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Thursday, January 17, 2013

are you still here?!



Welcome back then!!!
 I'm so happy to see you!  I hope you had a wonderful holiday and are enjoying the beginning of a very happy new year.  I had a relaxing break and am refreshed and ready to continue our conversation!


We've been having very unusual winter weather here in New Hampshire- on Sunday we were covered in snow here at the farmhouse, and then Monday morning we woke up to the snow being completely melted and had highs in the lower 50's that day.  Yesterday it snowed again!  Crazy, I tell ya!  Between you and me... Dan and I are both very happy to see the snow!  We love living with four seasons, and it is just so beautiful and peaceful, and quiet! 


It's cold outside...

 





so, come on in and sit with me by the fire and lets chat!

 

I thought this would be a good time to show you the winter mantle.  We have five mantels in the house, but this is the only one that I change each season.




The antique French gilt mirror is a staple on the living room mantel and it shares the stage with a pair of 17th century gilt and gesso church alter candlesticks that we found at the Paris flea market  (I borrowed them from the dining room, so you might recall having seen them there) along with a favorite oil painting (circa 1922), an antique Santos, an antique Chinese wicker-wrapped earthenware ginger jar, an antique Chinese blue and white dish and an orchid in an antique Russian brass jardiniere along with a trio of mercury glass candle holders from Pottery Barn.






I also wanted to show you the antique grisaille watercolor that you have not seen before.  It is just barely an antique as it is signed and dated 1912!  (In the truest definition, an antique must be at least 100 years old and a vintage item must be at least 50 years old.)  I purchased the antique gilt frame with its wonderful antique wavy glass several years ago.  It is not a frame that can be cut down since the corners are finished and covered in the same gilt decoration as on the frame (as opposed to having straight, diagonal-cut corners) so I knew the odds were slim that I would find a perfect fit, but I loved the frame so bought it anyway!  Luckily the watercolor was larger and had a lot of blank paper, so I was able to cut the watercolor down to make it fit the frame and "married" the two.




I love how subtle the watercolor is and how it mimics the antique oil painting of the same genre of ships in a harbor that hangs above it next to the sofa.



Since I missed my tradition at Christmas of having you leave your calling card I thought I would leave the tray out for the New Year, and ask you to please let me know if you're still here!!

For those of you who are new.... the antique brass tray (it was originally silver-plated, but the plate has worn off over the years down to the brass base metal) is engraved:

MA
from
Mary and Nannie
Christmas

1881 
 


As I've written in the past...
  Over the years I have spent hours wondering who was MA?, who were Mary and Nannie?, what was their Christmas like the year this beautiful tray was given as a gift?, where did they live?, and on and on... . 

Just as I wonder about these three people whose names are engraved on an antique tray that has a presence in my home, I also wonder about you, who also have a presence here.
Some of you I know, as you leave me dear comments or send me emails.... but others of you remain a mystery. On my site meter I get visits from places that are near and dear to us, and places that are far away and magical. Dan and I always talk about and wonder who all of you are!
 
As was the custom in the period of this Victorian tray, people would leave their printed "calling cards" in trays at the homes they visited.
Dan and I are hoping that you will let us know that you are still here and will drop your "calling card" in the tray and let us know that you stopped by to visit!  We would love to hear from each and every one of you- those who regularly visit and leave comments, and those of you who usually come and go quietly!!


So happy to be back!
xxojoan

356 comments:

  1. I think I'm one of the first to welcome you back! Your blog is one of my absolutely favorites and I've missed new updates (although I've gone back several times to reference old posts). Hope you have had a wonderful New Year. I am in Raleigh, NC and we are doing the first "will it or won't it" snow dance of the season. I, like you, would love to see a white blanket covering the ground come morning!

    Holly

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  2. Love to see you back at it! That tray is so cool, I love to imagine as well when I see stuff with old writing on it. old letters especially.

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  3. So glad you had a restful holiday. I was just wondering about you the other day.
    Rachel

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  4. I was just thinking about you yesterday and thinking I should drop you an email to see what you've been up to. I should have known that you were up to creating things of beauty! Welcome back!

    Kat

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  5. Why yes I am still here! I think You're stuck with me!
    So glad to see you back and well rested! Keep up the
    good work....
    Betsy

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  6. Am I the first? Well, by all means - here's my calling card! I'm so happy that you're back, and that you've chosen to share with us one of my favorite rooms of your beatiful home. Your living room, with it's impressive collections and antique furniture still feels comfortable and cozy, not at all pretentious, and conveys a feeling of warmth and friendliness through the screen. That's so hard to do, and even though I've never met you or Dan, (or Ella), I can assume that you are all a friendly and happy bunch that loves having people drop in with a great story and a bottle of wine. I just wish we lived closer! :) You're a staple read of mine, and I'm glad you're back! Best to Dan and Ella!
    xoxo,
    A

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  7. I am so happy to see that you are back! Your blog is in my favorites and I just happened to look today.So,hello from Massachusetts.
    Debbie

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  8. so nice to visit your home again, joan. thanks for the look and the invitation. donna

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  9. glad you are back joan...i miss seeing you and your beautiful farmhouse. while i think your snow looks pretty, we don't get much of it here in alabama. today is an exception and there's some in the northern part of the state but here in central alabama...none so far...just cold, rainy and dreary!

    welcome back!

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  10. Still here. I also return to your older post occasionally-your reading room is one of my favorite rooms. Hoping to someday see a full reveal of your barn room! Even if it's not quite done, it will be more beautiful than my non-existent barn room. ;)

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  11. Hello! I found you in the fall, but I don't think I've ever left a comment. I love your beautiful home and gardens. Welcome back and happy new year!

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  12. I am soooo happy you are back. You and your home continue to be inspirational!

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  13. 'Bout time!!! Glad you're back!
    Dana from Williamsburg Va

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  14. Still here and happy to see new pictures from you! I'm like you - I love the snow and love a white winter. Fingers crossed for a little more to keep our ski mountains powdery!

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  15. I'm one of the lurkers, so at your request I'm checking in. I live on almost 10 acres in the Hudson Valley region of New York with my husband, dog, and two house rabbits. I've been reading your blog for a while now and am in love with your house. I've never known much about antiques, but seeing how you seamlessly incorporate them into your house is really fun, and you seem to have so much knowledge of every piece you bring into your home. Being a lover of rural New England, I'm also very jealous of your incredible views and fields, while my husband is jealous of Big Blue. Haha

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  16. Happy New Year. I have really missed your blog. Restoring an old house is an experience that I have missed out on, and I am so glad that at least this house is in your capable hands, and that we can experience its restoration and lifestyle by proxy.

