As you might recall from Christmas' past, this antique Victorian brass tray is a favorite of mine that I like to bring out this time of year. It was originally silver-plated, but now only hints of silver remain on the solid brass tray.
It is marked... .
MA
from
Mary and Nannie
Christmas
1881
from
Mary and Nannie
Christmas
1881
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 emails....but others of you remain a mystery. On my site meter I get repeat visits from places that are near and dear to us, and places that are far away and magical. Dan and I often talk about and wonder who all of you are!
One year I mentioned that I would notice a regular visitor from a tiny town in Oregon and that we would love to know who that person was, as Dan's father (who died when he was two) is buried in a cemetery in this small town.
It was the custom in the period of this Victorian tray, that guests would leave their printed "calling cards" in trays at the homes they visited.
Some of you I know, as you leave me dear comments or send emails....but others of you remain a mystery. On my site meter I get repeat visits from places that are near and dear to us, and places that are far away and magical. Dan and I often talk about and wonder who all of you are!
One year I mentioned that I would notice a regular visitor from a tiny town in Oregon and that we would love to know who that person was, as Dan's father (who died when he was two) is buried in a cemetery in this small town.
Several days after Christmas that year I received an email from the woman. I cried as I read it to Dan. She wrote that she lived within walking distance of the cemetery where Dan's father is buried, that her son learned to ride his bike there, and that she and her husband often take walks in the cemetery. To know that someone across the country just happened to find my blog, and now visits our home, and to know that that person lives so close to Dan's father's resting place, and that this all happened because we share a love of houses is a sweet and dear connection that makes the world seem that much smaller.
You just never know the connections that we all have to one another... .
It was the custom in the period of this Victorian tray, that guests would leave their printed "calling cards" in trays at the homes they visited.
It has become a Christmas tradition on the blog to put out the tray and invite you to leave your
"calling card" and tell us who you are, where you live, and/or anything else about yourself that you wish to share.
We would love to hear from each and every one of you- those who visit regularly, and those of you who usually come and go quietly!!
Please leave your calling card in the tray!
From our home to yours...
Merry Christmas - Merry Everything!!
Joan and Dan
Louise, Ella and Magnolia
Season's Greetings from Arlington, Massachusetts! I am always happy when my blog reader shows that you have posted! I love your house and enjoy hearing about your impressions of New England, where I have lived all of my live. We have a rescue dog and two rescue kitties who have brought a lot of joy to me and my two teenage boys!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas! From beautiful, muddy, foggy, smelly Ohio! Haha. We have some weird thermal inversion thing going on so it smells like natural gas outside.
ReplyDeleteI'm a long-time reader and lover of your home and your blog. You are always inspirational! Though I live in an apartment now, I still have dreams of having my own home again, and a dog or cat, too. All the very best wishes for a happy Christmas to you, Dan, and the girls from Lee in Saco, Maine.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas & a peaceful new year from Elaine in Solihull England
ReplyDeleteMy name is Nickie and this is my first time commenting although I've read your blog for years. Your paint colors were the inspiration for my own house when we renovated it. I love how everything you own has a story...how you don't have a house full of "stuff" but a house full of "memories" instead. You seem to really stop and enjoy each day and each experience. I really admire that about you and hope to implement that mentality into my own life. I wish you and Mr. Dan, Ella, Magnolia and Louise a very Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteLove, Nickie in Mississippi
Thank you for leaving your card Sarah! Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteMerry xmas lc!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you sweet Debi! Wishing you the happiest of holidays too!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your card!
ReplyDeleteThank you for checking in today! Our snow is quickly melting with the rain we are getting :( Enjoy your white xmas!!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! We love reading everyone's location!
ReplyDeleteThank you Mary! Love knowing you are in Oregon!
ReplyDeleteDana- that MELTS my heart and makes me SO happy to hear that. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! xxoj. Please kiss your pup for me and the girls!
ReplyDeleteThank you Lynn! You are always so sweet! Merry xmas to you and yours! xxo
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm so glad you do Stacey! Thank you ! Merry xmas!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your lovely comment Terri. It means the world to me. xxoj.
ReplyDeleteYes you have Auntiepatch!! And you always leave such nice comments- thank you! It's raining here today too. Merry xmas! xxo
ReplyDeleteI thank you for reading Donna!
ReplyDeletethank you!! And merry xmas in Mississauga!!
ReplyDeleteThank you my neighbor to the south!!
ReplyDeleteEver??!! Wow, thank you Patti, that is so special!! Merry xmas to you and yours!
