Odds and Ends Around Our Home

...taking yet another break from our October 2024 road trip blog spot 'saga'.  This time its all about 'not much', or as the title reads...just odds and ends. 

What a difference just two years make!  While the seasons are obviously not comparable/matchy-matchy, the view from our front yard tells the story.  None of the houses in the second photo existed about 2 years ago...and, while the building in the area continues, demand has dropped off so new construction has slowed as well.  

As winter's end approaches, Laurie and I are digging through drawers, closets and boxes, rediscovering 'stuff' as well as heirlooms that we'd sort of forgotten about.  One 'discovery' of note was this half-moon petit point rug.  It was made by my grandmother, Estelle Sibbald Weed, back in 1951.  It now complements an antique brass double bed that Laurie and I bought many, many years ago.

Grandma Weed also created this much larger (roughly 4' x 6') oval petit point rug that we have on the floor in the middle of our bonus room.  We have both of them in locations that keep them out of direct sunlight so they won't fade.  The larger rug has to date somewhere between 1950 and 1952.  Just another 25 years or so and both rugs will qualify as antiques... 

Petit point is a type of canvas embroidery.  These items are worked on an even-weave needlepoint canvas instead of a tightly woven fabric.  A blunt-tipped tapestry needle is used to create petit point pieces.  Petit point is more difficult/complex than needlepoint.

These photos show one corner of the dormer room in our home in which I pay bills, focus on my postcard and other collections, and more... I have bookcases, a nice desk and artwork on the walls.  As you can see, I've been sharing this room with this big HVAC unit.  For the last 15+ years, I've been 'hiding it' with that folding screen that I 'improved' with photos from my annual Smithsonian week by week calendars.  

FYI, until last year the room also featured ugly indoor/outdoor carpeting.  We never understood why the dormer rooms weren't carpeted like all the other rooms on the second floor of our home.  

So recently we had a closet built for the HVAC unit, using folding doors so the unit can be serviced as needed.  For those that are attentive, the unit needs to breath and the cold air return vent is in the hallway outside on the other side of the wall on the right... In any case, I now have a much nicer view as I pay the bills!

A week or two ago, Laurie and I were at Terry's home.  She is our new neighbor and she live right behind our house.  There is a narrow strip of woods and brush between our homes and it does attract critters.  We've seen Mr. Fox before, most recently trotting down the street in front of our house.  Of course, we didn't have a camera on hand at the time.  This time, Mr. Fox was foraging for mice, voles, and other rodents along the tree line in Terry's backyard...and Laurie had her new smart phone at the ready!  

Some cabinets and drawers in the kitchen were recently 'deconstructed' as regarded their contents.  We have so too much stuff, much of which we don't use.  In addition, reorganization was badly needed.  As a consequence, we loaded up that laundry basket with items we don't need or use, much of which will be donated to some deserving organization.  As for those 17 glass plates, (or are they chargers?), neighbors Sue and Steve entertain more than we do so the plates have a new home.  

What else will we discover this spring as we root through the closets, nooks and crannies in our home?  More items for charity, some throwaways and perhaps a few things to sell on "Nextdoor"...  

That's all for now.  Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave