wood switch plate cover (and electrical outlet covers) stained to match the walls and go away! Switches are brown instead of the usual white.

A simple hook found in the barn is the lock for the room.

I loved that so many of you know me so well that you knew I had a reason for putting the mirror behind the door! I did.
I had initially "thought" I wanted a mirror above the vanity, and I found a beautiful antique frame with this mirror in it. Sadly, it had been painted an awful green color and as I worked for days to gently strip the finish I realized that a mirror there changed how I wanted the room to "feel." For one, it seemed expected and that didn't seem right for this space, and two, and this is big... the man-sized 65" plasma is directly across from the vanity in the barn room. That meant that you would have the constant movement and flashing of the changing images in the mirror. It was in that second of realization that the mirror above the vanity was axed!
Knowing I did need to have some kind of a mirror in the room I placed several small antique shaving mirrors from a collection we have on the vanity. Loved it for a day or two, and then it felt cluttered. I removed the shaving mirrors. When designing a space I'll often just sit or stand or walk-it for hours to see/feel/study different angles/lines of sight/elevations and it was during one of these studies with the door closed that the thought of putting the mirror behind the door popped into my head as the perfect solution. I mean, that's when you would use a mirror, in the privacy of the bath with the door closed since you really don't have to watch yourself wash your hands;)! I checked clearance and the mirror alone would just work on the wall behind the barn door... perfect, problem solved! I used the antique, beveled oval mirror from the frame that I had initially found for over the vanity. Now, instead of the constant changing images from the tv being reflected in the mirror, you get a glimpse outside! Much better and I love the surprise of finding the mirror as you close the door.

The wood tassels were painted to match the vanity.

The faucet is solid brass with a "living" oiled bronze finish that will naturally wear in the most used areas with use. It is made by Kingston Brass. It is a "wide-spread" faucet- something to consider when retrofitting a faucet to an older piece, which is determined by the measurement between the two handles. You don't want to fall in love with a faucet only to find it won't work in your application. I had initially wanted to refurbish the original brass faucets (which I loved) that came with the sink, but our plumber expressed great concern about their condition- i.e. they were goners! Dan was also not a fan of having the cold water come out of one faucet and the hot out of another. Because the original holes were so far apart, I had to find a "widespread" faucet . We then had the plumber drill the center hole (using a diamond drill-bit) for the spout.

The old French chandelier masterfully wired by my very handsome in-house electrician (though not by trade;) with a little peak into the barn room.

The original barn door hardware.

Notice how the barn bath floor is a different color from the barn room. That is not a difference in lighting, but a random coincidence- all the boards the carpenters grabbed to lay the half bath (which was the first room to be laid) were this same color! After my initial "Guys, you have to mix up the different stained boards!" I actually loved it, as it is very authentic detail. If this little bump-out had been original, it would have been an add-on and the wood used for the floor would have been put down at a different time, and would have been a different color from the barn room. It was a serendipitous mistake!

A peek into the kitchen! You can see the kitchen-to-barn room steps and how the rooms relate. The barn room is 3 feet down from the farmhouse.

In case you missed the "befores" click HERE !

the barn half bath

2011-11-17T10:56:00.001-05:00

the room details

the making of the barn half bath

2011-11-15T12:04:00.000-05:00

Before I show the barn half bath I thought it might be helpful to take a walk down memory lane first to see how all the pieces came together!

When we bought the farmhouse there wasn't a bath on the first floor (well, technically there was a bath right behind the kitchen in the el- where the new kitchen was to go so that one was removed).

This looks like a good place to put a half bath don't you think?! I often look back at photos from the initial renovation and think.... we were absolutely CRAZY! I'm so happy and grateful that we renovated the farmhouse and barn, but looking back at the photos is emotionally exhausting!

Forms being fitted for the pouring of the concrete foundation.

The concrete foundation was faced with granite so it would match the original cut-granite foundation of the farmhouse, the el and the barn.

