Indian Summer Day

Whew! Today was gorgeous…and I was stuck inside! Cleaning, cleaning, cleaning…normally I’d completely blow off my obligations and head somewhere beautiful, but life has kept us on our toes lately. I have some truly wonderful pictures to share, but they’ll be coming in the next post or two once I have time to catch my breath a bit.

Here’s another installment of the Nora saga in the meantime. Oh! And to my facebook friends-I’m trying to figure out how to disengage my “notes” from automatically downloading my blogs, because many of you have complained of not being able to see pictures. Once I figure that out, I’ll start adding the links to my posts instead. But until then…click right on this wordpress link and it should take you straight to the source.

Nora Number 6!

I leave you with a picture of my favorite tree on Main Street…

Oh, you should see this shot when the sky is brilliant blue. Ahh...

and Nora Number 6!  I’ll be off to pick up Joy later and have a few gloriously girlie days together!  Prayers for safe travel appreciated!

Trouble in paradise?    See you soon!

Pumpkinheads and Nora Number 5

Pumpkinheads! (what we do to entertain ourselves in the car)

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Nora Number 5!

Laugh right out Loud!

I’m a Vintage girl at heart

Many of my blog friends have often participated in Blue Monday, and after I wrote this post I thought…maybe I could, too! I have some blue thrown in here! So, Ms. Smiling Sally and friends, I hope this qualifies, and welcome if you have never been here before!

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I’ve you’ve ever had the chore pleasure of cleaning out the house of a 91 year old sweetheart (who is still doing very well in her new home, by the way), you probably know that it’s a tremendous job. A tremendous job, with a few amazing moments thrown in for good measure! For every 10 bags of old newspapers and receipts from the 1960’s, something lovely is waiting underneath the next pile.

Although Ms. M’s house is decorated right out of the 1970s, she very wonderfully held on to some home decor from an earlier age. An earlier age that I am in love with. While the Man of the House tends to a more traditional, classic style of home decor, I’m a sucker for vintage/retro/bright/graphic. So while I want to make my hubby happy, and will, here and there I’m going to throw in a few good punches of “me”.

I’ve always loved old tablecloths, and was dancing a jig once I found these:

iron that baby and it'll be good as new!

close up

Here is another...

I love the blue!

Doesn't even appear it was ever used...

And this hand towel (?) is most assuredly going to become a pillow:

one end

the other end!

Ms. M was a full time teacher back in the early 50’s, and then substitute taught clear in to her 70’s (or was it 80’s? I think it was 80’s!). I’ve uncovered a hoard of school supplies from her full time teaching days, which is a goldmine since I plan on homeschooling the kids! She taught early elementary, so I have plenty to use. I found a box full of vintage school posters which I will share soon-most of them are “drink your milk!” posters, and there are a few good nursery rhyme ones in there too. Her husband was the manager of the local A&P grocery store, so I’m assuming the following poster came from him. I don’t know, but I love it, and it’s going in the boy’s room. No question!

Everyready Flashlights and Batteries Ad

Isn’t that the sweetest thing?

Well, since we are talking vintage, I’ll go ahead and post more Nora. Actually, she’s definitely more of an antique by now! (For the previous letters, click on the Nora category to the right)

Letter Number 4

Those poor Eyetalians and Poluticians…

Thanks for visiting today!

Compassion

I am so proud of my boys.  This is one of those moments that I absolutely must get in writing!

Over the last few years I’ve been learning the “art” of compassion.  God has taught me alot-things that I have always heard but are just now clicking.  There are things that I want my boys to learn now so they don’t have to wait until their 20’s to “get it”, you know?  Anyway, one thing I want them to try and realize is how exceptionally fortunate they are to have 2 loving parents, to have a roof over their heads, to have a bed to sleep in at night. To have food in their bellies; daily.  I told them last night that some kids don’t have those things, and before I could expound upon my thoughts and let them know that one of our jobs is to help take care of those less fortunate, Jack pops out with “Can I give some of my toys to the kids that don’t have any?”

And then Ryan pops out with “Yes!  That would be a GREAT idea!”

Sob.

They are getting it.

***

Ok, here is the 3rd installment of Nora.  That last quote by Mike might tell you a little bit about the man.  And about how silly women can be!

More Nora

Fall flowers!  I love the light in the first picture; it’s on our neighbor’s stoop.  And I’m crazy about the color of the fence in the second picture.  It’s right outside of Uncle Deans in Waterville, for the locals.  It’s the prettiest pale blue. My camera didn’t focus on the flowers so much, but that fence is something else.

Speaking of pale blue-I was wandering through our Dexter house yesterday, and realized that although I am NOT a pastel person, our house is filled with it.  Pale blue, sage green, buttercream…what is WRONG with me?    Actually, it does really lighten the house up, and with what I had planned for the walls, it wouldn’t of turned out very girly at all.  But it still made me laugh.  Poor boys, surrounded by all that day in and day out.  Hopefully prospective buyers will either love it or think “at least THAT will be easy to paint over!”

And here is our second Nora letter, for your laugh of the day!

Love Letters

First of all, thank you guys for your compliments on the pictures; I’ve really enjoyed experimenting with the camera a little lately. And I’m sorry I haven’t replied to your comments! I love them, they mean so much to me! It’s just about enough I can do to get a blog posted these crazy days, in this busy season of life…

Anyway, I wanted to share this book with you-I found it a couple of days ago, tucked away in Marietta’s “junk” room; I love little treasures found in junk rooms! It’s entitled “Love Letters of an Irishwoman”, and it’s actually found online, for free, so I really don’t feel badly posting the letters here. I think I’ll do one a week; they are hilarious. Put together by Frank Voorhies in 1901, written by Nora. Here is the first page:

And the first of 10 Letters:

“Mike dear, this goat is not like other goats. When I look at him it brings the vision of your dear face before me”.

LOL! She sure knows how to compliment, doesn’t she? I laughed all the way through this little book-it took me all of 15 minutes to read, so I thought I’d spread it out a little for you. Makes it better that way, unless you are champing at the bit and want to google it for yourself.