ReplyDelete..."a refuge of beauty and domesticity." That is beautiful, thank you Lauren. I love that so much.
ReplyDeleteWe always talk about how we need to get to northern Vermont to antique. It is on our list for sure! If you see this, would love to hear of some of the dealers in the area! xxoj.
Thank you Elaine! To you too!
ReplyDeleteI am soooo happy to hear that Lynn!! Rescues are special souls. I love that the house inspires and comforts you. Those are lovely words to hear. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your beautiful note Cynthia. I greatly appreciate your kind words. xxoj.
ReplyDeleteYes, the xmas wreath was a no-show this year for obvious reasons;)
Thank you Diane! I love all those things too:) Merry Christmas to you!!
ReplyDeleteWow Iona... 1690! I couldn't have said it better. I, too, find antiques and things with patina- things that have lived another life to be very grounding an soothing. It is interesting and fun to watch people come in the front door (people who don't have or know antiques) and watch them "feel" the energy from all these past stories in one place. Merry Christmas to you in RI. Newport is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThank you Kathy! I just googled Rochester and it looks lovely! Love the downtown! Thank you for following on IG! Love IG:)
ReplyDeleteI hope it's a very merry Christmas at Windmill Farms!!!
ReplyDeleteI did not know the Tuckers were moving to Maine! Where will you land?! So excited for you, Maine is wonderful!! Kisses to Tank and Tanner from me and the girlies!
ReplyDeleteThank you for leaving your calling card Gail! Love that you have three rescues too! Can't imagine not having three after having them!!! Merry Xmas!!
ReplyDeleteAnd to you too Carol! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThank you Vicci! I wonder if you lived in Troutdale when we lived in Oregon?! We would drive through it often:)
ReplyDeleteI don't believe we have ever been through Shrewsbury Linda... will have to put it on our list. I know I'm partial, but I agree about it being a wonderful part of this magnificent country!! Thank you for leaving your calling card!!
ReplyDeleteThank you Amy! I googled Lake Nahwatzel and it is a gorgeous area! We stayed at the Quinault Lodge many years ago, not far from you. This makes me miss Washington state. A bit of my heart will always be there.... Merry Christmas to you and yours Amy!
ReplyDeleteAnd Merry Christmas to you too!!
ReplyDeleteThank you Nicole! Dan was just in SF:) Kisses to Ria from me and the girls!
ReplyDeleteHaha!! Cooled down to 76:):) That's summer in NH!! It's 37 here today! Thank you for leaving your calling card.
ReplyDeleteSo fun to hear from another Oregonian! Thank you Janet!
ReplyDeleteLove Bath! Agreed... the biggest blessing ever! Merry Christmas to you and yours. I'm thinking with 5 children that today is a very exciting day at your house!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you Jan! Merry Christmas to you too!!
ReplyDeleteBeen through Federal Way many times Melissa!
ReplyDeleteThank you Barb! Missing Colorado.... we talk about it all the time. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas!
ReplyDeleteThank you Jennifer, to you too!!
ReplyDeleteThank you Carolyn in Asheville!! To you too!!
ReplyDeleteI have been a poor blogger of late:( I'm hoping to be better in the new year. Hope Christmas in Vancouver is lovely!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I'm thinking hunt country is beautiful this time of year!
ReplyDeleteThank you Sheala. Merry xmas to you too!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your sweet note Carollynn! (love your name btw:) Wishing you peace and joy in 2017 also.
ReplyDeleteOur love to you and sweet Bonnie Blue! xxo
ReplyDeleteYou have a full and blessed house then! Love me a pittie) Thank you for your card!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas from Athens,Greece.
ReplyDeleteYour posts and photos bring much pleasure. Thank you.
ReplyDeletePJ from Berkeley, Ca
Best wishes for a happy Christmas and new year from Central Ohio. Among the many reasons that make me love reading your blog, I believe you shared a tip, for how to keep a ladle from dripping, which is high on my list! Mary
ReplyDeleteGreetings from Monrovia MD, I love the photo of your trio of pups! We lost our little girl who could had been a twin to one of yours about 2 years ago. We just retired, me after 40 years of teaching art, and my husband with a 2 hour commute each way. So the time was right for a new addition to our family. We adopted Miss Kelci from a high kill shelter in SC. When she came to MD she was a sick little girl with heart worms, bronchitis, and a double ear infection. The good news is she is healthy now and we love her to pieces. She has come to her forever home. Have a blessed Christmas
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas from Donna in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada. So enjoy your blog.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas Dan, Joan, Ella, Magnolia, and Louise, I tried posting before but didn't work, so if I did post twice it's just twice as much cheer. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Pittsburgh. Hope Dan stayed off the ladder this year.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas from Bay City MI. The girls are adorable!
