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Saturday, September 19, 2009

Random Shots for Sunday Favorites

Ah, it is Sunday, this Blogger's Day Of Rest, thanks to Chari of Happy To Design, who hosts Sunday Favorites and lets us recycle old stories. And as you know, recycling is A Good Thing.



Two months ago, my computer was on the fritz,
and had flown home to the Mothership for repair. I improvised.



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(July 21st, Somewhere In New Jersey) -- If you have read my last few posts, you know I have not been able to load new pictures onto my temporary computer -- which is really my daughter Anne's laptop. Very frustrating; I love posting pictures -- usually too many!

So today I went into my blogger pictures album and chose some favorites from past posts -- including the picture that started it all.

Now . . . let's see if I can figure out how to load these pictures . . .
Yes! I can. (I am ridiculously proud of this.)

So, let's flip through a very personal little album of favorite pictures of That Old House.

Ring our high-tech doorbell,



and come on in.



We'll just wander around a bit, ok?
Please excuse any dust -- remember it is a protective coating for fine antiques.

I think my favorite room of all is our parlor. I fell in love with this room, naked.



The parlor was naked, not I.

It's just got such good bones:

(Much nicer than mine, which considering the fact that I am 120 years younger
than this room, is rather humbling. I creak more than these floors do!)

I have pictures of this room, furnished, but it's not done yet to my liking,
and these are favorite pictures I am sharing -- so you get the naked parlor pictures today.

Not so the dining room, which wasn't such a beauty in its naked state:

That's piles and piles of heavy draperies and elaborate lace sheers on the floor. They were donated to a thrift shop, and I hope have found a happy new life. The light fixture went also, replaced by a crystal jobby that looked way bigger in real life than it had on the Internet.

It's a bit over the top, but you can do that in a dining room.

We certainly go over the top at Christmas; I love this room at the holidays!

I wish I had a picture of the rest of the dining room all gussied up for Christmas.
Next year I will take more pictures!

For summer, I had planned on replacing the gold draperies with lots and lots of sheer creamy white -- floaty and dreamy. But, life interfered, and that particular project didn't get done.



We use the dining room a lot; it's cool in the summer, and always tidy and rather serene,
which is more than I can say for the rest of the house!

But this is my favorite use of That Old House:

Packed with young people.

This was taken after our House Blessing party in March -- these are friends of our daughters, who hung on afterward, helped us clean up (bless them), and talked well into the wee hours in the conservatory.

Ah, yes, the conservatory.

The newest part of That Old House is only ten years old, and it's a people magnet. We all love it, and although I am not yet happy with its looks, I do enjoy this room. It's especially fun in the winter:



Great fun, watching the snow fall. Coming downstairs and finding thick ice on the windows...


not as much fun, but at least the ice is all outside, and it's warm inside!

At Christmas, I loved sitting in the study, and looking at the big fresh tree in the conservatory:


Among the favorite pictures I found while browsing the online blogger album,
is this one of the bed in our yellow guest room:


Doesn't that look inviting? Love the light coming through the window, and I wish you could see the glass, closeup. It's incredibly wavy and wiggly, as the glass has melted over the decades into charming patterns. I haven't been able to get good closeups of the wavy glass in any of the rooms. Any hints?

Well I could keep posting pictures till I ran out of them, but
I will close with the picture that started it all:


Back in March 2007, I was browsing through Internet real estate listings, and a picture popped open of an old yellow house, slightly abandoned looking, with crooked dark green shutters, some scraggly landscaping -- and my heart actually skipped a beat. It was love at first sight.

I told my husband that evening that I'd found "our house."

"Fine," said he, "but we've got a contract to buy another house."

Fate intervened, and 12 months after I first saw this listing, we bought That Old House. The honeymoon isn't over yet.

I think it looks a little more lived-in now, but we've got a long way to go:


end of old post

See you Monday! I'm hoping to sneak out to a rummage sale at a
local historical society today. Sshhh... don't tell Howard! -- Cass

24 comments:

  1. I never tire of looking at your home, Cass! It just has a big smile on it's face because it is so loved...as old homes should be!
    Happy Sunday!
    Misha

    p.s. Mums the word. Howard won't get a squeak out of me!

