Queen Anne Architecture Among Other Things

Queen Anne Style Components:

1. steep roof lines ✓
2. asymmetrical ✓
3. one-story porch ✓
4. differing outer wall surfaces ✓
5. ornamental brackets and/or spindles ✓
6. turrets or towers
7. bay windows

I have photographed and discussed my neighbors' home so often. Allow me to do so again. We are looking at the back of the home, which surprisingly has more details than the current front. That's because the end we're seeing used to be "the front."

Once upon a time, it was a grand old Queen Anne home with a porch wrapping around the corner and across the front. In fact, in summertime photos, the former stairs climbing from the lower lawn can be seen. A large entry door was once there where the windows are now. There was once a circular drive and the horses would climb the hill and enter the carriage house through the doors you see just beyond the deck. (The deck is a recent addition in the past twenty years.)

When I was a teenager, I visited the home several times with my youth group. Why? Because it was the only nursing home in town (now we have none) and we were invited to play games, sing, and visit with the inhabitants.

I have always enjoyed the view beyond my windows. My neighbors do a beautiful job of maintaining their home and lawn.

Joining Mary at Little Red House for Thursday Inspiration: architecture.

***

In other news, my niece gave me the cord needed to hitch my iPad to the tv. Yay! I tried it out by visiting blogs. You all look so beautiful on the big screen. There's my own blog above with the fort photos (architecture of a brief sort) and the fort builders in their Christmas photo.

To the right, see Kim's beautiful spring blog entry here at Happy at Home. If you're starved for spring colors...

The rest of the afternoon was given to watching episodes of Victorian Farm, which you can find at You Tube in their entirety. Lovely!

Still using "snow setting" 

 ***

~Bottles of index fluid~

We got quite a kick out of reading what you had to say yesterday. You're such a fun bunch of folks!

Tip: I keep lots of fingernail polish on hand for John's use. He is forever asking for some so that he can index things as you see above and below. The eyes aren't what they once were for either of us and so marking cords for electronics is handy.

He gave me a little lesson on dialing in motors that you might also find helpful except that my eyes glazed over at about the thirty-second mark. ☺ He also told me that in machinery the index mark is referred to as a "witness" mark and I really liked that term so have remembered it.

A happy day to you...

Photo Talk

Now this is just the sort of photo I wouldn't want to see pinned. After seeing someone or other do this, I decided to try it, too. Each toenail is painted a different color for a total of five different polishes. I really like it, yet would never do it on my fingernails (I never paint my fingernails anyway). So that's all the excitement of this day. Period. The end. Yup, it's come to this—watching polish dry.

Okay, perhaps I can do better...

Love the name I gave this photo...faith, hope, love rocks. Ha! Truer words and all that. See how the faith rock is reflected in the pottery? I like that, too. The 

light was blowing all over the place so I tried dialing the Exposure Compensation button all the way back, which didn't work at all. Then I tried the "snow'' setting, which did. 

My son and his boys were here building a snow fort during the last storm. When I tried to take a photo of it the next day in the brilliant sunshine, it simply wouldn't show up. Since a lot of you have snow these days, I thought I'd remind you of the snow setting and that it works indoors as well. The photo of the daffodils yesterday was also taken using the snow setting.

This is their beautiful fort taken using the snow setting.

This is taken on the regular setting and I can only tell the fort is there because of the shadow it casts. A cloaked fort! Very cool.

Here again, light was blowing all over the room glaring off from all that snow. Yup. Snow Setting used again. 

Now here's my question of the day: Do you ever blatantly copy another blogger as I have done here with my cupcake papers in an apothecary jar? (*Thanks, BJ!*) I need more!

Pinteresting

Today, I'm on another mission out of the house so I'll keep this post simple. (I have a number of things to share with you and ordinarily I'd share them all. I may be the queen of mismatched topics.) 

Pinterest—there—I've said the word! When Pinterest and pinning first came on the scene, I was a scoffer: One more thing to muddy the waters and make blogging complicated I thought. I may have come to the party late and I may even have come kicking, but I am here now and would love to officially invite you to see my humble boards and what interests me *here.*

I know precious little about Pinterest etiquette, other than to know that there are rules, so please enlighten me.  Do you have some pet peeves or tips where pinning is concerned? 

My sidebar permission notice has changed considerably to reflect my new interest. This is my current take on it: Any photo that may be of interest may be pinned with the exception of family photos. I wouldn't want to find my grandsons' photos on Pinterest nor any other family member, including myself. 

Then how do I invite you to visit my Pinterest boards in my sidebar? I found the logo and I found where they do not wish any changes made. The logo doesn't fit my decor so I'm doing something a little different. Hope that that doesn't break a rule. I notice that many of you do something a little different, too. I'll just go with it. ☺

So talk to me. How much time do you spend on Pinterest? Have you tried some truly awful things? (Ahem...a brownie in a mug for example.) Please share. 

