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Thursday, December 22, 2016

Please leave your calling card.... a holiday tradition


     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

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.
 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




312 comments:

  1. Sarah from Cincinnati Ohio! :)

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  2. Always love seeing posts from you! Your home is one of my absolute favorites. I'm from your old stomping ground ~ Dallas, TEXAS ~ Lake Highlands to be exact.

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  3. Dear Joan,

    I'd like to wish the happiest of holidays to you, Dan, and the girls!

    Debi in Wilkesboro, North Carolina

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  4. Merry Christmas from Sydney, Australia!

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  5. Hi, I am not a regular reader, but I do check in from time to time. Vermont for me. Merry (snowy) Christmas.

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  6. I just LOVE your blog. Your house is lovely and the dogs are wonderful. I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a happy new year from San Luis Obispo California.

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  7. Merry Christmas from Hillsboro, Oregon! Love watching posts on your home. Mary Jamieson

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  8. Merry Christmas and Merry Everything to you too! Love your blog, your home, your sweet dogs. It is because of you that I adopted my sweet pup!! Wishing you peace, love, and joy in the new year- Dana from NY.

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  9. Merry Christmas from Kansas! You know how much I love your home and your blog. Maybe someday we will have the opportunity to meet! It would be so fun to hear about your beautiful home in person! I still am waiting for someone to get you to write a book about how you found your house and how you turned it into such a lovely home!

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  10. I visit as often as I can...from my home office in Florence, KY. Merry Christmas!

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  11. Merry Christmas Joan and Dan. I feel the warmth of your personality through your writing. You have made a beautiful life together; thank you for sharing it with us. Terri in Raleigh, North Carolina.

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  12. Merry Christmas from rainy San Diego CA. I've been following you for years.

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  13. Hi,I just love your blog. Thank you for sharing your life (and those precious pups) with us! Happy Holidays! Donna from Basking Ridge, NJ

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  14. Merry Christmas to you, Dan and your girls from Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

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  15. Happy Holidays from Melrose, MA!

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  16. To my most favorite blogger EVER!! Merry Christmas Joan, Dan and the girls!! Charlotte, North Carolina

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  17. Hi Joan, Merry Christmas to you, Dan, and the girls from Burlington Vermont! Your blog is a refuge of beauty and domesticity and I have enjoyed every post (some more than once!). Wishing you a new year filled with joy and an antiquing trip to northern Vermont--we have some amazing dealers in the area.
    ~Lauren

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  18. I so enjoyed your posting about the Christmas Tray - a treasure! Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from Frederick, MD. Elaine Koehl

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  19. Merry Christmas from North Carolina! Your blog is my very favorite and I just love your girls! My next dog will be a rescue for sure. Your house inspires and comforts me at the same time - thank you.

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  20. Dear Joan, Dan and Baby Girls:

    Merry Christmas to you all. So glad Dan didn't have any Holiday spills. May you have a lovely time with your family and friends. I so enjoy your blog, Joan. You have such a tender and generous heart. Thank you for the time you invest in helping us learn your loveliness. I truly enjoy your gracefulness.


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  21. Merry Christmas from Winchester, Virginia. Just love your beautiful home and gardens, your fur babies, and that wonderful hubbie of yours.

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  22. I love your story of the tray, and how you wonder about the original owner. My parents ( in Scotland) own an old oak bench, or settle, that has 'RM 1690 IM' carved in the back; probably a wedding gift. When I was a child I spent many hours wondering who RM and IM were and what happened to them. Having antiques and things with the patina of age around is very grounding and soothing I find.
    Anyway, Merry Christmas to you and Dan and the girls from Newport RI. I love your home and your blog! Best wishes for the New Year. x

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  23. Merry Christmas from Rochester Mi. I enjoy reading your blog and following you on Instagram. I absolutely LOVE your home and your sweet pups!

    ~Kathy

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  24. Merry Christmas Joan, Dan and the 3 black/white cuties! From our Windmill Farm in Gridley, California. Visit your blog often.

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  25. Joan,

    If you know Ruth, you know me!! Thank you for the many years of sharing your home with all of us. I also want to thank you for the pot roast recipe! It was a big hit when I hosted my book club last week. Merry Christmas to you and your family and peace for 2017!

    Mary in Fairfield, CT.

