Adding more home photos! Which took FOREVER!!!
OK, WordPress and I have gone about 15 rounds as I have been working for three stinking days to post more of the fabulous photos that you have been kind enough to send to me. I think I finally won, but we’ll see… It still may be kinda jacked up.
I hope not, because these are such fun glimpses into each other’s lives and homes!
I’ll start the festivities by showing you the BEFORE of the project I am currently tackling: painting my brick fireplace. I really don’t like the brick right in the middle of that room, so I am painting it the same color as the walls, which is Behr’s ‘Warm Muffin.’ Wish me luck, and I’ll post the AFTER as soon as I am finished– if we all live that long. Here are some of my impediments to completing this in a timely manner: I don’t really know what I am doing, I almost killed myself lifting the giant mantle off of that wood thing, I’m very disorganized, when I use the wire brush to prep the brick a distressing amount of brick dust comes flying off and Russ has no idea where the attachments to the shop vac are so I am trying to vac up the dust with just the nozzle end which is less than effective and also? DANG, those shop vacs are loud!!!!
HERE WE GO!
bettyrwoodward's Liliput Lane collection
LINDA B: "If you come to visit me, this is where we will sit and sip tea, eat banana bread, and laugh our heads off about stuff!"
LINDA B: "Carter is pointing to the four remotes required for me to play one DVD. And there's a computer now sitting by my chair. I can turn it on and switch modes on the TV remote, and the big screen TV becomes a big computer monitor! AND, hubby has rigged it so that when the phone rings, the name and number appears on the TV screen. Do you see the giant speakers on either side, the one above the TV, and the one on the floor to the left? Okay, that's four speakers. There are more to come. I think he needs serious counseling."
"I have two Thomas Kincaid prints, which I got at a garage sale, believe it or not! I love them! They are two of my very favorite Kincaid's-----Victorian Christmas and The Forest Chapel. The lady was moving and sold them to me BOTH for $180!!! That was a bargain and a half! My friend Jan has a Kincaid in her home that she paid $4000 for at a Kincaid gallery. She'll never know, will she? And YES, that is another speaker on the server and one on top of the hutch! And there's two free standing ones smack in the middle of the living room. Eight in all. See what I mean!"
LINDA B: Dining room-- "This very heavy cut glass punch bowl was a gift to my inlaws on their 25th wedding anniversary from their church. I inherited it when she passed away. It is unique, I believe. I think of my husband's mother every time I look at it. Through the door is our back deck where I can sit and contemplate the universe..........for about three minutes. That's my limit. LOL"
LINDA B: "A few of my favorite things: My late mother-in-law collected Moon and Star glassware by Smith Glass. It is now very collectable and very pricey, even on Ebay. She gave me a few pieces before she died. My husband bought these green canisters on Ebay a few years ago and I love them!!!! The big soup tureen was given to me also by my mother-in-law for Christmas before she died. I bought the tray when we were on vacation because it looked so much like the tureen. Some trivia for you-----it was said that Abraham Lincoln's favorite glassware was the Moon and Star pattern?"
TANYA GOODMAN SYKES: "In the entry there is a display that represents our faith and family legacies. The large photo is Michael's grandad (shown here preaching on the radio) who started over 30 churches in NC, the smaller photos are my family, the bibles, glasses and capo belonged to his grandparents. The bell, this is my fave, was the little bell that his granddad rang to signal the end of Sunday School time before Sunday morning services."
TANYA GOODMAN SYKES: "The night stand is mine, and above it hangs a Holiday Inn post card, I made a photo copy of the back and had it mounted as well. It's from my dad, he sent it to me from the road when I was about 7. I had cried when he left town that week and he wrote me a little note and mentioned that school would soon be out and I could, "go on the bus with him and swim in fun pools like the one on the card." It's one of my most cherished possessions."
TANYA GOODMAN SYKES: "The lamb, (with one broken wing, that I just sit on top of the good one) was made for me by my youngest daughter as a gift. It's so special to me because it's kind of the way I think of her. She's my little lamb, not perfect, but precious and I love her just the way she is."
THEMEMA: "The old chippendale style furniture was my Mom's. The lawyers cabinet in the far corner was my Dad's and is filled with relics, jewelry and linens that he brought back from Jerusalem in 1921. The brass tray that is sitting on the wood frame with the plant is also from the Holy Lands. The plant was given to my Mom on her 90th birthday in 1990. It is still alive and healthy. The drop leaf table was my Mom's first dining room table. The fireplace is made out of river rock that Mom and Dad collected when they were going together, before they were married. The chandelier is original to the house."