ReplyDeleteAndrea
Merry Christmas from Bay City MI. The girls are adorable!
ReplyDeleteAndrea
Happy Christmas from me in Ashland Virginia to you.
ReplyDeletebetsy
Merry Christmas from Malden Bridge, NY (charming historic hamlet between Albany and the Berkshires of MA). Long-time reader/follower of your blog. Have a very happy holiday season and New Year to you, Dan and those marvelous doggies!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas Joan, Dan and all your fur babies from Augusta, Ga. Truly my favorite blog!!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year to you and your family and to those adorable girls of yours...from Nantucket Island, Massachusetts
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed the Blessings of Family all together today! Rainy day here. I'm 40 miles west of Chicago. Your Blog posts are always a bright spot in my day. My Daughter is a veterinarian Tech. With 2 rescue pups. So I love hearing about "your girls". Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteBetsy
To Joan, Dan, and their beautiful "girls". Hope you've had a wonderful Christmas and let's hope for a Peaceful New Year. Have loved your blog for years and miss seeing you more often. You have such a classy touch of decorating, fence building, and then the "Barn". Only good wishes for you to continue doing all the things you and Dan enjoy and that you settle for a while to enjoy the fruits of your labors. Have a blessed New Year.
ReplyDeleteYour blog was forwarded to me by a friend a couple months ago as she knows I love houses. So I'm a new reader here, but I love it. Hello from sunny/warm Florida... though someday I hope to live in a place with a real winter. ;) - Michelle
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas from Madison, Mississippi!
ReplyDelete~lauren
Such a cool little tray...with my initials on it! Reminds me of how I was admiring a gold watch fob on Portobello Road...I turned it over and it was engraved with "Mary"... and my husband bought it for me for our anniversary. Anyway...just visiting from my mom's home in San Diego and headed back to SF tomorrow. Happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you from me in Céron, a village in Burgundy, France. My husband and I were born and brought up in England, met, married and lived in Johannesburg South Africa for more than 30 years and then, wanting a change and to be closer to family in the UK moved here 7 years ago. We live in a farmhouse in beautiful countryside surrounded by rolling hills of farmland and white charolais cattle. After spending hours pouring over the photographs of your beautiful home I would love to make more changes to ours. But my husband, who is a retired architect, says no, he has had enough of building sites! All the best for 2017 - I will look forward to your next news. Christine
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas and a Happy New Year from France. I live on the outskirts of a small village in Burgundy called Céron. My husband and I have lived in tranquility here for 7 years and are surrounded by green rolling hills dotted with white charolais cattle. Although we were both born and brought up in England, we met, married and lived for 30 years in Johannesburg, South Africa before relocating to France. I have spent a number of hours reading your blog and admiring your beautiful home. Inspired by this, I would love to make more changes to our farmhouse, but my husband, who is a retired architect has said no more, he has had enough of building sites! All the best for 2017 and I look forward to hearing about your new projects. Christine
ReplyDeleteWishing you, Dan, and the girls a wonderful new year! Blessings from Fort Wayne, IN
ReplyDeleteMy maiden name is Shrewsbury and I'm curious to know if any Shrewsbury's live there. There is an English town by that name taken from the Earl of Shrewsbury. I'm beginning genealogical research on my paternal side about my Shrewsbury ancestors. Do you know of any cemeteries with this name on the headstones? I want to make a road trip if I learn about critical information to my ancestors. Any help you could give or direct me to would be very helpful. Blessings
ReplyDeleteJane Hillis
Hazel Green, Alabama
North of Huntsville/Space Rocket Center/Space Camp
Hello Joan & Dan,
ReplyDeleteSeasons greetings from Dunstable, MA & Old Orchard Beach, ME. Wishing you a Happy, Healthy & Prosperous New Year! The girls look wonderful!
Hi, and all the best for the Holidays! I'm Bjørg from Sandefjord, Norway. I really admire your house and garden, and of course your lovely dogs!