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    1. ....me too, thank you for the pot roast receipt. Delish!

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  26. Merry Merry Christmas!!!
    Tuckers, Dallas, Texas/Big D/ three months
    counting to Move to Maine!!!! Yay!!!!

    I love love ya blog, wish I would of found it
    From the beginning!!!!
    The pic of The Sisters soooooooo Pawdorable!!!!!
    Tank and Tanner send Woof Woofs to
    Ella, Louise, Magnolia!!!!

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  27. Gail from Westbrook, ME, happy mom to three rescue dogs; Riley, Rooney and Ginger.

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  28. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    1. ~ Merry Christmas and a Prosperous 2017 ~

      Carol in Lincolnton NC

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  29. Merry Christmas to you and yours from Troutdale, OR.

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  30. Hello from Shrewsbury, a wonderful colonial town in central MA. Your beautiful home is in my very favorite part of this magnificent country we live in. Merry Christmas to you, Dan, Louise, Ella and Magnolia.

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  31. Merry Christmas from Lake Nahwatzel, Washington!

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  32. Merry Christmas from Carrollton VA
    Rachel, Paul, Buddy and Sophie

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  33. Merry Christmas from San Francisco California!
    My name is Nicole Hamilton, and not only do I love your beautiful blog (seeing a new post is like a little treasure), I absolutely 100% ADORE your three precious fur babies. They are so sweet! :) We have a yellow lab named Ria who is a permanent fixture on our couch, our lap and our hearts.
    Best wishes for a happy and healthy new year.
    ~Nicole

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  34. Hello from Miami, Florida

    My next-door neighbor just called me to say the weather was lovely outside and she was finally enjoying sitting in her back terrace... it has cooled down to 76!

    Merry Christmas!
    Ana Maria

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  35. Another Oregonian here. Your blog is always a welcome sight. Have a wonderful holiday season!

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  36. Merry Christmas from Bath, ME! I'm a Michigan transplant to the NE with my husband and 5 kids. I'm homesick as heck but find some cozy comfort in reading your blog as often as I can. Your dogs and our kids have a lot in common -- funny, sneaky, sweet, and just the biggest blessings ever. Peace to you all!

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  37. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Your home is beautiful and your pups make me smile. Jan, Virginia Beach, VA

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  38. Merry Christmas from Federal Way, WA!

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  39. MAY YOUR DAYS BE MERRY AND BRIGHT IN 2017!

    Merry Christmas from Colorado.

    I so enjoy your posts, pictures, puppies, and recipes...I hope we hear more from you in 2017. The posts don't have to be long...we just love hearing from you.

    Don't forget a Christmas photo tour!

    Barb

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  40. Merry Christmas from Altadena, California!

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  41. Wishing you, Dan, and the girls a joyous and peaceful holiday.
    Carolyn in Asheville, NC

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  42. I haven't seen you in my inbox for a while. Merry Christmas to you & yours from beautiful Vancover Island, BC Canada.

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  43. Happy Holidays from hunt country in Virginia!

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  44. Love your blog...merry Christmas from tofino.bc.canada

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  45. Long time blog reader, former blogger, dog rescuer, wanna be interior designer, and big fan of yours. From Washington, D.C. Merry Christmas and happiest of New Years! Thank you for the generous of your spirit and in sharing your lovely home. As always, I am in awe. Much peace and joy in 2017.

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  46. Merry Christmas Joan, Dan,Ella,Louise and Magnolia. Bonnie Blue and I wish you the merriest of Christmases!!!

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  47. My husband and I are in Fairfield CT. We have our two rescued pits and two pound kitties. Merry Christmas.

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  48. Thank you for sharing your home and pups with us. I love reading your blog!! Merry Christmas from Susie in West Chester, PA.

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  49. Merry Christmas from Dan and Liz, Traverse City, Michigan

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  50. Merry Christmas and thank you for your inspiring blog. Painters just finished the upstairs and main staircase of our 1924 Tudor last week. BM Gray Owl is transformative and although we used it upstairs in bedrooms our choice was actually inspired by your lovely kitchen (Titanium was too anemic). Thank you for your post on paint. I read it and reread it. Kitchen and family room reconfiguring is next! Do you need a client in Indianapolis??? Thank you for sharing your home, Dan and your pups with us. All the best for the Holidays and the New Year. Nancy

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  51. Merry Christmas from Pasadena, CA. Keep blogging! Love to see your posts.