THEMEMA: "One might think that I love green, magnolias and dogwood. They would be right. This is my dining room."
FROM THEMEMA: ( I think this is so cool! Here is a vintage photo of her childhood home-- she lives there now!) "I"m told that the newest car in this picture is a 1939. The H shaped building was the officer's quarters on the base, and was mostly destroyed when a plane crashed into it. Yes, they flew and crashed that close to us."
I'm just crazy enough to leave my tree up all year round. This is my summer tree. Each year, I buy new flip flops for it and then use the flip flops in my Angel tree boxes at Christmas."
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OK, still looking a little weird. I’m trying.
The effort is appreciated Tori! It is soooo cool to peek into everyone’s homes.
You’ve done a great job, Tori! You can’t even see the dust in my house!!!
Themema, you left off the most interesting feature of your home—–folks, she has a real elevator in her house! It’s very cool!!!
Tori, it looks fine!
Linda–I am on my way–I’ll even bring some homemade banana bread.
My husband has those same ‘speaker issues’and they are LOUD–one time he and Matt were watching some war movie and I was in the shower…I thought we were having an earthquake or something…I was grabbing the sides of the shower and thinking I was about to die!
I have some of my husband’s grandmother’s depression glass but I don’t know anything about it. My china cabinet is loaded with pieces from her and from my grandmother…some that my grandmother made when she took a pottery class in her 80’s.
Tanya–I LOVE the sentimental stuff! I am so glad that someone saved the communion trays from my grandparent’s church for me. And there is a big chair that used to sit at the front of their church for years where my grandfather sat during services–we’ve been trying to buy it from the people who just TOOK it when that church died out. I’d pay big money to have that chair ’cause the image of him sitting there with his Bible open in his lap is still so clear to me.
the Mema–I would love to just visit your area and hear the history. And how cool to have a vintage photo!
(BTW–a family who moved here recently from VA sat next to us at a ballgame the other day–the father was talking about the school zoning issues in the Chesapeake area–he seemed surprised that I knew what he was talking about. I remembered your letter…)
Tonya, I’m so glad you contributed your photos………..and that you read Babybloomr!!! I wish I’d known that—-I would have been a lot nicer! LOL
That postcard from your dad is a wonderful momento of his love for you and his thoughtfulness! I can identify with your loss—–I lost my dad in 1980 and just talking about him now still brings tears, even though he left us so long ago at 56 years of age. Things that were his now have so much more value to me.
Tonya, I hope you come back often to this blog and post some!! We’d all enjoy hearing from you.
Alyson, I’m leaving the porch light on for you, Dear! Hurry up—–I’m not getting any younger!!!
Thanks for adding the photos, Tori, it was worth it even if it took ages and thanks to those who shared them. I am home from Rachels now so might get round to taking some soon!
That’s simply great ! It was such a beautiful surprise to start the day with. As bettyrwoodward already said: thanks so much !
Beautiful pictures! Thank you for taking the time to post them, Tori!
I see that I don’t need to resist the temptation to keep my tree up year round :o) I do put up a tree at Easter and Halloween.
Fun photos!
Tori, tell me again why you want to PAINT your fireplace?? It looks good, Girl! Do you have to prime it first? What if the paint starts peeling?
Betty, your Liliput cottage collection is impressive!!! They are beautiful!
Thanks Linda. Fortunately they are behind glass so I don’t have to dust them too often!
Yeah, the idea of someone wanting to paint over a red brick fire place has already caused me to lose more than a little sleep. Sure you don’t want to give the idea a little more time?? = /
OK, cuz of my former obsession’s reaction to Tonya Goodman Sykes, I had to google. If Tonya is also referred to as ‘Tanya,’ then I am humbled to have discovered her through this blog. Christ seems to use her voice for His healing and ministering purposes, ways. Quite an honor. After one song I YouTubed, I thought, ‘It rarely gets any better than this.’ Interestingly enough, that famed shoe collecting Gospel singer of a man, Mr. Russ Taff, must have thought the same at the time. At the end of the song he stood up and applauded for her as well. I just hope she’s not in tight with Candy, otherwise I could also be in the dog house for what I’ve written here as well.