ReplyDeleteMerry Merry Merry!! Little ole me from a tiny town on the Atlantic Ocean in Florida. Still waiting for the moving truck....and waiting....and waiting.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas a few days late! My name is Stephanie and I am from a smallish town in SC called Aiken. Aiken was actually a winter colony for the wealthy back in the 18oo's. People with familiar names, such as Goodyear, built beautiful homes here (most still exist and are so beautiful to see). They would come stay in Aiken to enjoy the mild winters, horseback riding, polo, and golf. I believe even the royal family had been to Aiken before for polo, if I'm not mistaken (speaking of which, have you seen The Crown on Netflix? It is amazing). I really must study up more on Aiken history. Aiken is also close to the GA line and it's a 30 minute drive to the Augusta National where the Masters Tournament is played every year. We live in an awesome location with it being close to the coast as well as the mountains, both of which we can easily get to in a few hours. I have never traveled up to your neck of the woods but hope to do so one day. I absolutely love reading your blog. We just sold our home of almost 14 years and will be building on some old family land. The land we will be building on still has an old water pump on it and so much history. I envision small farmhouse-style home built back in the woods. I must tell you that your kitchen is my dream kitchen. I often look back at all posts on your kitchen and marvel at how nothing in it looks dated/out of style because you designed it to be timeless! That is my goal. I want it to be timeless. I don't want to look at my next kitchen 10 years down the road and feel like it needs to be "updated". I adore your style and your blog so very much. Thank you for all of the inspiration. I will have to e-mail you some pictures after our new home is complete! Much love!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas & Happy New Year from Miranda in Houston (soon to be southern Illinois)!! The photo of the girls is adorable!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas and Happy New Year from Canton, GA.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas from Mary in Surry, Va. I have been following you for years now. Hope you are enjoying your holiday. My Son and Daughter in law are right next door in Vermont for the week with her family.
ReplyDeleteHappy Greetings from our old red cape farmhouse in RI. Found your posts 3 yrs. ago and love your beautiful home. Thank you for sharing. Joan, all the best to you, Dan and the girls. Cheers and Joy, Licette
ReplyDeleteI knock at your fine door and I am greeted by ...maybe a kitten! I hail from Savannah Georgia lately, but for a lifetime of raising our children in New Canaan CT, and previous to that the Upper East side of New York, and born and raised in the Hudson River valley, so to sum up, I am an East coast girl. I do love to call on you because your exhuberance and good eye for a bargain and for savy style always delight. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteHi Joan, I'm one of those who come and go quietly, but this message of yours made me feel like you were speaking to me personally. I live not too far away on Cape Cod. I too have a love of houses, architecture and design. Your blog is my favorite and your home is just beautiful. I so appreciate what you do on behalf of shelter pet adoption. I have an adopted French bulldog mix who is absolutely my fur baby since all my natural babies are grown ;-). My sincere wishes for a happy and healthy new year to you and your family. Thank you for reaching out and inviting me to leave a card on your tray.
ReplyDeleteHappy new year from Madrid, Spain!
ReplyDelete¡Feliz Navidad desde Madrid, España!
Maria
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Mississippi! I love old monogramed silver too! Those monograms stir the imagination! Thank you for your earlier posting about the plight of the Denham Springs Animal Shelter. Your plea and those of others helped raise an unbelievable amount of money to rebuild the shelter! I would love to read an update on the shelter!
ReplyDeleteP.S. from Isla in MS. Your three beautiful rescue girls could be liter mates of my Tilly who went to be with Jesus a couple of years ago. The only thing that keeps my house dogless is the love of a couple of Border Collies who live on a little place of ours just outside of town. Our cocktail hour consists of watching them share a can of Vienna Sausage!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year from Sewickley Pennsylvania!
ReplyDeleteA belated Merry Christmas from Atlanta, GA! I grew up in Dallas, TX but now call the slightly greener Southeast home, along with my husband and three young children. I found your blog several years ago when I was researching Soapstone countertops and have enjoyed touring your home and seeing your beautiful snippets since then!
ReplyDeleteMy calling card comes from a 1914 home in La Grange IL. I very much enjoy your postings and feel a kinship for your decorating style. While living in an antique home, we do not wish it to feel like a museum, but we do want to honour its history and be good stewards.
ReplyDeleteI visit your blog several times per year, but do not subscribe because my inbox is full enough already. I enjoy reading the blog as a treat. All good wishes for the coming new year! Claire
I wish you had a Wonderful Christmas, Joan! I'm late to this, but thank you for the invitation! Like many others, I'll thank you also for giving us such a wonderful blog. I discovered FTLOAH sometime this year and was hooked immediately by your love of an OLD house, your decorating talent, and the rescue puppy stories! I'm more of a cat person, but my God have you made cry, and I've shared your stories with my mom because Louise and Magnolia's is a TRUE Cinderella story! And we couldn't be happier for them! Happy 2017 and many warm regards from a first-time commentor in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
ReplyDeleteBonjour from Québec city , Canada.