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  52. Merry Christmas from Connecticut....I always look forward to a new post and your lovely photos on IG. Have a very happy and healthy New Year!

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  53. Very Merry Christmas from Omaha Nebraska!

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  54. Warm wishes from Sydney, Australia, where Christmas temperatures are predicted to be in the 30deg C plus range.

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  55. I love this tradition of yours. I am Pinky, My blog is www.designsbypinky.blogspot.com I have been married to my husband, Joe for 49 years now!!!!!!!!! How the heck did THAT happen??? We live in Avondale, Pa. in a 55 plus community where we built this house 4 years ago. It is hard to believe we have been here 4 years but it was the best move we ever made. We LOVE it here. We have 2 grown children and a beautiful granddaughter who just turned 4 in Nov. She is the delight of our lives. Wishing you, Dan and the beautiful fur girls a very merry and blessed Christmas, Joan. Hugs from Pa.!!!!

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  56. A very Merry Christmas to you, Dan and the girls!
    I look forward to reading the calling cards each year, love this tradition of yours!
    From sunny Miami, Florida

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  57. Christmas Greetings! We live in Eugene, Oregon, but this year we will be spending Christmas in our 1928 family cabin at Bass Lake, California! Love your blog!

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  58. I think this is my third calling card to you and Dan, but who's counting! ha ha
    I love this annual tradition and happy to join in. Love that you now include dogs who need adopting, so sweet. Please keep those wonderful posts coming. I am envisioning enjoying a glass of wine with you and Dan and your sweet family of dogs in your family room, roaring fire…etc. May you and yours have a wonderful holiday, and wishing you a very happy and healthy 2017.

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  59. Greetings from Bellingham WA. I enjoy your blog and pop in from time to time.

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  60. Merry Christmas from Seattle, WA
    Linda

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  61. Merry Christmas from Fayetteville, Georgia.
    Love your Christmas card! How did you get the girls to sit so still so their picture?

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  62. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you, Dan and the pups. I visit your blog almost daily and so much enjoy your home and aesthetic. I live not too far to the south of you in Tyngsboro MA. Thank you for sharing so much with us.

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  63. Merry Christmas from my family, to yours!

    Vickie White
    Tallahassee, Florida

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  64. Happy Holidays from Eureka Ca. Lani

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  65. I have to say, your kitchen is still one of my all-time favorites. Merry Christmas - from Carlsbad, CA

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  66. Phyllis in Greenville, SC which is a great place to live and visit--1 hour from Asheville NC where my children live.

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  67. Merry Christmas from Marguerite in Baton Rouge, LA!

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  68. Sending warm wishes to you , Dan and the girls. Found your blog last year and have read it several times beginning to end. Love your home and of course your story that has developed. We are resent transplants to Atlanta from the Chicago area. Before that a four stay in Portland OR and seven yrs in Dana Point CA. I love all you antiquing stories with Dan and your beautiful finds! Cheers to a Happy New Year!
    Janie Gattari

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  69. Cheryl in Cumming, Georgia! Love your home and your blog. Merry Christmas to you!

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  70. Cheers to You and Yours - from McMinnville, Oregon

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  71. Love this post! Merry Xmas from Chicago, il
    Maggie

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  72. Merry Christmas Joan, I sure do miss your blog posts, are you sure you don't want to buy another farm house. ; ). Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

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  73. Happy Holidays to your little family. I absolutely love your house and the stories behind all your design choices. I love that your designs are not trendy, but infused with subtle beauty and elegance.

    Best,

    Ann and Mae, my sweet rescue English setter.

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  74. Love your blog, your beautiful home and your sweet fur babies.
    Merry Christmas from Helen Blankenship in Dothan, Alabama -
    "The Peanut Capital of the World". :-)

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  75. Merry Christmas! I am from Santa Barbara, California with three rescue Corgi mixes and one cat from the pound! And 14 chickens! www.mccormickinteriors.com

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  76. Merry Christmas from the beautiful tiny town of Onancock, on the Eastern Shore of Virginia! I love reading your blog and looking at pictures of your lovely home. We live in an old house too, and really enjoy working on it (slowly, over the last 20+ years).