    Your winter mantle is very attractive and appropriate. The candles for the much-needed extra light in winter, and the flower painting because that is what we think about in winter to get us through it. (My own daydreams are based more on orchard planting and maintenance; I have just finished reading Logsdon's Organic Orcharding, and in another month it will be time to get out one of my sugaring books).

    I am looking forward to future installments here.
    --Road to Parnassus

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  17. So glad your back I've been following your gorgeous photos on Instagram but I'm so glad your blogging again ! If I had to build a dream home it would be a farmhouse just like yours !! Even with a big blue tractor for projects and kid rides lol. I've also started a blog thelittlewhitehouse-Andy.blogspot.com I would love and be honored for u to visit when you guys can ! Tell you husband I'm a big fan for old tools as well I saw on one of your old posts ! Have a wonderful day and please keep blogging
    Andy from North Carolina

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  18. Hi Joan and Dan,

    I am Susanna from Sweden and I found your blog last year. So so happy you´re back! You have a beautiful house and home. I love browsing around here. I am so impressed of the hard work you have put down. Happy New Year!

    Speaking of winter. We have a lot of snow here right now, so pretty.

    -Sanna-

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  19. I have missed your posts! Yes, I'm still here and so glad to be visiting your beautiful living room again and enjoying glimpses of your lovely antique finds. I'm not sure if I have ever left a comment on your blog or not, but I have so enjoyed reading each post the past couple of years. The snow looks so beautiful... we are just now getting our first snowflakes of the season. Have a wonderful weekend!

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  20. a come and go quietly, dropping my card today. Looking forward to your 2013 posts. From another old house...with, at this point, only potential. Your projects always inspiring...and motivating.

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  21. Happy New Year. I'm one of those who comes and goes quietly. I live in Virginia, outside of DC, in a suburb that is on the edge of the DC sprawl. I love seeing your snow. We don't get nearly enough here for my liking. Your home is beautiful and I have enjoyed hearing about all the updates you've made.

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  22. Oooo...I'm so happy you're back! Greetings from central Texas where we're darn near as chilly as you are up North.

    I've been checking in regularly and hoping nothing was wrong. Maybe you were working on the barn, dying to see it. When???

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  23. Oh my goodness. I'm so happy that you care back!! Here is my calling card for your beautiful tray and I'm so pleased to have had contact with you. For me, your beautiful house is magical. Wenda

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  24. Welcome back Joan. I've missed having you in my blog roll. It was a nice surprise this morning. Can't wait to see what you've been up in your "downtime."

    http://www.unclutteredlifestyle.blogspot.com

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  25. Well it is a welcome post to hear from you and Dan..... and Ella of course. Happy to hear you are all well and rested.
    The weather has been odd and currently you have more snow than us. We had the snow, then the melt, as so far no more snow. I do like that there are many reasons to sit near a fireplace right now.

    Welcome home. You have been missed.

    Hugs
    Katherine

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  26. Happy New Year, Joan, Dan and Ella! I have been checking your blog regularly (and rereading favorite posts) in hopes of your return. Welcome back! I look forward to another year of reading.

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  27. Welcome back - from the snowless Chicago suburbs. Temperature swings are normal here but not up to 60 in January. Less than an inch of snow so far this winter following a summer of drought so I'm hoping for a true winter blizzard with lots of snow but it's not in the forecast. Looking forward to your new posts.

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  28. Welcome back and Greetings from NH! I'm also one of those "lurkers", watching your blog and Instagram pictures always on the lookout for your photos. I love your house, it is a dream of mine to someday have a big farmhouse to makeover, if it does come true it will be a long time from now. So for now I will settle to watch your house and barn transformation.

    Mandi

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  29. Welcome back! I follow you on instagram, but I LOVE your blog. I like to read your descriptions and see all the photos of your beautiful home.
    I live in Houston with my husband, 16yo daughter, and our dachshund.
    Looking forward to many more posts!

    BethA

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  30. Welcome! I've missed you so much! Since your absence, I'm so happy to report that I now am the proud owner of three teeny tiny Japanese fishing floats and I'm so proud of them and love them dearly! Thanks for all your inspiration and happy words! xoxo, Brooke from Birmingham, AL. :)

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  31. welcome back. missed seeing you and your home.

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  32. I am so glad you are back. I love looking at your home and all the beautiful things you have done with it. My grandchildren (and their parents) live north of Boston and somehow reading your blog makes me feel closer to them (I live in the midwest and get out there 3 or 4 times a year). I also get a kick out of Ella. Reminds me of my Scout.

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  33. Still here and Happy New Year to all of you, too!
    You have been missed for sure....I expected to hear that you've been on an extended vacation..antiquing in Europe. We've been enjoying odd weather in Oregon, too....no rain in quite awhile and another 5 days before any is expected.
    So glad you're back...looking forward to your posts. Vicci

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  34. Welcome back - from the northern Chicago suburbs on the shores of Lake Michigan. Unusual winter here, too. Temperature swings are expected but not up to 60 in January and less than 1" of snow so far with none in the forecast. I'm hoping for a true midwestern blizzard with lots of snow at some point. Looking forward to your new posts.

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  35. So Glad to see you pop up on my Reader today! I'm a subscriber but usually don't comment. But I will check in today just to confirm, that yes, we are still here and have been missing you! I am in rural Illinois and we have been having see-saw weather here as well. I must say that your decorating style is lovely and I love to refer back to your pictures often. Thanks so much.

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  36. WELCOME BACK! I can't tell you how much I have missed your posts! They are a breath of fresh air every time.
    Please know MY calling card is on your tray.
    Happy New Year to you and Dan!

