Monday, November 10, 2008



I'm still here... And so is Tom when actually he's supposed to be at work, but he strained his back last night moving things around in the barn, things I assured him I'd move around today. So perhaps I will take the car on the long ride to shop for groceries-- or perhaps not. In the country, I am still learning, you must be flexible and you may as well like it.

And I have a new project. This weekend we went to our favorite kind of estate sale, one held inside an 1800's farmhouse where we were allowed to wander up stairs and down and snoop in drawers. The house was dilapidated, neglected, but inspiring and I almost swooned when I saw the library in a closet. I love to step into surprises in old houses, places where people once gave their imaginations some room and some hands.



And while we traveled home I longed to make more surprises inside my own old house and I thought of one. Remember our upstairs half bath-maybe-someday, the tiny room I am painting blue? Often I stand in there simply because it feels like I've stepped outside into the tree top just outside the window and well, why wait to make this a useful room? So I'm thinking of gathering boards from the barn, wrapping wallpaper around them then making shelves for all my books for my own 'library in a closet,' my own surprise room.


I realized this week that my favorite rooms in decorating blogs are those with arrangements I've never before seen, with combinations of items never put together by anyone else. Rooms which show much thought, imagination and love of design and home--but not much money. To me, imagination speaks much louder than expensive things.

So I'll be busy up there and I'll try to get back down here to the computer and Blogland when I can. But I just thought I'd let you know where I will be.


I so meant to take photos of the orange trees and the golden light they cast upon yards and farmhouses, but the autumn got away from me. I promise to try harder next year. In the meantime here are our own naked woods, woods I'll love this winter because they're a million times greater than that ugly brick wall we stared at outside our dining room windows for 14 years at our old house.

And in case you've wondered, I almost never think about our old house. I don't miss it one iota. Tom doesn't either, in fact, three times he's smiled and told me, "I love this house." Why do I recall it's been three times? Because not once do I remember him ever saying that about any of our previous houses. Amazing. He did love a garage we had once, but alas, I'm not counting that. :)


3 comments:

Jammie J. said...

I think your "surprise" room will be just the perfect dream room. I love "naked" trees, there's something so starkly beautiful about them and the way the light filters through them.

Hey, look at that, you have 12 followers. Of course, the first thing that came to mind was disciples. *smile*

Anonymous said...

From Dec. 1999 and through the next 40 months we lived in 2 remote locations (job related moves) and it was one of the MOST BLESSED TIMES OF OUR LIVES!! We still long to return...we knew then and we know now, it may not ever happen. But though the normal parts of life certainly had to be planned for or around...and you had to "make do"...cause not always were we able to leave in that first place where we were 20 months...the weather would sock in and it was simply not safe to leave. But we had a good sized freezer and plenty of canned goods. People who visited us in both places LOVED the peace and never wanted to leave. Several told us that was the best sleep they had ever had in their lives. With time, you will learn how best to prepare for those times when you simply cannot leave due to weather or whatever. I believe we are being prepared for things that are yet to come. We have a lot of food allergies and cooking for my daughter near makes me want to pull out my hair...but nevertheless I realize I know how to fix food from products totally unknown to a great many...and in times to come, who knows? That may serve us well. Yep, often think too of some of the reasons God was so unhappy with the people on the Exodus!!

IlonaGarden said...

I love the idea of a library in a closet... and I have one all ready to convert :)

.... and here I was, looking to buy some inexpensive bookcases!