The 6' x 7' framed half bath is accessed from the barn room and was completed in the recent Phase II barn renovation.

We found this antique marble sink top and backsplash at a shop in Massachusetts not long after we bought the house. The antiques dealer was having a sale, so it was $76! I loved it, but thought it would be way too difficult to find a furniture piece that would fit, and a good deal is only a good deal if you actually use it! So, we decided to "think about it"!

And, we did think about it for all of one minute as we walked to another dealer's booth about six spaces down and found this piece! The wood top was exactly... exactly the same size as the marble! It was meant to be, and was on sale for only $126! In all honesty, I thought that was way too much for its condition and that it was missing one of its tassel pulls, but the fact that it fit the marble perfectly made the price irresistible! I later found a matching wood tassel pull at a favorite source, Old House Parts in Kennebunk, Maine.

The very night we bought the marble and dresser I googled "12-inch round sink" to see if I could even find a sink to fit. Instead I found a Craigslist listing for an antique 12" round sink in Boston, only an hour and a half away. It too, was meant to be, and a steal at $10!
The sink is small in diameter, but it is very deep and has a nice "feel" to it!

The dresser being retrofitted for the sink and plumbing. I still have full use of the bottom two drawers which I use for holding kleenex, extra t.p. and extra hand towels.

Old French iron chandelier being checked out for scale in the room.

The sink vanity will go where the radio is in this photo. I wanted to hang a painting (this painting) on this wall; you can see the wire for the picture-light coming out of the wall.

One of our two original barn doors. While we were out antique shopping one day Dan spied a similar door and it sparked his great idea to use this door as the sliding half bath door. Up until that point I was going to use an old paneled door from the house that swung into the room. When you see the finished room you'll see just how wrong that would have been! I love it when the design process just falls into place.

Note the door "pull" cutout in the center of the door.

Several boards from the door were removed and used to repair boards in the large barn door. In this photo you get a peek at the finished walls of the half bath! I wrapped the walls and ceiling in barn wood. The walls are hung horizontally which provides a nice contrast to the vertically hung boards in the adjacent barn room.

The door being re-sized for the half bath opening.

The chandelier being wired. Dan will tell you this is one of his trickiest wire jobs to date- since the piece is seen from below, thin electrical wire was laid along the top rim of the round iron band, held in place with paper-thin wire and a bit of glue. I wanted the bulbs to just peak out from the cups (no sleeves) which entailed wiring the smallest sockets they make inside of already small metal cups. Let's just say he was not happy with the lighting designer that day, or rather days as this puppy took a while to get completed!

Add all this together and you get one sweet little barn half bath... which, btw, is next!

eyes into the soul of a house...

2011-11-09T09:27:00.001-05:00

"If eyes are the windows to our souls,

then windows are the eyes into the soul of a house."

Rose Tarlow

Yesterday afternoon I was working on photographs of the barn half bath. As night fell I went outside to snap a shot from outside-in, as I love the warm glow from the picture light on one of our very favorite paintings, entitled "Cat Peak- Carrie Glacier, Olympic National Park".

Turns out it was a beautiful moonlit night!
I've always wanted to show you the farmhouse at night.
Here is a glimpse into the soul of our house...

the talented Patricia van Essche

2011-11-06T08:32:00.000-05:00

This week I received a very special gift from Patricia van Essche
- the talented artist behind pvedesign .

Patricia painted the farmhouse!
I was extremely humbled by this beautiful gift of art that Patricia created. She captured the true essence and spirit of the farmhouse. Her attention to detail is amazing- from my father's flag flying at the front porch to the antique window trim, to the cobblestone walk, to the bark on the maple (the bark on the maple tree looks exactly in real life as she painted it), to the antique yogurt pot in the front bed... it is all just perfect!
Dan and I are both so touched by this amazingly generous gift.

