• kid in creek new jersey on the happy list
    happy list

    Happy List: #178

    Hello again! Welcome back to the Happy List! How has your week been? Ours has had a bit of a Groundhog Day feeling. That endless loop of hasn’t this happened before? Ha! This week on the blog I shared a big milestone as it relates to our curb appeal. I’m also proud of myself for keeping the weeds out front under control. Although, the extra thick layer of mulch I put down may have something to do with that. I also shared my strong conviction that there must be treasure hidden somewhere in our house. Now that I’m thinking about it, maybe I should leave something for the next person…

  • colonial farmhouse dining room fireplace Searching for Hidden Treasure in Our Home
    colonial farmhouse

    Searching for Hidden Treasure in Our Home

    I am convinced there must be hidden treasure in our home or somewhere on our property. Don’t laugh! It might not be probable, but it is possible. Our home is close to a quarter of a millennium old. You can’t tell me there haven’t been coins, letters, gold bars, jewelry, or cash hidden under a floorboard at some point in time. After all, I grew up reading Nancy Drew and watching Scooby-Doo. If that doesn’t make me an authority on mysteries and secret hiding places, I don’t know what does. There are several creaky floorboards in our house that are my top contenders for concealing hidden treasure. It’s not just…

  • The Colonial Farmhouse's Curb Appeal
    gardening and landscape

    The Colonial Farmhouse’s Curb Appeal

    When we bought our Colonial Farmhouse I knew there was one thing that would instantly improve its curb appeal: actually being able to SEE the house. Funny how curb appeal works. If you can’t see past the curb there is no appeal. If you’ve been reading this blog for the past year (thank you), then you’ll know we’ve been working on that one facet of our Colonial Farmhouse’s curb appeal since the day we bought the place. Are we that slow or was the job just that large? Yes and yes. Yes, we are slow because we tackle things around here in spurts and starts. Yes, the job was just…

  • colonial farmhouse flower bed staycation
    Uncategorized

    A Poem and Another Staycation Week

    It’s another staycation week for our crew! I’m not sure how our quiet summer has zipped by so quickly. I feel like our days have been full, but not necessarily busy. I rather like it. I don’t know what we will be doing this week. Probably trying to decide if I’m buying school supplies or not buying school supplies. Ha! But seriously. Before I leave you to your own devices this week, I thought I’d share a poem I’ve enjoyed lately from Emily Dickinson. As imperceptibly as Grief The Summer lapsed away — Too imperceptible at last To seem like Perfidy — A Quietness distilled As Twilight long begun, Or…

  • tomatoes in a colander on the happy list
    happy list

    Happy List: #177

    Hello, hello! I hope the week has treated you well. This week I shared why I love old houses so darn much. The funny thing of it was so many of you related to my sentiments on the subject. That said, don’t begrudge me if someday I move into a house with light switches in every room. Heck, I’d give up the light switches I do have right now if it meant I could have central air-conditioning. I also shared a round up of my latest thrifted finds. It’s taken me all summer, but I did find a few things that came home with me. In fairness, I might find…

  • my latest thrift store finds vegetable basket
    decorating,  thrifting

    My Latest Thrift Store Finds: Part 2

    I’ve already written one “My Latest Thrift Store Finds” post, so now I’m writing the much anticipated sequel. Maybe this will turn into a series. Who knows? I certainly don’t. Ha! But in case anyone asks, I do have a grand plan and definitely have my act together. Oh, and we never had this conversation. Now let’s get back to the important business of the day, my latest thrift store finds. They are pinch myself good. My Latest Thrift Store Finds #1: Scalloped Brass Bowl Scalloped designs seems to be having a moment. I’ve seen scalloped designs all over the internet lately, so this scalloped brass bowl that I found…

  • colonial farmhouse front yard landscaping
    colonial farmhouse,  decorating

    The Reason Why I Like Old Houses

    I had an epiphany while painting the wall of our main stairs about the reason why I like old houses. I’m qualified to speak on this issue because it’s is my blog and these are my feelings, duh I have lived in new construction, 100+ year old homes, homes built between the 1960s and 1990s, an apartment, a condo, and even a duplex in Europe. I know how lovely it is to live in new construction with that fresh-everything smell and a fabulous home warranty where the builder comes out to fix every single nail pop. I know how satisfying it is to take a home that is a money…

  • happy list

    Happy List: #176

    Hello! Welcome to another edition of the Happy List! How is August treating you? As you know, we live on the East Coast. On Tuesday we were pounded by rain from Storm Isaias. We’ve been without power all week! Hopefully, by the time you are reading this, the power will be restored. This week on the blog I shared the new chandelier for our music room. I love it more than I love temperatures in the 70s. (But don’t ask me that question on a 90 degree day.) I also shared my Summer Bucket List: Covid-19 Edition. One of the items on that list is celebrating the little things. That’s…

  • flamingo pool float summer bucket list: covid-19 edition
    Family

    Summer Bucket List: Covid-19 Edition

    I’m no stranger to a summer bucket list, but I never thought I’d be writing a Summer Bucket List: Covid-19 Edition. Our quiet summer is proof that 2020 is not at all what I anticipated it being. I know I’m not alone in recognizing that 2020 has thrown us all for a loop. In fact, if ever there was an understatement, that would be it! I fully expected us to be traveling outside of our state this summer. As it turns out, it is hard to leave our state now without having to self-quarantine when we return. I fully expected us to be hosting visitors for at least a month…

  • music room wood chandelier
    colonial farmhouse,  decorating

    Wood Chandelier in the Music Room

    We have a new-to-us wood chandelier in the music room and I couldn’t be happier about this turn of events. Our music room was once used as a formal dining room. In fact, it got the 1990s/early 2000s royal treatment with a gigantic silver chandelier that was way too modern for the space. It was also a head knocker. No, it did not knock some sense into me. I know one of you just thought that. I usually have plenty, thank you very much. Here’s the music room on the day we moved into our Colonial Farmhouse in 2019. Here’s the music room after I took down the wallpaper and…