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  37. Welcome back Joan! I love your beautiful house. Enjoy the snow - It's currently very hot here where I live in Cape Town, South Africa.
    Lisa

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  38. I'm still here! and very glad to welcome you back. Sara, Ohio

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  39. Glad you are back, although I have been seeing your photos on Instagram! Love your lovely home, property, and views! I am also glad you are getting some snow after that strange year you had last year! Sitting here in foggy Eugene, OR. Go Ducks! (That was for Dan) ; ) Heather

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  40. Oh my goodness!!! Welcome back!!!!!! I actually started smiling when I saw your post!!!! I do not have a blog as yet.... :)... but there are so many amazing bloggers out there that I love visiting... one of them being you... Your home is gorgeous... and seems very peaceful!!! Looking forward to more posts from your house to mine in the Sunshine State!!!! Terri

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  41. I was so happy today when I went to my e-mail and saw that your were back. Happy 2013 to your and yours! I was born and raised in NY and for about 20 years lived in the south, Nashville. We were thrilled to learn a few years ago that we were coming back to NY. I too love the seasons,I think fall is my favorite. Winters give me the chance to plan and dream of my summer gardens. I truly love to see what you are doing and planting in your gardens.Until the warm weather returns I will sit by the fire with my garden catalogs. Fondly Linda

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  42. Welcome back! Missed your posts and pictures of your beautiful home.

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  43. Still here and so very glad you are still there. Happy New Year to you, Dan, and Ella. We've made a loop since I've been a fairly quiet reader. Mobile, AL to Baton Rouge, LA to Meridian, MS to Union City, TN and back to Mobile. So greeting from Mobile, AL the Azalea City.

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  44. Good to see you back!

    I'm from Brisbane, Australia. Quite different to where you are! It certainly never snows. We're in the middle of a summer heat wave here. Bush fires causing havoc.

    Hope you're all keeping well.

    TDM xxx

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  45. Glad to see you back!
    Sarah in Southern Indiana

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  46. Have been quietly reading for quite a while. Love the home you have created. So happy you are back to blogging. Thanks for all the inspiration!
    From a Farmhouse near Round Top,
    Denise

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  47. I too missed your charming post on your beautiful home. Greetings from Tallahassee, Florida.

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  48. Yeah, you're back! I'm looking forward to reading future posts (and seeing Ella pics).

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  49. Hello, I will be over soon with my card :) That place by the fire looks so inviting. I hope you will let me see your barn room? The snow looks so cold. It is rather hot here and an escape from the heat will be good. Happy New Year! Vicki from Melbourne Australia

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  50. Welcome back! I missed reading your blog, but as I said in a different comment, I read your entire blog over November and December so I had a lot to catch up on. I'm so glad you have posted again as I love seeing your antiques and your cozy, comfortable home. I also wanted to tell you that I found some "conks" in the park near my house before I read about them here. They were unusual because they were orange and green. I have a photo on my iPhone so maybe I can email them to you so you can see them.

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  51. much older sister SusanJanuary 17, 2013 at 3:33 PM

    Joanie, I'm glad your back too!

    Love you~
    Austin, Texas ;)

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  52. Yay! I've missed you! Looking forward to seeing what you've been up to! Warmly, Vicki from GA

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  53. So glad you're back! I just discovered your blog shortly before you took your hiatus and was thoroughly enjoying it. I grew up in Massachusetts and lived briefly in NH (the house was built in 1722). I've been in the Washington DC area for 12 years and your blog makes me nostalgic for home. Beth C.

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  54. I live in Nevada and I'm just so very glad you are back! I only "found" your blog a short time before your break and I'm very excited to see more of your wonderful, simply gorgeous house as well as your beautiful decorating!
    Your Victorian tray is exquisite and I'm also wondering its' history....a true mystery!

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  55. I was thrilled to see you pop into my inbox today, Joan! Welcome back to the blogosphere -- you were missed (and I confess I revisited some of your old posts and prowled around a bit, just channeling some of your antique savvy and style know-how!). Looking forward to hearing what you've been up to!!
    My best regards to you, Dan, and Ella. :)
    xo Heidi

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  56. Oh I am SO glad you are back!
    I have missed your blog terribly!
    I actually went back and re-read it. Again...
    ;)
    Loved seeing your Instagram photos while you were away!
    Cannot wait to see what fun things you have to show us with the coming spring(why, yes, mid January makes me start thinking of spring hehe)

    Mallory

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  57. So happy to see you're back. :) I have missed you (and your home.) ;) I'm sure it is beautiful there in the winter. It is snowing here in Southwest Virginia today. :) ~Gina

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  58. I am so glad you are back! I have missed your beautiful pictures and comments, and was just wondering if you would ever blog again. Thank you for returning!

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  59. Happy New Year! Crazy weather in South Alabama, too! It has been in the 70s, the azaleas are starting to bloom, then BAM! Back to the 30s-40s! We think we are freezing to death! :-) Laura (usually a 'quiet come and go, but enjoy thoroughly' kind of visitor).

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  60. I'm so glad that you are back. I love your blog, your house, and you special pup. Sometimes I just browse through old posts drooling over your home and your decorating style. Still anxiously awaiting the barn reveal!

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  61. I'm one that quietly comes and goes but reads every one of your posts, thanks to the email alerts. I'm from Houston and have lived here my whole life so it's fun to hear about the "old days" in Dallas and the names of stores I recognize and some we even have here.

    Seeing the northwest through your eyes and all your seasons and your beautiful house and great projects is very inspiring and I just love the eye candy. Keep up the good work, I'm glad you're back and know even the quiet ones (ha, if you only knew my real personality) are still reading and enjoying.

    Thanks, Olivia

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  62. Hello, I too am one of the ones who pop in and read but never leave a comment. My husband and I moved from Houston to Paris and back to Houston and then to Aberdeen, Scotland for my work. Now, three years on we are happily living in an old barn in the center of France. It's still a work in progress, but we are enjoying the fits and starts of the progress. A rather large Bernese Mountain Dog puppy keeps us company these days.

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  63. Wonderful to see you blogging again! I, too, check for updates on a regular basis. I love your house, and all that you have done with it to make it a home. It's just beautiful!

    Happy New Year to you and Dan~

    Lynda
    The Woodlands, Tx

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  64. I was so excited that you announced you were back on your posting on IG. We’ve kept in touch through Instagram though, so it wasn’t too bad. I am glad you took the time off to relax. I imagine you are rearing to go though! We’ve had the same unusual January weather. Why, just the other day I had an urge to go out and rake the perennial beds seeing it was so sunny and warm with a high of 46˙ degrees in Vermont! Alas, the next day it snowed and got colder again. Simmer down, said Mother Nature, I am not done yet! Lovely welcome back post. See you here or on IG!