Oh! Sorry Tanya! I mispelled your name, for heaven’s sakes! I think it was because I watched Dr. Zhiavago recently and that spelling is stuck in my head!
Thank you for pointing that out for me, Jonny! You’re so helpful!
Just to be sure, jonny: with this ‘dog house’ expression you mean you could be in trouble ?
Yes, delighted, it does.
Hey Mr Rock Star, you better look out or you’re going to find yourself listening to southern gospel for pleasure
You’re great rachelbaker ! Lol
Good comment Rach’ lol!
Sorry, no. Most songs I couldn’t listen to to the end. I was blessed seeing how wonderfully Christ was working through, with her voice and the songs she chose, was given to sing, though. Good to know God is so powerful, faithful, and so full of grace that He can even reach people through southern gospel type music! Amen??
I’ll give you an Amen jonny … and through Rock music too. It just goes to show how much bigger, more powerful and all-encompassing God is than us, his creation. Thank God for diversity!
A Whoppin’ AMEN to diversity!!! And, I’ve heard rumor, He even works through Soul music!?!
I’ve heard that rumour too! AND, and I am witness to this, He even ministers through Rap.
This is soo awesome. I get to come back to work a couple days this week. And I get to invision myself sitting around tables, drinking coffee and eating bananna bread. WOW!
I agree with you Rachel some of the words to these Rap songs makes me want to crawl into a closet and pray through.
You’re right, thank God for diversity ! Though as yet I didn’t quite get the difference between gospel and southern gospel… perhaps someone could give me a hint ??
It’s hard to explain that to someone outside the USA. If you heard both you could tell. Why don’t you u-tube The Hoppers and Donnie McLurkin. The Hoppers would be what I would consider Southern gospel. And Donnie McLurkin’s style would be what I would consider gospel. The Crabb family would be a good mixture of both styles.
Oh yes delighted how have you been sleeping?
Well,it’s never really good thus far but the last few days it was even worse. I guess that’s also why I have to struggle with some kind of melancholy these days.
Delighted- If you don’t mind, I will ask my church to pray for you tomorrow evening.
Welcome back trish!! Thanks for the reminder to pray for you, delighted! The last few days have been rough on me as well = /
Is there such a thing as ‘roots’ gospel?? That’s what I would consider Alison Krauss, for example.
I would indeed be grateful. Either I can’t hear what God tells me about the reasons for it or He didn’t tell me anything up to now.
It’s good to be back for a few days. Then I will be replaced by a bi-lingual young lady.
Jonny-Will pray for you too! Are you still sick?
Delighted-I have a friend named Debbie Young. She suffers from sleep apnia (I think that’s how you spell it) She stops breathing several times during the night and she wakes up with severe headaches b/c the little bit of sleep she does get is mixed with a lack of oxygen. But God uses her in such great ways. I’ve never met anyone with so much creativity or drive do do as much for the Lord while it’s still day. From what I have learned about you just from talking to you via “Tori’s Table” you seem to be the same type of person.
Uhh, talking about sleep – I realized that it’s ‘bedtime’ for me now; see you tomorrow (hopefully) !!
Yep. Not out of the woods yet.
Jonny, you don’t seem to waste your time with trivial things like a cold…but I hope you’ll soon be well again and will pray for it.
Thanks! No, I guess I can be a bit of an extremest = /
I guess that depends on how you define ‘a bit’ !
Just a notice to everyone around: It’s quite probable that my temper will show considerable ups and downs the months to come. That’s due to the final exam hopefully taking place mid-February. My thoughts change from ‘ok, I’ll do it’ to ‘oh my, how will I ever pass exams’ – and every imaginable degree in between.
Delighted, you will pass exams with no problem!!! ‘Cause we’re all gonna pray for you—–that God will give you peace about it, a clear and focused mind, and will bring to your thoughts everything you’ve learned! I am so impressed with your English already!!! I wouldn’t know that English is a second language if you hadn’t mentioned it! You’ll be fine!
We’ll keep in mind your temperment ups and downs until then and we’ll give you a “pass” to be cranky, if you need to! LOL (We love you!)
That’s great to know! You’re so sweet and encouraging !
Besides, I worry less about English; it’s German-French translation and hoping to be concentrated. Oh, I should perhaps go back to our biblical verse for our marriage (Romans 8, 31) !
My former-eth speaketh the truth-eth, you are indeed loved and appreciated, no matter the state of your whatever, whenever!!