Church, ballgames and mud – my day.
Reader photos
Sheryl’s got the right idea – finish up our Christmas UFOs now so they’ll be ready! Cute quilt!!
Sunday Night, 3-9-25
Country Threads Chicken Scratch
Farm life
Church, ballgames and mud – my day.
Reader photos
Sheryl’s got the right idea – finish up our Christmas UFOs now so they’ll be ready! Cute quilt!!
Oh these boys… 💕🐾 what a good life they have!
I love that 9 patch and red quilt!
Barabara, I can’t even imagine the heating bill for 7800 sq feet!!!!! With my over active imagination and all the stories if that house could talk. And all the ghosts, too!! What fun. My mother’s grandparents immigrated from Germany to Iowa in 1891 — just 15 years after the Civil War. Oh, if I could ask them so many questions.
Have you ever thought about writing stories – fiction- about the house history? What people did to survive? Enjoy your new home. The weather should be easier in South Carolina than New York?
Betty in Rapid City
Hi Betty, Actually the heating bills are very reasonable due to the fact the walls are at least 18″ thick and very well insulated. I keep the temp inside the house at 70 to 72 degrees and our bill was just over $400 last time. The house was presented on a history channel of old homes and has been feature in several books . I do tours of the house occasionally for non-profet groups and have listed many charity events here. We get asked to use the grounds for Wedding and family group pictures all the time and I’m happy to let them . The ghost stories I could tell you !!!!! All friendly and some caught on camera. That ghost show has approached me a few times to film here, but I don’t think the ladies of the house would approve !!! I just love it here.
Barbara! – you should have taken up Ghosts offer – we could have seen you on tv! How fun! But just think how much easier your life will be soon.
I really was tempted but I wanted to stay on their good side. I’ll try to find the ghost picture and send it to you. Will keep you updated.
18″ walls. Did you heat all of the rooms? What were the walls made of? Rocks? Logs? Did you get a lot of bugs?
The reason I ask is because at one time I had the fortune to live in part of a log cabin. It started with a log cabin which they had added 3 more rooms and covered the outside with siding and insulation. The inside was all finished. The old rooms had heaters built into the walls. It was in the winter and we had stink bugs. For some reason they liked they liked the heaters and would really get irritated when the heater would heat up!
We didn’t have that problem in Iowa!
Betty in Rapid City
Good morning. Lovely pictures of the quilts. The Catch a Christmas Star is outstanding. I like the addition of the buttons.
Hank and Keeper are a cute pair. Best place to stay when Mom’s away.
Spring is right around the conner.
Barb, so glad you are close to a sale. Must be hard to let it go. I’m sure you’ll be glad to be closer to family.
Barbara, your home sounds amazing! But the work you’ve put into it is also amazing! I grew up in a home in SW Ohio that was part of the Underground Railroad as were several in that area, but not as elaborate as your home, built in the 1800’s. It was located on a 150+ acre farm. As we grow older I think many of us want a smaller home to own, just makes life easier! I love my much smaller home!
My weekend has been an eventful one! On a whim Ron & I stopped at the SPCA on Friday to see if they had any small dogs for adoption. Only had one small pup who they had sent to the groomer to appear on TV to advertised their $20 adoption fee. Like most animal shelters, they’re at capacity! I saw a picture of him & fell in love. Was told to come back at noon on Saturday & he would be mine! Earlier in the week a man had stopped in to pay for 5 adoption fees in memory of his mother. How special was that? I decided to pay it forward for another adoption. I had my heart set on a Shih Zhu & that’s what he is! He’s such a sweet boy & adores Ron! I have no idea why his 1st owners surrendered him, he’s precious! I honestly would have adopted any small dog & said I would after Bentley passed last Oct. The next couple of weeks will be dedicated to appts for Boots. Ron, my good friend & neighbor has always had this breed but decided not to get another due to his age (almost 92). Boots adores Ron & the feeling is mutual!
Alice, this story of adoption just warms my heart and to know you are giving a life to a dog kept in a kennel. Boots has to be so grateful to have a home. It gives me hope some people care about rescued animals when a man stops in and pays random adoption fees in honor of his mother and you passing it forward. I thank you so much for letting a cute dog live out its life in your wonderful home. And for Ron giving it the love it deserves. Now you need to send Mary a picture.
Congratulations! Such a sweet story. We’ll be waiting to see pictures of your new baby.
Yes! We must see pictures of Boots, he sounds adorable!
Jamie – I’ll post his picture
Good Morning from San Diego!
Can you tell me the name of the Star quilt in the picture with the muddy boys?
Have a great Monday 🤩
Sandy Pierson
I was wondering the same thing. Beautiful quilt. I hope Mary can tell us where to find the pattern. Looks like a star block and jacob’s ladder. But I don’t do well without a pattern.
I have also been worrying about Hank and Keeper parting. But, I’m sure Hank will be overjoyed when mom comes home!
Love the quilt!
Looking forward to a beautiful day. Going out for lunch!
Joy,
I know Hank will miss Keeper after he catches up on sleep. Fortunately, we only live about 8 miles apart so they can have play dates frequently.
It looks like the dogs had a GREAT DAY!
P.S. Yes, the house is haunted! Haha.
Finalizing a contract on our house in New York and will soon be a permanent resident in Columbia, South Carolina. Drove up to NY in mid-February and will be here until the 1st week in May for closing. It will be a bittersweet move because I spent the last 12 years renovating a Queen Ann Mansion built in 1884 that was involved in the Post Civil War Underground Movement. The history on this house is amazing and has been an honor to restore. However, it’s just to big for my husband and I to handle anymore by ourselves and finding help is almost impossible . It’s located in an Amish farming community and originally owned by a State Senator and was located on 2200 acres now down to 3 acres as the town developed around it. Just the heated area is 7800 square feet and is 4 stories high with a Carrage House and Tack Shed. There were tunnels from the Carrage House into the main house and also into the surrounding hillside where escaping individuals were funneled thru heading towards Canada, which is less than 50 miles away, across from the Niagara River/falls. The house was completely empty when I bought it and as I showed Mary pictures of it, I spent many happy years filling it with art work, furniture and nick nacks all to period. Hope you will enjoy my little history lesson from Western New York.
Barbara – congratulations! I know this is what you’ve been hoping for but yes, it must be sad to leave that gorgeous house. But I agree it is too huge and detailed to keep up – dusting must be horrible and if you’re anything like me I can ignore it for a long time. Yes, I would love to find a cleaning lady but it’s impossible. I do the best I can but life is short. Won’t you have fun with your daughters and grandson!! I am so happy for you.
How delightful that your move is well underway. I think about how the daily lives of residents in North Carolina are still disrupted. I hope their time ahead is more stable. How they must long for a normal day.
I would love to see pictures of the house, what a rich history!
I love seeing those two buddies together, they are perfect for each other but I also worry about them when Hank goes home, they will miss each other I’m sure. Who won the most mud award?
Love the red and nine patch quilt!!
I love seeing Hank and Keeper photos but now I’m beginning to worry how either of them is going to survive when Hank’s mom and dad get home and take him back.
Love, love, love Sheryl’s quilt!
That’s the worst part of snow-the mud that comes afterwards. Always appreciate the moisture though. The quilts are really nice. Finally back into my sewing room after nearly 6 weeks of purging and cleaning and also getting taxes done.! Feels good to finally be able to sit and sew.
Keeper & Hank are both very hansom boys.