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  65. HI my name is Michelle and im reading your blog from the UK Richmond, Love your house. M X

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  66. I am usually one of the quiet ones but I just had to post and say Welcome Back! :0)

    Oh, and Happy New Year too!

    Nicole
    NYC/PA

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  67. Welcome Back my friend, and I hope you also enjoyed your holidays..... ! I do love to get your new posts in my email, and LOVE to look at your beautiful photography and the pics of your lovely home. I am reading you from Cleveland Ohio, where I have lived most of my life, although I was born and raised in the lovely British Isles, although in a large 'town' called Birmingham ! Take care and looking forward to many more lovely posts from you !

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  68. So glad you're back with us, Joan! We've missed you...
    Here's to an abundantly blessed 2013.
    -Revi
    www.revisionarylife.blogspot.com

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  69. Hello!

    I was just thinking about your and your beautiful blog yesterday! What a wonderful treat to see your post! Your mantle is lovely as always, but my favorite piece is that Santo...oh what a history that must have to tell if only we could hear it speak.

    I could not agree with you more I am longing for some snow, I feel like it cleanses the earth and gives a sense of rebirth for the plants, animals and trees not to mention me!

    I wish you a happy new year and thank you for sharing your fabulous house, your knowledge of antiques and your beautiful spirit! I have missed you!

    Elizabeth

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  70. Like the other posts above, I am also one of the quiet ones that love your blog and the amount of inspiration and information you so generously provide. I also, like the rest, was soooo happy to see the email notice of your return. Thank you for keeping your wonderful blog going. It was the first I subscribed to and the only one I in which I have read every single entry. Keep up the good work and I look forward to your future posts.

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  71. Happy New Year to all of you :-) My calling card is not too far from you. I live in Lyme, CT on 17 acres with my husband, 8 year old twins, and a dog and cat deep in the CT woods! Your house and property are very very inspiring!

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  72. I was so glad to see your blog name pop up in my email again! I was wondering just the other day how you and your sweet Ella were doing. I do so enjoy seeing bits of your lovely home and reading about what you have going on. Today just happens to be my birthday and this was an extra little birthday treat! Since I don't blog myself it does seem like a really one-sided virtual relationship.
    My husband and I live in Ohio but at the moment are wintering over in South Carolina. We travel between Charleston, where our daughter lives, and Hilton Head. We also have two sweet dogs - Bitsy and Winston.
    I must admit that I love the four seasons but it's lovely being in the South. We had a beautiful snow before we left home which I was thankful for! Welcome back! Maggie

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  73. I guess I am a lurker. I love your blog and have felt sad that you were gone without a word. Glad to see you back!

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  74. I'm a silent caller too but so happy to see your blog back up and 'reporting'! What a pleasure to see your updates and everything you've chosen--it's always on my first coffee blog 'rotation'!

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  75. Still here! I've missed your beautiful blog and I'm very glad you are back. The good thing about your absence was that it allowed me to go back and read your entire blog from the beginning. Such a beautiful story! Looking forward to sharing the next chapter with you. :)

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  76. Funny, I was just thinking about you yesterday, and hoping to hear from you sooner rather than later and then today.....you arrived in my IN box. Wonderful to know that you are back.

    Happy New Year from your neighbor to the north (Canada)

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  77. Welcome back! I've missed your posts. I visit your blog often but I don't think I have ever left a comment. I love your home and beautiful antiques. -Geniene from Maine

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  78. So glad your back, I've always enjoyed your pictures.

    Sami
    Palm Springs, CA
    Astoria, OR

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  79. So glad you're back. Still here at this end. It's very rainy and cold here in NC at the moment, but it's supposed to turn to snow tonight. Excited! Only had a tiny bit of snow after Christmas up at the mountain cabin where we enjoyed New Year's, but the wind was treacherous and the power went out. Not for long, happily. So, haven't had a white winter vista yet, but hope we do. It was in the 70's this past weekend, and a record high in the mountains - so just crazy. I ran all my errands today in the cold rain, so now drinking my cup of hot tea, and enjoying visiting your living room. I don't know if I said this last year, but I love that tray!

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  80. Welcome back! I am a longtime follower of your blog, but have never taken the time to leave my "card". I am newly retired, and trying to purge and organize my Pennsylvania home. I look forward to all that you have to share in 2013! Carol H.

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  81. I have missed you!--and am delighted that you are back!!!
    You and Dan really like the snow, but how about Ella? Not all Southern girls are enamored with snow! I shiver at 55 degrees.

    jane
    gary, tx

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  82. Ah just lovely to see that you and your beautiful home are back again. Signing out from a very cold part of Northern England, where it has just started to snow.

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  83. So glad you're back. Your blog inspires me.Bend.OR

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  84. Hi Joan and Dan!

    I saw via Instagram that you are back. I have missed your words and inspirational pictures, which is why I so enjoyed your IG pics. The weather here in coastal Virginia has been very mild, balmy, and rainy. It looks like we may get a bit of snow as it is forecasted for tomorrow. I should have known this morning when I was out running errands, oblivious to the weather report. Target was very crowded. Bread and milk were flying off the shelves! Even if we happen to get a dusting, our unprepared area will shut down!

    I have been following you almost from the beginning. Welcome back! You were so missed.

    Margaret

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  85. What a lovely surprise to see you today! From noon until about 3:00, we had our first--and probably only--snow this year. I grabbed my camera to catch our huge amount of snow, all 2 inches, and enjoyed seeing over a dozen birds at our feeder.
    I love your mantel and would love to see each piece you've placed so perfectly and be able to reach out with my index finger and touch everything. I can imagine the feel of the candlesticks, the gingerjar and that lovely Santos! I'll feast with my eyes, instead. So beautiful!
    May 2013 be a wonderful year for you.
    Linda,
    Hoover, Alabama

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  86. Oh I'm still here and soooo happy you are back!!!
    Lisa from Stafford, Virginia

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  87. So glad to have you back, you have been missed. My card would read Mary from Rhode Island.

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  88. Love your blog & happy to see you back. How's that "rescued" sofa coming along? Please share your recent updates -- we all enjoy those immensely.
    Cynthia

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  89. So happy to see you back!
    -Elizabeth
    Ottawa, ON

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  90. So glad you're back! I've been wondering what you and Dan have been up to lately. Hope your holidays were wonderful. We've been having crazy weather in SC. It was 70 degrees earlier today. The temps have been dropping and we may get snow tonight! If we do, I'll be dancing a little jig because we rarely see snow! Give a hug to Ella!