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  77. I love your blog, especially hearing about your dogs. Your pups are the inspiration for me to adopt a third dog. My farmhouse as well as my heart have room for another. Pick her up tomorrow. Thank you for sharing your home and your commitment to rescue dogs. From Kent, NY

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  78. What a wonderful idea! Rebecca Francis from the mountains of Lake Junaluska, N. C. Near Asheville, N C. Merry Christmas to you and your family!

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  79. In a world of uncertain and crazy times your blog is a light that I love to visit. A beacon of hope. Your pups and your beautiful home make me smile each time I visit.

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  80. I love your home and the ideas you share. I live in West Bend, Wisconsin and am originally from southwest lower Michigan.

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  81. Merry Christmas from Bellmore, Long Island, NY! We moved here from NYC a few years ago and bought a fixer upper. I always return to your blog for inspiration, your home and styling is flawless! My Pinterest board is full of your posts :)

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  82. Dear Joan and Dan,
    I can't remember how many years I "put my calling card" on your lovely tray, but each visit to your site is a delight. I'm a native Southern California gal with a sweet hubby and 2 rescue dogs. Your darling dogs look so cute in this photo above. Have a very Merry Christmas!
    xo,
    Karen

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  83. Merry Christmas from New Iberia, Louisiana. Both of my children are graduates of LSU in Baton Rouge where your sister resides. I live in a small town that was the home of Tabasco until Avery Island where the factory is got their own zip code. We love our gumbo and Cajun ambiance. I enjoy reading each and every one of your posts. I, also, have a little rescued dog that we simply adore. Happy 2017 to you and yours!

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  84. Merry Christmas, Joan and Dan!! Yours is my FAVORITE decorating/lifestyle blog! Of all the decorating ideas I steal, I steal the most from YOU!!!! We lived in Dallas for 13 years and just loved Texas. My husband retired and we went home to Georgia....our sons and families are nearby. Our Golden Retriever is our baby now....she is 8 yrs. old and still acts like a puppy! I just love your babies and how they love each other.....I would have 5 dogs if my husband would let me and we could afford it. Keep showing us photos of your beautiful home....it feeds my creative juices. Have a blessed 2017!

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  85. Merry Christmas from Santa Cruz, CA!

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  86. Merry Christmas from Roberta in Birch Run, Michigan

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  87. Your farmhouse inspires me each time I visit. Such a beautiful home & lifestyle. Merry Christmas & a healthy New Year! Alice White from the beautiful mountains of East Tennessee, Johnson City,Tennessee

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  88. Hope you, Dan and the girls have a marvelous holiday! I so enjoy reading your blog and seeing your unbelievably beautiful home. My husband and I have recently built our version of a farmhouse in a far north suburb of Atlanta, GA. We are enjoying making it look like an old house. Many wishes for a very happy new year
    for you and your family.

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  89. Your home (especially your lovely kitchen) has spoken to me from the first time I discovered your blog. Thank you for sharing it with us! Merry Christmas to your family. ~Vickie Kibble in Chattanooga, TN

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  90. Merry Christmas to you, Dan, and your beautiful girls from Windhams Crossroads, South Carolina!

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  91. Merry Christmas from Traci living in Hattiesburg, MS.

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  92. Hi, I'm Donna and live in Orlando, Fl. With my husband , divorced daughter and grandson. I read your blog when I can and others as well. Love hearing your story about the tray . I love your home and your kitchen is a favorite of mine and my sister. She lives in Hollis , New Hampshire . I'm not sure how far that is from you. Love your dogs. I had a black lab for 12 years . The best dog we ever had. Wishing you and your husband a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year.

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  93. Tiffany from the Dallas area. I'm new to your blog but think this is a sweet tradition. :)

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  94. Merry Christmas from Cookeville Tennessee.It is between Nashville and Knoxville. We were transferred here in 1973 and love it. Tennessee is a beautiful state. This is home to us now. Love your blog and have followed you for a few years.Love your Home.

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  95. A search regarding ceiling paint led me to your beautiful site earlier this year. I loved reading about your visit with Bunny Williams, as An Affair With A House is one of my favorite books. Thank you for opening your heart and home to everyone.

    Merry Christmas!

    Jeffrey, Clifton, New Jersey/East Harwich, