Fall Back...Spring Forward

Since we all gain an hour tonight, I thought I would use that extra hour to visit with you all. The air turned very cold this evening and while snuggled on the sofa, I started to go through some old image files and clean them out. I discovered that I never shared with you  our visit to Abe Lincoln's home in Springfield, IL.

It has been a few years since that visit, and as I started to look through the images, I discovered something kind of funny. I began to notice how familiar Mr.Lincoln's home began to look to me. While it is wildly decorated (and you will understand the term "wildly" in a moment once you take a gander at the wallpaper), there is a vague sense of familiarity to it as well. I also find it ironic that I made this discovery on the night we all turn our clocks back an hour. It might be only an hour we turn back, but as I look around my room, here, I think my clock has turned waaaay back, so far so, that I am finding quite a few things in my home that are also a part of the Lincoln's home. 

I thought you might like to visit Abe's home, and maybe you might find yourself feeling a little familiar with some of the objects you see as well.

Here is Abe Lincoln's home. And while it isn't as grand or stately as many brand new homes today, it does have a feeling of purpose...shutters that actually work and close off the windows. Not like the new ones today which are just ornamental. Windows galore, as there wasn't electricity back then. A strong fence to keep IN the kids, rather than to keep out strangers. Two chimneys to house the several wood stoves...the only source of heat. Yes, a very pretty house, with lots of purpose.

Upon entering, there are two main rooms. One on the left and one on the right. This is obviously the room for visitors who came calling. For a man who is always shown wearing black, his house is very colorful. Mary Todd Lincoln, I am sure had something to do with the decor, as she was determined to be fashionable.

This is the other main room, on the other side of the house, where little light was getting. I apologize ahead of time for some of the dark or fuzzy photos. We were on a tour and had to "keep moving" along. But this room is more of the family room as you can see much plainer furniture...

The wallpaper is different in every room. And the rugs all seemed to have some sort of red pattern as well. 

The bedroom were very cozy and all had wood stoves...

But as I began to zero in on the items in the room, and not the room as a whole...that is when that feeling of familiarity started to creep in. (Who is that in the mirror? :-)

I zeroed in on the ironstone, of course. And the linens? I have some just like these right next to me almost within arm's reach.

And being married to a barber, yes, we really do have a razor strop hanging in our bathroom (and he uses it), along with a straight razor as well.

Of course, I spied the soap and the ironstone soap dish...how many times have we all spied those dishes at antique stores...and while we might like them, it is neat to think that Abe's dish is as common as those we find, collect, and even use.

And I thought how funny to see his old books on the table, and how many of us LOVE old books and stack them on the table for decoration? I really wish I had brought my big purse that day...never can have too many old books...I'm just say'n...

More old books. I tried to get a better pic of his items in the cubby holes, but the desk was too far away and I'm stuck behind the rope...but I really relate to the cubby holes...as I have cubby hole shelf on my desk, and it is filled with goodies too.

Heading towards the kitchen now, I stop in my tracks as I eye the beautiful ironstone and even smile as I realize I have very similar plates and soup tureens as well. Now I REALLY wish I had my giant purse with me...

Now the kitchen is where I really felt at home! I cook with cast iron all the time...Have a French towel hanging on my wall just like the one in the back. Jars, jugs, and crocks...yes, those too. And the cutting board, well, I love very old cutting boards.

And the mortar and pestle? Have several and I do use them. I have no doubt that many of you have these items as well. And I even have an oil lamp hung on the wall, over my stove, with mercury glass behind it that I do light in the winter. Suddenly my "stuff" seems a little bit more regal, and not so ordinary.

After my visit with "the Lincolns," and revisiting these old images, it is apparent how much we, as a culture, have changed. And yet, how many of us grasp for a bit of the past? Why? Do we want things simpler, even though harder to do and inconvenient? In my very limited knowledge of history, culture, and anthropology, it is in my humble opinion that while life may be "easier" now than back then, we do more. Period. 

With a quick flick of our finger, we have light. Back then, the lamp must be filled with oil, the wick trimmed, and the flame adjusted periodically, as well as the glass cleaned after it cools down. All for a less-than-perfect light. But the thing is, lighting an oil lamp took time. And while we can just flick a switch in seconds...what exactly do we do with all that time we just saved from not having to light an oil lamp?

See where I am going with this? Easy to flick a switch and it saves loads of time, but what exactly do we do with all that extra time we just saved? Want a hot bath? Turn on the faucet. Back then? Chop some wood,start the wood stove, heat up water, and fill and refill the tub over and over again. After our quick bath...what do we do with all that extra time we saved? 

I think since we get to have an extra hour tomorrow (Sunday), I am going to suggest we all use that time to really think about how exactly do we spend all these extra hours that we have in our day that Abe and Mary just didn't have? (Or rather, their servants, really.)

Abe and Mary got 24 hours just like we do. But how those hours were spent in their home were so different than today's homes. Not better. Just different. But if we seem to gravitate towards the past, the antiques, the "old way" of doing some things...then maybe our heartstrings are being plucked for a reason.

Turning the clock back one hour is always a neat treat. But we don't need to turn the clock back to slow down. We can do that at any hour. We just need to decide what we are slowing down for.

May your extra hour be spent well while you enjoy the gift of time.

From my house to your house,

The Apple of my Eye

They say carrots are good for the eyes, but I think apples have a way of making the heart see what the eyes may missed...