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  91. Really happy to see you back, Joan, welcome!

    María, Madrid, Spain

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  92. Joan, This is so funny as I was just going to write to you today! I had been flipping through photos of your kitchen with a client these past few days and wondering how you are and missing your lovely house! Welcome back - we are all so happy to see you!
    Jacqueline

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  93. I'm so glad to see a post from you! Welcome back!

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  94. Hi Joan, so happy to see you again :) I starting following your blog last year from "A Country Farmhouse" and love visiting your home. I have told my husband for the last few years that I would love to move to the New England states. I'm not too far from you here in North Carolina and we are hopefully anticipating our first snow tonight! We don't get snow very often and it's one of my favorite things in the world! So, thanks for sharing and welcome back, we missed you! Say hello to Ella :)

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  95. Welcome back Joan and Happy New Year! I was thinking about you and hoping you weren't going to stay absent much longer! Your mantel looks lovely as always. You always have such interesting antiques. We've had much of the same weather here in Michigan. Today we are back in the temperature range we normally would be in but we have had far less snow than normal. We just had a new snowfall last night, which I'm imagining you're getting now! Enjoy your wintery season.... keep the fire burning!
    Liz, Traverse City, Michigan

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  96. So glad you're back, I really missed stopping by.
    Kathleen

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  97. You just made my day! So glad you are back. You were missed. Happy New Year.
    Julie

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  98. SO excited to see you back! I've been following on Instagram, but it's just not the same!

    Christi from beautiful smalltown Madison, Georgia

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  99. So glad to see your email with a new post... Welcome back!

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  100. Welcome back! I'm from the Boston area, but unlike you I do not like the snow. Happy New Year.

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  101. ahhh...smile spreads across face missed you...stop
    glad you are back...stop
    the blanket of snow is pristine and beautiful...stop
    the living room looks cozy and inviting...stop
    welcome back y'all!

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  102. Happy New Year, Joan! So glad to see you are returning to blogging. Our home is now finished and I have a couple of pictures up on the blog. Still trying to get it all photographed. Thank you for being my inspiration. Sending you, Dan and Ella all our best!

    Maria in Dallas!

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  103. Wonderful to see you in my inbox today! I'm usually quiet and adoring of your wonderful home from my sweet old Victorian in the SF Bay Area. I dream of an old farmhouse with a few acres for my forever farm.

    In any case I have loved following your process with your amazing house and am waiting with baited breath for the barn room reveal. :) Great to see you again!

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  104. Joan -- I am so happy to see you back -- I'm an east coast girl living in LA and I do miss the snow! -- love your snow photos and sittin' by the fire -- so cozy......thanks!

    Maureen

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  105. Hi, I just found you today. I live in Newfoundland now, but lived in Vermont for about ten years when I was much younger. I have friends in New Hampshire close to Keene. I also wonder who is visiting my blog on any given day, isn't it wonderful to be connected with people from all over the world?
    Happy New Year!

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  106. happy new year from germany!
    I´m very happy that you are back... to follow you on instagram was a little comfort through the month I missed your wonderful blog!
    it´s my favorite blog from the united states, beside rita mays blog!
    thanks for sharing your life and tastefulness with the world and me...
    Gabi from Germany

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  107. Hooray, Joan is back!!!

    Lorraine
    Riverside, CA

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  108. ...have missed you(and dan and ella)so much...your beautiful farmhouse...the wonderful stories of your treasures...cannot wait to see the barnroom (none of us have forgotten!)...and to hear the sound of the crunch of gravel in the spring...as you take us around that glorious yard...my blessings have always been in the tray...laney

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  109. I'm so glad you had a nice break Joan, welcome back!! Everything looks beautiful as always:)

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  110. So glad you are back, it is cold snowy, and windy in Birmingham Alabama. Having you back is like a warm crackling fire. I have missed you.

    Hugs, Norma

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  111. hello---so glad you are back-----i grew up in a small southern town and our mail was delievered to a mail box that was on the front porch ---just inside the front door was a marble top chest with a small silver tray placed near the door ---our mail was brought in and placed on the silver tray-----each one in the family would look to see if there was a letter just waiting for them------i still have a silver tray on a chest near my front door with my mother's card on the tray love some of the old traditions virginia------- alabama

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  112. OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!!! I'm doin' cartwheels!!!!! Saw your blog name in my in box and started singing "Welcome back Kotter!" ;) You have made my day!!!!! HOORAY HORRAY Joan is back! Totally missed ya, but .....still visited your blog on a daily basis...it's my haven :) It's my tranquility! :) Welcome back!! Whoop whoop!!!
    ~Trisha

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  113. Welcome back! I love the winter mantle. Such lovely and carefully thought out accessories. I look forward to many more of your wonderful blogs. Happy New Year!

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  114. Oh, goody...you are back! I've missed you! Looks like you've got plenty of snow. We've just got a little bit of snow left here in southern Wisconsin...but the frigid air will be here in a few days. Now I'm going to go back and reread your post and drool over the pictures! Did I mention I'm glad you are back? ;)

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  115. Everything looks sooo pretty. And with the snow outside, its gets extra brownie points. So jealous I am really craving some of the white stuff and its been sparse around here so far though they said maybe tonight we will get a little! Glad to see you back....everything looks stunning and so inviting!

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  116. G'day Dan and Joan,

    Good to have you back, from me who occassionally comments!!!!

    Janine
    XXOO
    Tasmania, Australia

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  117. Glad to see you back!
    Helen, Greenwood, IN.

