The idea of mail-order brides has long intrigued me. What kind of woman chooses that path for herself? What circumstances cause her to walk willingly toward the unknown? How unloved—or unlovely—must she feel to make such choice? How much loneliness does it take to make commitment to a stranger look appealing? Whatever the details, the fact remains that some women have willingly responded to something akin to a blind date—with the expectation that their dating days would be over; perhaps before they even began. Other times, it was the women who initiated the transaction, looking for companionship, stability, perhaps even status. I’ve often wondered if their hope of romance had ... Keep Reading...
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Children’s Books: Passing a love of reading to the next generation
Who knew renovating another old house would lead to meeting someone who loves children’s books and theme parties as much as me? When I created @smalltownvictorian on Instagram, I started following other people renovating their old houses. Like mine, the vast majority of their posts feature current projects as they DIY their way from old house to Home. But a few days ago, a post by @thebrickandmaple caught my eye. Emily and her family are restoring their 1887 Queen Anne Victorian in Illinois, and her Instagram feed usually shows amazing photos of old house love. So you can imagine my surprise when I saw a post that was “out of place.” Perfectly out of place. Emily spoke of hosting “the cutest little ... Keep Reading...
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PICKING UP A NEW DREAM: Renovating another old house
Seven years ago today, we purchased our beloved Wild Rose Farm. As the years went by, we began to dream . . . and made plans to build our Finally Farmhouse. If you've visited My Place in the last few months, you know: The dream died. We bought another old house in town. I'll admit. It's been a hard adjustment for me. I needed time to put down one dream and try to pick up another. I don't pour my heart into things halfway . . . For the first month we owned our "new" 1908 Victorian, I renovated during the day and returned home to the fifth wheel at the farm at night. But three weeks ago, I went to bed knowing that the next morning I'd wake up and be ready to start moving ... Keep Reading...
