~OUTDOORS AND THROUGH THE KITCHEN WINDOW

Please enlarge any of these pictures for details. You may have to move them back and forth as I think...cringe..that I may have made them ..too large. I'm sorry.

This is looking toward Rumsey Drive. You can see the pond, the waterfall and the fountain. The pond was full of Koi..tame ones and then they were visited by Cranes. I will get pictures of the pond soon.

The kitchen window looks out onto the lawn and the drive. You can see the deck from here.

Another view out the kitchen window. I love..that bunny lamp. I try to talk her out of it...she just LAUGHS at her mother!! :)
I wanted you to see this sweet little plate rack that runs along the top of the kitchen and over the door. I have begged Danny for one of these..and he says..ok..soon Mom.. (sigh..)

This is a poor picture as it doesn't even show the little green chest they were sitting on..not sure why I took just a shot of the items on top. Sorry. The little chest is in the St. Patricks Days photo's..anyway...so...there ya go!


This is the side yard that leads to the garden and the fruit trees. There is a fence that is kept locked and leads to the pool, fountain, outdoor room and fireplace. There is also another living area detached from the main home..and I believe that was a tack room at one time as the heavy door slides shut closing the room off completely. It slides right over the top of the door. I will try and get photo's of it at another time.

This is the little barn that is used as a garage.

This is the second entry to the home. If you walk through those little dutch doors you enter the dining room below. Standing here..if you look to the right..that is where the first entry to the home is that had the stained glass

This is the dining area you walk into when you walk through those little dutch doors. The kitchen is to the right..the laundry room and two boys room and two more bathrooms are through that door and into that section of the home.


I just wanted to end this post with this picture of Ireland. She was only about four when I took this out on my patio. Maryalice just saw this picture for the first time on St. Patricks Day. Of course I had to give her a couple of them. It is probably my very favorite one of my Granddaughter.
Hugs,
Mona

~THE BARNS MASTER BEDROOM~

Here we are peeking into the bedroom. Lets go inside and look around.

Looking into the room you can see the little alcove where the desk and chair sit. That window looks out to the right side of the home. There is an embankment with little paths to walk and benches along the way.

View across the bed to the French doors from the bedroom door.

Cute little bench at the end of the bed.

The bedroom is not a really large one but it comfortable. I should have taken a picture of the closets...NOT big. But there are two and seem to be adequate.

These French doors are original I believe.

Looking out into the courtyard from the bedroom. I love this little courtyard. It is completely fenced in.

Another peek through the French doors into the court yard.

You can see into the bathroom which has been shown on Sheila's blog, Note Song in case you would like to go there for a visit. I will add a peek in there tomorrow.

I just wanted to be sure this picture was shown. I don't think it is anything all that unusual..I just like it a lot.

All of the light switches in the house are special in some way. This one is done in a fern.


I wanted to end with this picture. It is of my daughters and I many years ago. Maryalice has her little cheerleader uniform on and I was still in my nurses uniform having just come from work. Sandy is standing to the right of me looking at the picture and Erin Kathleen is next to her. Little Dawn is in front of me.
The picture of the little girl behind is Maryalice's daughter, Ireland, who is attending college in New York. The little boy is Maryalice's oldest son. He is now in his senior year of college at Chapman University in Irvine and has just finished a wonderful documentary about Cambodia which will be seen publicly soon.

~FAMOUS BARN CON'T..Emilie Barne's old home

This is looking down the stairs...and into the dining room. You can see just a corner of the counter top that is part of the kitchen.

Going downstairs this is a view from the landing on the stairs and shows part of the kitchen.

And down the stairs we go...

... into the large living/family room below. All of the bookcases, trim and cabinets were done by son Danny. The fireplace is huge! All of the windows are shuttered and inset enough that Maryalice had a birdcage sitting on the windowsill. Reminds me of the home I saw in an English cottage in one of Beatrix potters movies. Can you see the little door in the fireplace? That is where wood is stored. If you look closely you can see many family picture on the mantel of my great grandmother and grandfather. I also would like to add that my son, Dan, built the coffee table. You can hardly lift it. (Mary's dog is still a pup and chewed up her couch..she was a little embarrassed about that..but refuses to buy anything not necessary during these difficult economic times. I told her NO ONE on here cared. We are all pet lovers!)
Her sweet doggie is a VERY large one! ~smile~

Facing the fireplace to your left is this lovely Sunroom. It looks out to a beautiful patio, fountain and pool. On the far side of the pool are steps leading up to a large lovely fireplace and outdoor eating/sitting area. There are four fireplace on the property. All very large. Maryalice is beginning to decorate for Easter...so what you see on the table are large Easter eggs.

This is the far end of the Sunroom. I can see now that I need to go back and get some pictures of the huge old antique hutch that does not show in the picture...

At the opposite end of the Sunroom (you can see a corner of one of the dining room chairs) is a little wall with windows that you can see through..and a little door right beside it. There is a tiny wall that Maryalice has hung some old pictures on. The old sofa table is mine. Mary was just going to use it for awhile until I had room for it but you KNOW how that goes with daughters! ~smile~ The windows look right into the dining room that you saw into from the stair landing.

I took a picture of the ceiling because I thought you might like to see the lovely beams and beadboard. This is not original. It used to be a regular ceiling but this one was added. There is also hand painted vines and berries around the ceiling fans.

Another view so you can sort of get the scope of the room. See that door over there? It leads to the master bedroom. We will walk over there and see what's inside tomorrow.