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  118. Welcome back, Joan. Isn't is nice to see so many messages from your fans! You've been missed.
    Claudia

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  119. I smiled when I saw you in my inbox Joan, Welcome Back! I have been one of your silent followers for quite some time and I find what you and Dan and ella are doing so inspirational. It is My Dream to live in an old farm house on a few acres and I have been sharing your Blog with my husband, He loves to know what Dan is doing with Big Blue! He is also a lover of old tools. We reside in a small town in BC on Vancouver Island, Canada and we have been discussing moving to the east coast, I do miss the four seasons! its time to go home! I am originally from Montreal but would love to be in Maine. We had Snow at Christmas and it was a dream! how I miss it! We are looking forward to hearing about what you guys are up to and we love what you have done with your Home. Please give your Ella a big hug from us. Happy New Year,
    Sandy and Gord from BC

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  120. Welcome Back!!!!!!!I miss your blog posts. I used to live up north in New Jersey and Maryland but my dream is to live in New England. My husband grew up in New Orleans and we have never moved from there. Hoping to convince him to one day and experience 4 seasons. Give Ella a big hug. She looks like the biggest sweetheart. I have a Catahoula dog named Sadie who is the biggest cuddlebunny. Thanks for the blog. Its beautiful.
    ~Lori

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  121. Ahhh...so glad you are back and refreshed! You were missed very much! The conks that I harvested from our old Weeping Willow tree, are dried and on display in a large silver compote on the dresser in the foyer with antlers, seashells and antique fishing floats...I look at it and think of you! Wishing you and Dan a very Happy New Year!!! donna :)

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  122. Welcome back! I just happened to click your blog in My Favorites today thinking you would be back a little later...and there you are! Yea!

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  123. It's so lovely to be invited, again, into your cosy, winter living room. It's even lovelier than I remember. Thank you...
    Laura.

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  124. I have been enjoying your blog for some time now, and was sad to see you take a break. So, Welcome Back. I'm writing to you from Hot Springs, AR. Being from Dallas, I am sure you've heard of Hot Springs. I do not have a blog of my own, but I sure love when come across a site as inspirational as yours. So, thank you for allowing me the pleasure of peeking into your home and into your lives.

    Best,
    Amy

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  125. Welcome back! As you can see, you've been missed. I live in San Diego CA. and it has been so cold here (30's & 40"s) I have been thinking we might get snow. But we're back in the 70's today and should be for the next week at least. We are thinking of moving to Il. soon so I'll get some snow there!

    Give Dan a hug and pet beautiful Ella!

    Auntiepatch
    San Diego CA

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  126. Glad to have you back - I enjoy your posts!

    Katrina, Poulsbo, WA

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  127. Very happy to see you back! I've missed reading your posts. Happy New Year!
    Kathy (from Michigan)

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  128. Missed you, Joan and so happy that you're back!! I'm with you and Dan and enjoy the snow - somehow a snowless winter just feels like a long bleak November to me. We're having the same weather in Ontario, Canada - no snow right now, but some is coming this weekend.

    Love the mantel (of course)
    Heather, Tillsonburg, Ontario,Canada

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  129. So glad you're back. Rarely leave a comment but want you both to know what joy you bring :)

    Augusta,Ga

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  130. So happy to have you back! I'm from the Seacoast of New Hampshire and my husband is from out near your neck of the woods. He is active duty Air Force and we're currently stationed at Langley AFB in VA. The photos you share are so beautiful and remind me of my New Hampshire home I miss so very much. We visited home in NH before Christmas and it was as magical as ever! We'll be building our own home in NH in a couple years after he retires, you've given me lots of beautiful ideas.

    Thank you!
    Melinda, Hampton, VA by way of Dover, NH

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  131. Well I was just about ready to give up!!!! I join the group in saying it's good to have you back.
    Jo from a little hobby farm in New Prague, MN

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  132. I am still here lurking, and have started following you on Instagram as well!

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  133. You have been missed!! Welcome back...

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  134. I love your blog and have missed you! I am Sarah in San Francisco, CA.

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  135. Joan, my heart skipped a beat when I opened my inbox this afternoon and saw your blog there! I hope you had a restful time away. I certainly missed seeing your lovely home and your wonderful antiques. I have only left comments a few times myself, but know that yours if one of my favorite reads!
    I live 9 months of the year in a northwest suburb of Chicago, but am lucky enough to spend my winters in beautiful Cozumel,Mexico! So glad you're back! Give my best to Dan and Ella!
    Jennifer

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  136. Welcome back!! Your blog was part of my morning ritual and I was disappointed when you decided to take a break. Soooo glad to see that you are back! Love your home! Barbara from Burnt Hills, New York

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  137. Hi Joan, so happy to pop over! Your mantle looks fantastic! I had to laugh when I read your opening words, because I was wondering the same thing... we've been over at Pinterest a lot lately- it's soooo addictive. Hope you are happy and well. Glad that you're back for another wonderful year!

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  138. Welcome back from your respite! Having moved south from upstate New York several years ago, our beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia are blanketed in snow today! The power has been out for two hours now and a generator is keeping us cozy and "connected".
    I'm always at a loss about what to display on a mantel after Christmas. Everything looks so barren around the house. Thanks for a little bit of inspiration.

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  139. So glad to see you're back! I've been following your Instagram photos. Faithful follower here, Tami from Syracuse, NY.

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  140. I am a lurker, so I thought I would say hi! I laughed when I saw your return post, as I spent part of today tweaking my winter mantel. I adore your home and share your love of antiques. My collection does not compare to yours, but I buy things I love when I see them. I am a lifetime New Englander......Live just outside of Boston. So nice to "meet" you.
    Susanne

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  141. So glad you are back! I do enjoy seeing your beautiful home, with your wonderful antiques. You have inspired me to look differently at things and their uses.
    I feel as if you invite us into your home with every post! Thank you. Lee http://enchantmentbylee.blogspot.com

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  142. HELLO!I'm fairly new....dont re~call how I found you BUT I DID and so happy I did!Love your post about the tray and calling cards.........do you think the calling card will ever return?HA!Maybe in a few years we will all tire of the cell phones............I would love to shop in peace cant stand other people talking outloud and I think they are talking to me!Or over hearing another conversation!
    Anyhow,I go by LA CONTESSA and I have an antique shop in California.LOVE LOVE LOVE THAT MIRROR over the mantle!Please pop over and leave me a message(To do so one needs to click on the title of the post!Then scroll down.)Would love a few more comments then I normally get............like YOU I know there are hundreds of you out there but only a handfull of those people comment.

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  143. SO glad you're back!

    Sara from Marietta, GA

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  144. Hello and welcome back! You have been missed!

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  145. So glad you are back! Just the other day I was asking a friend what was the difference between antique and vintage....so thank you for that tidbit.