The Morning After the Storm

It's so still, so white, so lovely, and I'm sure quite boring for anyone who reads here. I must have taken nearly a hundred photos this morning (to include the snarling pit bull across the street) and settled on this one, which I have shown many times before. There's just something about that row of old trees that makes me stop and take notice all over again.

Have a great day. This was the third weekend in a row of storms and I have errands to run. I'll catch up with you toward evening.

Purifying Scripture

Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knows us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that has this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure. ~I John 3:1–3 

How cool that hoping for and thinking about the coming of the Lord has such a promise.

A fantastic week to you...

My Subject

Thank you for all your comments concerning photography. They were most helpful. I had a good session of reading and practicing and where has that Exposure Compensation been hiding? Oh that was a good button to find.

Seems as if I always practice on Fioré when she'll allow it. Lying in her patch of found sun is usually when she's the most cooperative.

This was the best of the lot and then I cranked on it a bit further brightening the ear and the nose in Photoscape with "effects."

It's always fun to play. Have a wonderful weekend no matter what the weather brings.

Will you play with photography today? Doing anything fun?

Low Information Photographer

That's me. I'm so proud.

Really, though, you people are driving me batty! You have so many things to share and so much to teach me and some days it's all I can do to get the laundry done.

For example, this morning I read my comments from yesterday's post and Veronica mentioned something about "silver birch" and I thought to myself: how romantical...I would certainly prefer to call the white birch chunk a silver birch chunk. Would you believe this led me on a search lasting over an hour? And just when I thought I had it all resolved, John came along and said, "I love working with yellow birch." Yellow birch?! Don't get me started! <  *thud*  >

Then, Lorrie, who is my twin in cameradom ever since she bought a new camera and started taking even more amazing photos than ever before and I copied her (That's right. I asked her what kind of camera she had and, when my Canon was in the shop being repaired for a month, I bought a camera like Lorrie's), shared her secret. [That sentence is a hot mess.]

This is really quite clever by half, if I do say so myself, because when I see an exceptionally beautiful photo (Who am I kidding? All of Lorrie's photos are exceptionally beautiful) I can ask her what was going on there.

*This* is what was going on there:

Ah ha! Bracketing! I knew it all along. (No, I confess I had forgotten, but I had tried it *here.*)

This was my subject corner more or less...

and these are the three consecutive pictures...

Which one would you choose as the best one?

~~~

Yes, in answer to your question...we are getting ready for the third weekend storm. The town was by to make room for more snow just this morning.

So two questions, maybe three:

1. Are you a low information photographer?

2. Does your camera have a BKT setting?

3. Did or will Storm Q affect you?

The Footprints Tell the Story

What does one do with two active boys around 3:45 in the afternoon when lunch is long past, the movie has been watched, the games have been played, and snack time is over? Go sliding, of course! Naturally, the camera battery decided to croak just as I wanted to take photos. These were taken this morning.

Lots of tromping back and forth...

 See that sharp turn to the left?

That's right. Directly through the giant slushy puddle. One leading the way and the other in his footsteps.

Nonni (that would be me): You Yahoos! (Yes, I have called my grands names.) What do you think you're doing?!

Yahoos: We're wearing boots!

Nonni: Are they waterproof?

Yahoos: Giggles

Nonni: Sigh

~~~

The good thing about having to recreate this scene is that I found something white (besides the snow) so that I could link to Mary's today. 

White birch bark as found outside in the snow. Snow isn't all that clean, is it?

Inside on felted white wool

What would you take a photo of if the topic were white? That is the topic today at Thursday's Inspiration at Little Red House and you could join in!

February Note Card Party~Fruit

Welcome!

The bowl of Cortlands is one of my very favorite photos of all time on the blog and it was taken way back in 2008. I broke all the rules by not using using daylight and with no clue about composition or any other thing. I may be regressing if the final two photos, taken recently, are any indication.

Ahhh the grapes and the recipe written in my mother's printing — horrid picture, out of focus and still I love it. You can find that recipe in my recipes located in my sidebar. I know that many of you have enjoyed a grape salad — so cool and refreshing and delicious!

I'm putting this post up a little early because I am on Nonni duty tomorrow. The grands are coming for lunch and spending the afternoon. Yay! This is the first time that I've had them both together for any length of time without a parent in sight. If you are the grandmother of active boys, you might understand this. ☺ Now that they are old enough to get along well and cooperate, I'm looking forward to having them both here at the same time.

Okay, let's have some fun!

Some Items of Business and a Downton Abbey Spoiler Alert

Two items of business and then some major Downton Abbey spoilers. When you see *Spoiler*Spoiler*Spoiler,* you'll consider yourself warned, right? Oh good.

