Memory Box

Sometimes I think that the old, original 1920 part of this farmhouse is nothing but a memory box. Here in the red and white living room is the piano that I and my three little sisters practiced on for years of lessons. On it are wedding pictures of all our children and the Delftware tiles of old Holland churches.

There is the Christmas tree that I put old costume jewelry on by the picture of us by R.H.'s old 1947 Chevy Coupe.

On a cabinet is the stack of old dictionaries that I use regularly.

There are two old Christmas books, one written in German.

There is a red Aladdin lamp, one of many that were Christmas gifts from dear friends. The lamps in this room all wear black and white stripe ribbons, an idea I got a few years back from seeing pictures of the owner of Nell Hill's house. I'm sure she's gone on to new updates but I still love this touch of black with all the reds in this room.

The red chair is a recent acquisition at a junk/antique store when we visited our new granddaughter. It was her first excursion out antiquing with us and her parents, and she was not a happy baby. Weren't we terrible to drag that baby out antiquing? I think she will love it when she's just a little bit older. The chair was $25 and had once been in a bank. Wouldn't a whole bunch of these around a dining table be nice?

The red leather sofa is so comfortable. I wanted one I would not sink down into so that I could get out of it easily! It began its life in the family room but when a sectional sofa went in there the red sofa moved to the red and white living room where it should have been all along. Behind it in the front windows are red velvet cafe curtains that are at least 40 years old. They were hanging on an old display rod at Sears all those years ago, pushed behind some boxes, and I talked the salesman into selling them to me.

Hanging on the wall beside the old chair that I blog from in comfort is a Gothic church cabinet that was hanging in the smokehouse when we bought this house.

I held my breath that the sellers would not take it or the red and white enamel kitchen table that was there too, covered with owl poop. It was in pretty bad condition but R.H. soon had it repaired, painted, shelves added, lights inside it, and wired so that all I have to do is flip a switch.

It used to hold Christmas houses in December, but now I leave it as is and just add in the old deer....

And the Christmas trees......

And the vintage ornaments that get piled in the blue crystal bowls that were gifts from Gurn and his family over the years.

With this much color in the cabinet, the living room doesn't really need a Christmas tree. And there's not room for one. I have baskets that hold writing projects, a table that holds all my Tennessee history books, books in chairs, books everywhere. Because every memory box needs lots of books.

This is a room I cocoon in, with my memories all around me.