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  146. I am sure you can tell by the number of comments how much we all missed you and Dan and sweet Ella. Your grounds look so beautiful with their blanket of snow and your living room so cozy with its winter decor, but I have to say honestly I do not miss the cold one tiny bit. I moved permanently to SW Florida from the Hudson Valley in 2009 and I love being surrounded by lush flora year round. As for you living room, I love the seascape and its beautiful gilded frame. The room looks like the perfect spot to enjoy a fire and a good book. Welcome back; I look forward to reading your posts again.
    XO, Victoria in Cape Haze, Fl.

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  147. Some winter days are a bit grey and cold. To have the happy surprise of the resumption of your blogging just made my day! I, too, am a lurker. Making do by rereading older entries was a wonderful way to wait things out. Thanks for sustaining your interest in blogging!

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  148. Still here, of course...and so glad to see you back! You were missed, but I'm glad you enjoyed your break. Thank you for the beautiful snow pictures. I love my new home in California, but still miss Maine -- it's good to be able to vicariously experience the four seasons through your lovely photographs. Happy New Year to you, Dan, and Ella!
    Lee

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  149. I'm so glad you're back! I was beginning to think you were done! Your blog inspires me to be creative in my decorating. I'm more glad to have people come over now. I had a small neighborhood Christmas party this year and kept wondering how would Joan have done it. I love all the seasons but Spring is my favorite. Winter is my time to reflect, plan, and catch up on undone things. I'm trying to improve my watercolor skills so I'm seeing a new beauty in the winter light. I live in Bristol, VA. We have a beautiful wet snow sticking to every branch right now. With good books, blogs, and hot coffee I'm all set.

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  150. Joan,
    I'm so happy you are rested and had a wonderful holiday. I missed your updates but was thrilled to see your name in my email inbox today!
    We've had some wonderful, cold and seasonal weather, unusual for us. It's supposed to warm over the weekend. I wish it would snow for us!
    Karen of Irvine, California.

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  151. Hello, Welcome back and a very Happy New Year. I too am one that comes and goes but delighted to leave my calling card on your pretty tray. I have a passion for old houses and have been renovating and furnishing them for years in England and now here in Ireland. I have been watching your amazingly beautiful house for over a year now and can't wait to see how the Barn is coming along.....'tis the kitchen that is to die for:-)

    Penny.

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  152. I am still "here" and check in frequently. Wonderful that you were able to take a much-needed break. Welcome back and Happy New Year!
    Carin from Pennsylvania

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  153. I am so glad you are back! I got so excited when I saw a new post and I adore your winter mantel. So just like last year I am quite happy to leave you a calling card.
    Donna from Massachusetts

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  154. So glad to see you back! I checked your blog regularly, as it is on my 'rotation' of blogs to read. And I love peeking in on your rooms for inspiration for paint, accents and overall arrangements.....hope you have been busy with FUN projects! Sincerely, A semi-lurker reader...Rosie

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  155. I'm so glad you are back! I was beginning to think you were done. You inspire me to be more creative in my decorating. I'm more willing to have people over now. I had a small neighborhood Christmas party this year and kept wondering how would Joan have done it? I live in Bristol VA in a small suburban home but I love seeing how other people live and express themselves in their surroundings. We have snow here in Bristol as well. It's a nice wet clinging snow that coats every branch and is good for making snowmen. With good books, blogs, and a nice cup of hot coffee I'm all set to be snowed in. I hope you are ready for a beautiful winter. Keep that camera handy!

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  156. Glad you are back - Happy New Year!

    Jeannette

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  157. Glad to see one of my favorite home blogs back in action...I need all the reading material I can get as I sit and peruse the internet and wait for our February baby to arrive!
    Jessie
    Nashville, TN

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  158. Hello Joan,

    Can't tell you how excited we are to have you back. I checked almost every day hoping, wishing, praying that you would be well rested and return. I am leaving my calling card, however I am proaby one of the ones you know :) Waiting for your next trip out west, Portland is calling your name!!!! ZB

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  159. Oh! Welcome Back & Happy New Year!!! I really do use calling cards. I have one printed up for our family...they come in very handy! But this little note will have to do for your tray. I regularly visit your blog to get a dose of New England. I grew up in Connecticut and my husband & I purchased our first home in Ipswich, Massachusetts {a 150 year-old farmhouse}. Because of Michael's career we eventually moved to Dallas and then on to Belvedere, California {a small island on the San Francisco Bay} where we currently live. The Bay area is beautiful but there is something special about New England...make a snowball for me:)

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  160. Love it that your back! Happy New Year!
    or as they say here in Japan, Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu.
    And we up to our waists in snow!!! Lisa

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  161. What a birthday treat to get a post from you! You made my day, so glad you're back!

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  162. I'm a new follower and here is my calling card. (What a lovely, old-fashioned tradition.) I live in the Seattle area. I love your very eastern home. Thank you for sharing it. I've gotten a lot of pleasure from viewing it. Donna

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  163. Joan, Dan and Ella......so happy to see you back and posting. Beautiful snow scenes. Hope you enjoyed your break and are refreshed and ready to go with great ideas, tips and recommendations. Sunny and 71+ here in San Diego county.
    Dee

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  164. What a treat to discover that you're back! A true day brightener! I was so happy to see your new posting and you never disappoint. Your home is a collection of exquisite treasures and I love learning the history attached to them. Glad that you are back!

    Nancy

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  165. Welcome back! I am a fairly new reader and I am so glad that you are back. I love reading about your beautiful house and life in New England! Thanks, Meredith Gibson

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  166. Missed you, glad you are back. Happy New Year!

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  167. Greetings from an equally weather-indecisive Omaha... So glad to have you back! I've missed your new posts! Hope you're having a wonderful new year!

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  168. Hi Joan and Dan. Welcome back. I guess you needn't have worried that we had forgotten you by the number of 'calling cards' left here. It's so nice to see your beautiful home again. We have had the same weather as you this week and now it's bitterly cold again. See you soon. Blessings, Pamela

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  169. Welcome back - after a nice relaxing holiday and rest - good to 'see' you again!

    'Til our next visit! :)

    Laura in West Texas

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  170. I have checked periodically for your blog and was delighted to see that you are back. Your blog is my all time favorite and I envy you living in New England. Wishing we had some of that beautiful snow in Oklahoma to relieve us just a bit of the drought. Happy New Year and welcome back.