First of all, this week is the Note Card Party. I know. So soon! There's a new button, if you'd like to have it; otherwise, carry on as usual. Both buttons can be found at the page you find when clicking for details. Either button is fine with me — whatever fits your decor. Thank you for displaying it (presuming that you do). I appreciate it so much. Seems as if our little Note Card Party is in decline so we'll see how it goes and play it by ear. There are new things coming along in Blogdom all the time that may be of more interest.

Like the new thing going on at Donna's. She is hosting a photo challenge *here.* She will not be holding your hand (mine neither apparently), though she will be providing links where we can learn a few tips. The first photo challenge is...well, you just run over there and find out! This could prove interesting. I may learn something in spite of myself.

*Spoiler Alert*Spoiler Alert*Spoiler Alert* 

So there we were watching Downton Abbey last night with part of the storyline taking place near Iverness, Scotland (Scottish Highlands, up in the glen, very pretty place).

Oops...wrong show!

There was a lot of walking about in the countryside and the gardens...

Violet Crawley and her niece Susan married to Shrimpie, parents of Rose

Am I far enough down here yet? I certainly hope so because I'm about to blow...

They killed him? Are you kidding me?! First they kill Sybil in an extremely cruel way and now Matthew? Oh there was a lot of foreshadowing, many hints of things to come.

Okay, perhaps not that bad...

Allow me to back track a bit. Just when I might have supposed that Matthew and Mary's love story is the major one of Downton Abbey, I realized all over again

that theirs is not the major love story after all. It is this love story that holds the fibers together:

And so help me, if they mess with that love story much more I am really going to be upset. Consider yourselves warned, Downton Abbey people. (Julian Fellowes, this means you!)

Last night, there was a whole lot of "coupling" going on. Even Mrs. Patmore was in on it. Thank goodness she listens to her dear friend Mrs. Hughes.

Let's see, we had...

Doctor Clarkson and Isobel Crawley. I love the acting...doesn't she have the perfect pleasant and perplexed look going on? (Not only that, I loved the color of those walls.)

Tom and Edna and, thank you, Carson and Mrs. Hughes, for calling it correctly. That little Edna had to go. Phew! I just love Mrs. Hughes' wisdom: "Tom, she tried to make you ashamed of who you've become."

Mr. Bates and Anna shared an idyllic picnic in Scotland. Lovely to see them together and I only hope that the scene with little Rose is not any kind of foreshadowing whatsoever. Do you hear me, Downton Abbey people?

(I did like the way Rose's dress matched the tree.)

Then we had Edith and Michael (the married man) and, sadly, Edith has slipped her moorings telling him that they will have many more evenings together. Ackkk....

And wouldn't I just love to see Carson and Mrs. Hughes finally realize that they care deeply for one another...What do you think?

But just this one last time, let us focus on dear Matthew and Mary...

Mary looks so lovely in blue...

The newest Crawley family and the newest Lord Grantham to be... Will his name be Matthew? 

Matthew's over the moon with happiness...so giddy!

"You'll be a wonderful mother, Mary."

The final kiss...

So very giddy...

I'd just like to say that it would be fine with me if you'd change your minds, Downton Abbey people. I am not opposed to "it was all a dream" sorts of scenes. Just sayin'...

Your thoughts on Season Three?

Shortbread Cookies~Mosaic Monday

Cheryl at Thinking About Home has this simple and delicious recipe for shortbread cookies right *here.* Hers are prettier, but mine taste just as lovely, I'm sure.

I made them to enjoy while I watch the final episode of Downton Abbey's season three. Tomorrow we'll chat, but I'll put a great big old Spoiler Alert in my title as fair warning. I know that some of you will be watching later, but I'm tired of waiting for you to catch up. < insert mean snicker >

Linking to Mary's Little Red House for Mosaic Monday. Come see what everyone else is chatting about!

Come Unto Me

♪He speaks and the sound of His voice is so sweet the birds hush their singing...♪

The only true calling anyone ever really gets is 'Come unto Me.' From that one specific calling, the result might be that He'll then send us to somewhere. But the real calling of God is to Him, not to something or somewhere. ~Bob George 

And certainly the real calling of God is to Himself, not to something or somewhere or even someone. I'm working on getting my priorities straight...

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.~Matthew 11:28–29

More of the Same

This is how the weekend will go...

I'm giving myself over to the watching of  Wives and Daughters or The Tenant of Wildfell Hall Pollyanna (PBS) It was delightful!

Right after I finish the laundry, wash up the dishes, do my Saturday chores. Better get a move on.

One good thing: no more leftovers! Now we can get back to proper eating again. Phew. Valentine's Day can be dangerous!

Comments are closed so that you can scoot. Have a blessed weekend.