ReplyDeleteI am the one who visits quietly but no less appreciative of your beautiful home and the love that it exudes because of your care. I stopped blogging but love to visit my favourites from time to time. Bonne année!
Merry Christmas (a little late) from this Ellicott City, Maryland reader. I am now visiting family in Hilton Head. Thank you for sharing your beautiful home -- it is inspiring! ---Beth
ReplyDeleteBest wishes for health and joy in the New Year from Joanne in Anacortes WA (daughter of Betty, who now lives in La Conner).
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for leaving your calling card Joanne! I just send you mother an email. I hope she has the same address?! Please give her a hug for me! xxojoan
DeleteMerry Christmas from Mansfield, Texas.
ReplyDeleteJudith
Happy Holidays from Southern California! I love the idea of a virtual calling card. So fun! Vanessa.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy reading your blog. Happy New Year from Charlottesville, Virginia!
ReplyDeleteWishing you, your husband and the pups a Blessed and Happy New Year! A longtime reader from Springfield, Missouri.
ReplyDeleteHi Joan! I've been following you since 2012 when I came across pictures of your kitchen! I just love everything about your blog and your home! If I could take pictures of your home to an architect or designer and say, "give me this," I would have my dream home! For now, those aspirations are on hold as we are currently living overseas in the United Arab Emirates. Our Virginia house is waiting patiently for our return, but I have no idea when that will be. In the mean time, I'll continue to enjoy your blog and live vicariously through you! Happy New Year! Robin
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas and Happy New Year from The Woodlands, TX....just north of Houston. Balmy 70 degrees after wonderful thunderstorms early this morning...love Texas weather!! Enjoy your blog every visit!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
ReplyDeleteRon, New Orleans, LA
Merry Late Christmas and Happy New Year from Magnolia, Texas. Hometown of one of your beautiful pups :)
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year from Chandler, Arizona!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year from the Deep South! I love and appreciate everything that you share with us on your blog. I especially love the obvious care you take with your home and its upkeep -- a dying art, I think. I live in a 1920 Colonial Revival in an urban pocket neighborhood and find the proper upkeep of my home (combined with dog duties as an owner of two spaniels and chauffeur/housekeeper/chef duties as mom to two teens) a full-time job, albeit one that I mostly enjoy. There are so many times I wish I had you and Dan nearby to lend me your expert advice about the upkeep of my home and its furnishings.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year from a regular visitor, thanks for asking. I live in Huntington Beach, have a blog myself, married 28 years, a fur baby German Shepherd, 2 twenty-something year old sons responsible for my gray strands that I pay too much money to cover-which-is-fine-for-now. I live in a fixer upper and love checking in here. wishing you a happy 2017 filled with love and health and peace,
ReplyDeletexo
Leslie
Joan: I just adore your blog and have for many years. I was so thrilled when I stumbled across it. You have been a great source of inspiration time and time again. I've never commented before but wanted you to know that I look forward to you posts here and on Instagram and check almost daily for new ones. I hope you never run out of material.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes for the New Year,
Ryan Wallace
Austin, TX
A belated Merry Christmas.
ReplyDeleteHelen in Indianapolis.
Happy New Year Joan!
ReplyDeleteI'm slowly catching up after being away during the holidays, so please excuse my late card :) I always enjoy your posts, and love your home and those three sweet pups! Wishing you and yours a joy-filled year!
Waving from afar in Pleasanton, CA
Thank you Mary! I said... "Sit. Stay!!!" :)
ReplyDeleteThis thrills me to no end!!! If you see this would love for you to send pics. You'll love having 3!!!!
ReplyDeletehi Cynthia! Thank you. We have a "house rule" that everyone MUST hold on to the hand rail when going up or down! Our stairs would never meet code today- they are very steep. I, too, have thought of putting down a seagrass runner.
ReplyDeleteThat is so beautiful...thank you Alara. (your name is lovely)
ReplyDeleteBlogger is making it difficult to impossible to reply, but if you see this I want you to know that Dan (who also reads all my comments) LOVED that you were going to lift a glass for us at The Tides!! (me too!!)
ReplyDelete