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  171. Lovely to see you back again Joan. You have been very much missed. I'm from Australia and since we last spoke I have had a "tree change" of my own, having moved over 800klms to another state, from the bustling city of Sydney to rural, inland Victoria We are renovating a timber cottage into our dream house - and you are my inspiration. I absolutely LOVE everything you have done with the farm house and though our "new" house (it is actually 100years old) is on a much smaller scale than yours we are hoping to make it a lovely and welcoming as you have done. I've even started a blog to document the changes. Thankyou for being such a wonderful inspiration. I hope 2013 is a wonderful year for you and Dan and Ella. LofL JEN

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  172. Calling card from MarySue in Phoenix, AZ. Thanks for your inspiration. You have influenced a purchase or two of mine. Well wishes.

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  173. Hi Joan, I am so glad you are back. You were the very first blog I ever came across and I read all of your posts over a couple of snowy days here in Topsfield, MA two winters ago. It was like a whole world opened up for me. I was delighted to find there were others as obsessed with houses and decor as I was. I have been enjoying your blog ever since. I am looking forward to your barn reveal!

    All the best,

    Jen

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  174. welcome back! Can't wait to see the barn room finished!

    ~ Erin from Chicago

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  175. Happy new year to you, Dan and Ella! At the time of your last calling card post, I was living in West Virginia and engaged. Today, I am married and living in New Hampshire. What a difference a year can make! I, for one, am so excited for your very beautiful and informing posts this year! Here's to you and the much needed rest you deserved for sharing so much beauty with us!

    xoxo
    Tim

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  176. Wow! I can see I am not the only one that is back!!! So happy you enjoyed your vacation and so happy to have you back!! Blessings~~Shine

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  177. Lovely Beautiful Joan,
    So happy to read your blog again. You have made my evening.
    Fabulous post! I am IN LOVE with the lamp by your sofa-the green base with the brown shade is breathtaking for me. Truly breathtaking. Never part with it and if you do, please give me first dibs :-)
    Welcome back to you, Dan and Ella.
    So Fondly,
    -Lisa

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  178. Hi Joan,

    I am so happy that you're back....I've missed your posts! Happy 2013 to you, Dan and Ella. Your break was well deserved!

    Happy Trails,

    Mary in CT. (Ruth's sis)

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  179. OMGoodness, if you don't know now how MUCH you have been missed just LOOK at all these comments!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am SOOOOOOO happy to see you back,I have MISSED you! I hope your holidays were beautiful and can't wait to see what you share in this new year. I have been a very sporadic blogger these past weeks. I hope to be able to get back to it more soon. XO, pinky

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  180. So glad you are back! I "found" you this fall during your break but have spent time catching up and perusing your beautiful house. It has been such an inspiration as my husband is ill and your blog is an oasis of beauty amidst the stress of caregiving. Thank you for sharing the beauty.

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  181. Yep, I am still here! So glad you are back! I was having withdrawals until my daughter told me you were on instagram! I've been getting my "fix" over there until you returned! Your house is lovely as always! The winter has been odd in Kansas as well. The next two days we are supposed to be in the low 60's followed by a cold blast. My husband said he saw trees budding! We have a terrible drought going on so we sure could use some snow!

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  182. Hello and Happy New Year from Fox Island, Washington! I'm still here but my location has changed. We moved back to the Northwest from the Chicago area so I only see snow if I drive to the mountains! Your former post about calling cards was just the incentive I needed to create and order some of my own with contact info, along with a pretty little silver monogrammed case for my purse.

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  183. So glad that my FAVORITE blogger is back!!!!

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  184. Hi, I'm one of the "come and go quietly" ones!! Always love reading your posts and admiring your beautiful home. Wishing you everything of the best for this year.

    Warm hugs from South Africa

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  185. Happy New Year. nice to see your post!

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  186. Hi Joan, Dan, and Ella. I'm a come and go quietly, but now I'm just letting you know that I love you blog. Yes we did get snow here in North Alabama today and everything just shuts down (schools, roads, business). We don't know how to drive on this stuff since we don't see it that often. Please continue to awe us with your beautiful home. Glad you are back.

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  187. Hey Joan!!!!! I am sooo happy to see you, Dan and Ella are doing okay! Hope you all had a fabulous bloggy break!

    We've been doing good in the PNW.

    We just bought a house (well, like 3 months ago) and are having a blast (or not) renovating!

    Happiest New Year :)

    Jessica, Josh, Maci & Makenzie
    ~Puget Sound Area, WA

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  188. I'm so happy that you didn't quit blogging for good! There's nothing like a snowy, white New England winter.

    Karen
    Murrieta, CA

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  189. So glad to see that you're back, as I've really enjoyed your postings.

    ~ Dawn from Livermore, CA

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  190. Of course We are still here!! I was so happy to see that you returned, hope you had a refreshing break - now let's see that BarnRoom lol :) - xo from "Your Neighbor", Jenny, in New Brunswick, Canada

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  191. Things I love:.... Veuve, "pearly" ceilings, smoky blue rough pine boards, ever- changing mantles, repurposing beauty, watercolors in gilt frames, old farmhouses, loving husbands, precious furballs, poking around in antique stores looking for that perfect piece, antique/vintage textiles, IKEA deals that FIT, and YOUR BLOG!! I have, and am, all of the above, and now I have your blog back!! Your writing really is such a special part my day. Soo-ooo-ooo glad to see you and the fam back. No longer lurking in Colorado--Kara, Jerry, Oliver and Paddy.

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  192. Welcome back....missed you! And a very Happy New Year!

    Dee

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  193. Hello Joan, Dan, and Ella!

    So happy you are back! You have been greatly missed. Thank you thank you. And all the best to you in 2013.

    ~Jane in Alexandria, VA

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  194. Welcome back! I have been checking you blog daily and am delighted that you have returned and am looking forward to my daily reads. Hope you and Dan are well, rested, and ready for the New Year. The weather here in Southern California has been so strange. This week we have been colder than the East coast, but today it is supposed to warm up!

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  195. We missed you!!! So glad that you are back!
    Cali

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  196. Hi Joan and Dan! I live in northwest Illinois and am new to your blog. I visited New Hampshire for the first time last fall when I attended a cross-stitch retreat at a Shaker village. What a beautiful place to live! I've read many of your posts, and I wonder, do you own a television?

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Welcome! Thank you for leaving a comment; you have no idea how much your comments inspire me to keep writing- I appreciate each and every one. Comments are moderated by me prior to publishing on the blog, so if you don't see your comment post immediately it will be posted as soon as I receive and read it. joan