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  2. Enjoy your sale and your secret is safe with me!

    Come by soon!

    Melinda

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  3. Cass,
    Your house is a true "Dream house". I just love it. Everytime I pop over to your blog, I linger on the picture of your house. It is so beautiful. Thank you for the lovely tour. Every room is just so warm and inviting!

    have a wonderful day!

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  4. Cass,
    You have a beautiful house. It's the kind of house that I would fall in love with at first sight too. And your conservatory!!! I'm in love!!! I also love your sense of humor.
    Kim

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  5. Your house is truly awesome - I feel like I know it - not just because of all your wonderful blogging but because I am (was) a Jersey girl!

    Carol

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  6. Cass,
    I adore your old house, the wall colour in the parlor is just gorgeous.
    Have fun today,
    Maggie @ Normandy Life

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  7. Dear Cass! I love seeing your beautiful home! Everything is so beautiful! I'm glad your a nekked (Texan for naked) kind of gal! :)
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

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  8. I wish I could photograph wavy glass also. It make the outside world look like an impressionistic painting. Love your house Cass! :D Jewel

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  9. Im another one that lingers over the pictures of your house. It's gorgeous, charming and has so much character! Thanks for posting pictures of it- I love them!

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  10. Oh I just love your house. I love older homes and yours is just wonderful. Your dining room and the conservatory are fabulous. I love the pic of the outside too. Hugs, Marty

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  11. My heart too skips a beat whenever I see pictures of you home. The wide plank floors just about do me in. Did my eyes spot a Santa on the window ledge in the dining room? The view to the conservatory with the Christmas tree is enough to make me melt. I love it all.

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  12. I loved these pictures then - - - I love them still now.

    I remember when:

    You were making the curtains (that's actually how we met and got to be such good friends 'cause I was the naysayer who said you COULDN'T sew all those curtains in one weekend)

    I remember the ghost, in whom none of us believe, who nonetheless passes through the conservatory, and is seen by you and turkey-shirt guy.

    I remember tea for one by the fireplace.

    I remember the stairways to heaven (oh - - - wait - - - I think that was a song)

    And I will NEVER forget the hungry ghosts in the cellar.

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  13. Be sure to come by tonight around 9pm (Eastern time) for the announcement so you don't miss out. I promise-it good-really really good.
    Cheri
    Its So Very Cheri

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  14. I looooove your house!
    Keep the pictures coming!!

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  15. What a wonderful house!! A conservatory- how blessed you are!! And yes, the picture with family and friends enjoying themselves is how best I love my house!

    blessings
    mary

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  16. You have such a beautiful home and you are wonderful at decorating.

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  17. Now if those walls could talk, what a tale they could tell! Your home is lovely and obviously loved.
    Happy Twirls

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  18. Hi Cass...

    Ohhh my goodness...this is definitely one of my favorite posts of That Old House!!! I sooo enjoyed looking through your album of favorite photos! My friend, your home is absoltutely breathtaking! Of course, I'm probably beginning to sound like an old broken record...but I just can't help myself!!! I just adore your fabulous parlor! So glad that you clarified the "naked" thing, Girl! Hehe! Ohhh, and that conservatory...I certainly can see why it's one of your, as well as others, favorite hangout! It's just so warm and inviting!!! Cass...I love your entire home! I have really enjoyed seeing all the transformations too!!!

    Thank you so much for sharing this post of That Old House...favorite photos for Sunday Favorites!!! It was such a treat!!!

    Warmest wishes,
    Chari

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  19. Oooh a rummage sale - I can just imagine a future post!
    Your house looks so beautiful in the Christmas photos........the thought of the glow from the tree and the hearth nearly makes up for the gradual disappearance of summer.

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  20. What a fabulously cozy and lovely home....you're a lucky family!

    Blessings,
    Spencer

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  21. What a fabulously cozy and lovely home....you're a lucky family!

    Blessings,
    Spencer

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  22. I am at loss for words, your home is so pxerfect in every way, I hope you know how lucky you are? You do know don't you? lovely post!!

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  23. What a BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL home you have !!! Keep the photos coming!!

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  24. Love that house - especially the veranda! And I agree, that parlor is really something. What a fantastic room.

    Thanks for stopping by the Borrowed Abode!

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