My barber husband and I went apple picking a few weeks ago. We visited a Missouri orchard that is 200 years old, and we were there the first day of apple picking season. We had the entire orchard to ourselves, and just when I thought I couldn't love my special one a single ounce more...

...my heart for my beloved grew a bit more by just watching him enjoy himself so much. So I thought I would write about my thoughts of that day. I don't always write a lot about my barber husband. 

Maybe I should. 

He is great writing material in many ways.

While there are millions of fab husbands out there, I only know mine. 

And he is fab. 

And that is the real reason I should write about him more - his fabulousness. Fabulous mainly because God made him perfect for me. HE isn't perfect, but he is perfect for ME.

Big difference :-)

It was really nice to have the whole orchard to ourselves. The day was a spur of the moment. I found the orchard the night before, online, and asked if he would like to drive out and pick apples. To my surprise, he had never picked apples before...funny how one can live with another, and still find out something new about them without even really trying.

I so enjoyed watching him get excited by the apples and there were tree-fulls from which to choose! Several times, he would call over his shoulder, looking for me, "Aren't you going to pick some apples, baby doll?" He didn't realize that I was enjoying myself more watching him from a distance and snapping a pic here and there. 

It felt like Christmas in a way, walking between the trees, filled with apple ornaments. The color of the apples are what you see...so bright, almost seemed like a movie set.

But, I really had my eye on my beloved, not the apples. He was the brightest thing in the orchard - to me.

It's funny the things we love about our spouses...things that maybe others would never see, and that is okay. 

I love when he wears he overalls and hat. There is a certain masculinity about it that he doesn't see. He is only after comfort and to keep his little round head from frying in the sun.

I see it differently. 

Where he may see comfort and practicality, I see a man who enjoys life, on his terms. And I find that very attractive.

Even more attractive? A man who finds interests in other people. He can talk to anyone, and I mean anyone, without even caring where they live, what they do, how much they make, where they come from, or what they believe. 

He knows everyone has a story. After all, he is a barber. For 27 years he has heard snippets of stories from behind the barber chair. And over the years, those snippets become full-blown real life novels of those who shared their hopes, losses, grief, and joys with him. Between sounds of scissors and buzzing clippers, a story usually unfolds with time. 

And I think that is what I have learned the most from my beloved. Things take time. And taking time out is even more important, while waiting, working, hoping, and wanting time to speed up when wanting something.

Like I said, this apple orchard farm is 200 years old. That is a long time to work at something. And yet, here we are, 200 years after it began, spending the afternoon picking at something that took so long to create, nurture, and grow.

But I feel very blessed that it was no time at all, before I realized that I wanted to spend the rest of my time here on earth next to my overall-wearing man.

This pic is how I really see him. He fills my world with color and happiness. And I guess I just wanted to share a little of  his fabulousness with you all. 

He had no idea I took this photo. Why? 

He was taking time out to stroll the orchard and appreciate all that went into it, and I stood back to appreciate him.

May your part of the world be a place where you find contentment and take time out to appreciate all that is around you. 

Especially your loved ones.

from my house to your house,

Loving the Lulu Blogger

Guest Post by

Lulu

Hello Mates! (I am speaking with a cockney accent)

My name is Lulu. Me mum asked me if I could do a guest post, as she is busy doing whatever it is she does...I really am not sure as of yet, but I hear it is dashing....

I'm not British, but the accent suits me and I fancy it. When me mum and pop went their ways, me and my older brother went to live with pop, as mum felt it best we had a regular schedule (now that is pronounced "shzedule" as my Brit mates say...)

Monty - my older brother

Monty was supposed to be the guest blogger, but as you can see, his priorities are a bit out of order. So me mum asked me to write for her when she came for a visit. We live far, far away, and we were so happy to see her. I am not sure what she did while she was away...she will have to explain how she went from this...

To a snout....

Ewww!  Stinky snout....

Or what in the world? How did she go from this abandoned building to a chicken in a garden??? Mummy is funny....

What are the chances that mummy climbed up that old ladder to have a go at the view??? Where in the devil is she now??

I think these people saw mummy coming....

Is that the ocean? Is mummy going to visit my British relatives? Oh mummy! That would be wonderful! Oh mummy! I am so very happy to have them come over "the pond" and have tea....(mummy just called me and reminded me I am not British, nor do I have any British relatives...I got carried away...)

Now what is she up to? And here I thought that me and my brother were the reason of her visit....

I haven't heard from mummy in days...very worried....

Oh mummy! Did the big bad wolf get you in the forest? Please come home....oh wait...step barber poppy called to tell me that mummy is so far away that she has zero cell service for almost three days now, but she is fine...  I love my step barber poppy...

Yuck..who is that beast? And why is mummy taking a photo of it?

Well Mates, that is all I have...mummy said she will be back as soon as she can and explain her adventures. I am sure she has lots to tell. 

Hope you enjoyed my first post. I hope you aren't too disappointed.

Cheerios!
Lulu
(oops, Monty said I was supposed to say "Chow" not "Cheerios" he said that was a cereal. I'm not a regular blogger, so I don't know how to sign off...and besides, he older.)

....but I don't favor "chow doggies" and I'm not too keen on signing off by honoring chows, so I think I will just sign off like me mum said to...

from me dog house to your dog house
Lulu