snapshot...

morning light shining in the master bath

the "American Brilliant" cut-glass crystal bowl was a wedding gift given to Dan's grandparents in 1917

Wishing you a very Happy New Year!

May your new year be filled with joy, love, peace, grace and light!

joan

the glass door refrigerator

In trying to decide which room in the farmhouse to show you next after the entry (click to see the entry) I realized that if you were actually here visiting the natural protocol is to greet you at the door, usher you into the kitchen to get you your libation of choice, and then to proceed with the house tour!

So... the kitchen it is!

It came to my attention a few weeks ago that the refrigerator should get a post of it's own when our electrician who is working on the barn room renovation (post to follow) walked through the kitchen and commented..... "I have never seen a refrigerator with a glass door. You must have to keep it perfect all the time." I've seen and heard this comment, or ones like it, many times on various blogs, but when the electrician said it I realized I didn't want the refrigerator to be the only thing that you saw when you come into the kitchen, so, I thought I would show it to you first!

I have adored this Sub Zero refrigerator since it first made it's debut several years ago. It reminds me of the original commercial Traulsens glass fronted refrigerators of old, and the varied antique refrigerators that first found their way into home kitchens back in the early part of the 20th century.

In Dallas I had this same model with a solid stainless door, which I dearly loved, but it seems a little more contemporary. In this 1850's farmhouse I felt this refrigerator fit the kitchen perfectly!

I love the casual feel the glass front gives the room. I think it softens the room, and makes it feel very accessible since everything is right there in view!

In reality the glass actually has a deep greenish tint to it, so everything in it isn't as "visible" as you might imagine. While it has an interior light that you can leave on all the time, I generally do not, as at night I find it competes with the other lighting in the kitchen.

My secret weapon in having a glass door refrigerator is .....organized chaos!

I liken it to my boxwood-hedged garden back in Dallas. I had a garden that was completely bordered with clipped boxwoods. In it I planted roses, herbs, flowers for cutting, and any and every plant that I just couldn't resist at the garden store (you gardeners know how that is!) It was wild and chaotic, but because of the trimmed boxwood hedge it all looked completely organized, planned, and intentional!

Hence, organized chaos!

The same principal works with the refrigerator. I keep all labels facing forward (think: Jeff Lewis!), and before you tell me you don't have the time... it takes all of an extra 30 seconds to straighten the labels!! Everything else is willy-nilly, but because the beer, water, milk, yogurts, etc. are all facing straight ahead you get... organized chaos!

So, there you have it- the refrigerator! I'm curious... after hearing my explanation/secret weapon have I changed your mind about having a glass door refrigerator, or is it something you would never want to or could ever do?!

do tell!!

(post script...)

Wave "hi" to Linda!

If you look really, really close you will see Linda from Lime in the Coconut hiding behind one of the Perrier bottles! I've cleaned and I've cleaned, but she's still there;)!!

love ya Linda!!

happy holidays to you...

(first of all my most sincere apologies for my lack of post this month.... between my laptop quitting on me early in the month and the tedious process of finding a new one, and the m.e.a.n. cold that has attached itself to me I'm been very lacking in the blogging department.
...my apologies)

I didn't want to let this season pass by without wishing you a very Happy Holiday.
I also wanted to tell you how grateful I am that you are here visiting, and that you are interested in the stories of our farmhouse.
Your presence here is a gift, and I thank you.The antique brass tray on the living room coffee table was originally silver-plated. When we found the tray many years ago all but hints of silver remained.

It's a favorite of mine and I like to bring it out at Christmas, as it is marked:

MA
from
Mary and Nannie
Christmas
1881
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 repeat 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 you are!
(for example we get a regular visit from someone in tiny
Lebanon, Oregon...
Dan's father is buried in a cemetery there and we would love to know who this person is!)
That you visit from as far away as India, China, Russia, Singapore, Norway, New Zealand, Australia, Brazil, Canada, and as close as Kentucky, Tennessee, Utah, Texas and that you all obviously have a love for houses just makes the world seem that much smaller.
I love that!

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. (to see images click here)
Dan and I are hoping that in the spirit of the holidays that you, too, will drop your "calling card" in the tray and tell us who you are and where you live, and anything else about yourself that you wish to share. If you have a blog, please mention it and hopefully others will then come to visit, and leave a calling card for you!

Thank you for dropping by to visit today...
you can leave your card in the tray!

joan, dan and ella

Wishing you and yours a wonderful Holiday.

this photo is for Claire...

A couple of weeks ago Dan and I were at an antiques mall that we shop at occasionally. Keep in mind that this mall is almost an hour, and several towns away from our house. I am in a booth upstairs where over a year and a half ago I had purchased the beautiful crystal chandelier that now hangs in the master bath (here). A woman walked into the booth carrying some merchandise, so I asked her if she was the dealer, and she said "Yes."

I then said... "you had a crystal chandelier hanging in the corner...."

She replied "Yes, it sold."

I said "I know....... I bought it!!"

I then went on to tell her how it now hangs in my master bath, and it is beautiful and we love it and that we are renovating an 1850's farmhouse. She looks at me a little oddly, and asks....

"You wouldn't happen to be

"for the love of a house"

would you???"

thuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuud..... that's the sound of me falling on the floor!

now, how in the world???............

Turns out I have a very little bit of a Southern accent and she was putting two-and-two together and remembered that we had moved from Texas! She said she had followed my blog for a long time, but had never left a comment ((Helloooooo People......... I blog for comments!!! I already know what my house looks like!!! Your comments keep me posting!!!;);)

She had even told her husband when she originally saw my post on the chandelier that she thought it was "her" chandelier!

Turns out the chandelier had originally been her mother's. Her mother had purchased this vintage chandelier from the Design Center in Boston back in the 60's.

Claire seemed very happy that her mother's chandelier was so very loved and cherished in it's new home!

so..... this one's for you Claire, and your mother!!