Hugs,
Mona

~THE FAMOUS BARN...CONTINUED..~

Before you walk inside..turn and look behind you through this rose covered arbor. Is is just beginning to come out. Then walk inside.

To the right inside the front door, is a door leading into the kitchen and next to it is this little back hutch filled with collectables..

...to the right is this tiny inset window that looks out to the front yard..

Right next to the black hutch, you turn a corner and there is a little door here..storage and a little set of stairs leading up...

Up you go and around this corner. The little lantern really works..and on up the stairs..

and through this door is the sweetest little room..and bath.

There is a little built in bed for one..but underneath can be pulled out so that two may sleep here. It is a place to cuddle up with a good book or take a nap. Really cozy.

A better view of the little bed..


This a peek inside the bathroom door that is at the end of the little bed. There is also a huge leather chair next to the window..but I ..alas..can't find it. I will print it later if it shows up...

This a the little sink. The walls have all been done in the orange groves of Riverside, CA. by a local artist. Shelia at Note Song has a complete layout of the bathrooms. She was kind enough to do them for me and does a much better job.

I wanted to at least add the picture of the bird..and then we will move on downstairs.

This is not a good shot but you can at least see the way the ceiling is peaked and the little shutters at the windows. I am NOT a good photographer.

Back out of the little guest room and downstairs..

I'll stop here and pick up the downstairs tomorrow and if not..then on Monday. I hope you enjoyed that little tour. I wish I was better at this...but I'm trying! I need to get more shots of the beautiful wall paper. They really are lovely.
G'night..
Mona

~EMILIE BARNES' LOVELY OLD HOME~

This is the beautiful drive leading to my daughters home.

This is the front of the little cottage.


The entry has a little dutch door. I love the stained glass. The rooster picture you see on the side is a mosiac piece of artwork. I should have taken a closeup of it for you. I will try to remember to do that.


This home is famous..and you can find it in Emilie Barnes' "Welcome Home" book if you are fortunate enough to own one of the very old copies. Oddly enough I bought my daughter the book The "Twelve Teas's of Christmas" the year she bought the home...not knowing that she would actually be buying it that very week. I was stunned and delighted when I found out! Emilie has been kind enough to write Mary a lovely letter inside the book "Welcome Home" and that book has now become a treasure. If you own an old copy of the book, my daughters address is inside the front cover as it is in "The Twelve Tea's of Christmas." The home has now been done over beautifully but stays the same in most ways. Nothing of the home has been compromised except some of the floors that were in very bad condition. The upstairs floors are original. More tomorrow.. if time permits.
I will take you inside and show you around. We will walk through the entire home and even peek into closets if you wish. ~smile! Two of the bathrooms were posted for me on Shelia's NOTE SONG but there are actually three more bathrooms to be seen! YOU will love them all. I know Shelia would have done a much better job presenting them..but I must grow up sometime.
Have wonderful weekend. If you can think of something you would like to see..just ask and I will take a picture of it. I would have posted more but it has gotten too late and my cold is still hanging on. Hugs..
Mona

~ONE OF LIFE'S LITTLE LESSONS~

Ok...this is a "you're an idiot" story!
I went into a Thrift store..no.. a second hand store..and..did my usual walk through. I looked up on a shelf...and spotted this lovely cat. He reminded me of "Scratches" the cat we had owned for years and who help raise the children by keeping them in line with.."Better watch out. Scratches is watching you!" I know..I know..I used a wee bit of fear to keep things in line at times..especially when there was WAY too much rough housing for WAY too long! Scratch used to attack them when things got crazy!

Anyway..I walked by a second time and asked the lady behind the counter why it was behind the desk..and why it was so high up and was it for sale. She said yes, that it was..and I ...asked..the price! She said $39.95. Wow...said I. Why so high? She said because the owner says it is a Goebel. "Aha!" said I wisely and shook my head in understanding. I walked away.

I thought about it. I LOVED Goebels. And this one was huge. Wow. All I had were some little bunnies. So..I marched back..and said "ok..I think I will take it!" and laid my other items up on the counter. Little things..amounting to..not a lot. A line is beginning to form behind and a woman me asks me a question about something I am buying and we begin to chat. The lady writes it all up..and I take out my bank card..and she gives me a total.
I am still chatting with the woman behind me and the counter woman does not speak very good english but I usually have no trouble as I am used to her. I swipe my card and then..still chatting away...I sign my name and out the door I go..but...as I walk out something dawns on me. WHAT DID SHE SAY THE TOTAL WAS??!! I walk to the car where Howard is patiently waiting reading his paper. I get in and not saying a word look in the bag and pull out the reciept. OH GOOD LORD! And I do NOT mean that in a bad way. I needed HIS help! I had paid $99.95 for the..cat! I looked at Howard and I must have been a bit white. I told him what the problem was. He said.."Well go back and tell them you misunderstood!" I didn't. I should have but I didn't. The NEXT time I will listen carefully and not chat with anyone while I am doing business! A lesson every day. Be careful. Listen carefully. Keep your eyes and ears open..be ..aware. A lesson every single day. :) You know?

~IT SAYS "BROUSE" SO I DID ~

It says to brouse..so I did. Nothing of great signifigance..but it's something. I am hoping you can read the little saying as says a lot.

Here is my little Toyota truck parked in our driveway. It's old but it's mine and I love that little truck. It has moved me twice now..once after the death of Frank..and then when I married Howard. So..it has had a workout for sure! (would hug my truck if I could!)

yes, yes...I do cook now and then..and yes, I know this is only french toast..but..hey..it's something. Be nice. I have a co'd! Better today though! ~smile~