As if the painting wasn't generous enough, included in the package were notecards featuring the farmhouse painting. Patricia didn't know this, but years ago as I sat in Dallas trying to sell our house to move here I would fantasize about having "house" stationary with a picture of the farmhouse on the front. Having house stationary made from an original piece of art is more than I could have ever dreamed!

A huge thank you to Patricia for making a long-held dream come true!

Patricia is also a gifted pet artist.

Ironically, several weeks ago a reader of my blog, Amy, wrote to me to ask if I knew of any "pet artists" as she wanted to have a painting made of her precious Golden " Izzy " to surprise her husband with for Christmas. I sent her Patricia's blog. Amy loved Patricia's work and commissioned her to paint the beautiful Izzy! I was shocked at how quickly Patricia captured Izzy's soul and beauty!

Amy is thrilled with the piece and doesn't know if she'll be able to keep the surprise to herself until Christmas!

(to commission your own original work of art contact Patricia at pvedesign)

House of Fifty

2011-11-03T11:52:00.003-04:00

I am very honored to be mentioned in "Blogs we love" in the latest issue of House of Fifty!

I love this e-magazine and am so excited to be included in their Holiday issue.
This issue is chalk full of gorgeous interiors, creative gift ideas, beautiful clothing, stunning jewelry and delicious recipes, plus more ... I love how well-rounded the magazine is!

Treat yourself and have a look!

click cover to view

The talented Janell Beals of Isabella and Max Rooms is the founding editor of

If you haven't already, click the logo to subscribe to the free subscription!

crazy October snow...

2011-11-02T14:32:00.002-04:00

This past weekend's nor'easter dropped 15-inches of snow at our house in one night.
It was a record breaking snow event for the month of October in New Hampshire. The previous record for the entire month of October was 3-inches. A nearby town received the highest snowfall in the state- 27.5 inches! We were without power (and cable) for three full days. Our power came back on just last night. This was our first experience using our whole-house, automatic-on generator, affectionately called "Gen." Gen has been thanked profusely over the past several days. I'm thinking she is my new BFF!
We are so grateful to have sustained no damage- we didn't even have a limb down on our property, but were shocked to see the massive damage in our town and neighboring towns below us- huge trees snapped off in the center. We believe that our higher elevation received more wind and helped to blow the snow off of the leaves on our maples, thus protecting them from the wet, heavy snow sitting on the canopy and causing breakage.

This is the scene we woke up to Sunday morning.

Same shot off of the front porch after Dan cleared Ella a path out to the shoveled off "patch" that he made for her to do her business;)

Ella at full speed to get inside for breakfast!

She loves the snow.

The driveway. Notice the one tree that hasn't even begun to turn colors- still green.

It is such a strange sight to see all of this snow with the Fall color still on the trees.
Strange... but beautiful!

it's good to be back!

I hope those of you who were also in the path of the storm are safe and sound.... and have you power on!

frost on the pumpkins...

2011-10-28T09:15:00.001-04:00

actually it's snow!

We woke up to just under two inches of snow this morning. It will be melted by noon.

This is early, even for New England. There are rumors it is going to be a b.a.d. snow year :O

It is a beautiful, yet unusual, sight to see snow on the ground while there are still Fall leaves on the trees. I had high hopes of regaling you with amazing Fall foliage photos all season, but Fall this year has been very unusual. Due to all the rain we've had since August the leaves just haven't been their normal OMG Fall-in-New-England selves. Instead of going through the yellow/orange/red changing of colors, they are turning yellow and then just dropping. Usually at this time of year you say "OMG" about 100 times a day as every time you turn a corner there is stunning Fall color that literally blows you away.

(My apologies to all the out-of-state leaf-peeper license plates I see every day;)

Despite it not being a "normal" Fall... it's still nothing to sneeze at:):):)

Happy Weekend!

snapshot...

2011-10-26T13:23:00.001-04:00

fall light illuminating the alabaster grapes

that fill the antique oval urn in the upstairs hall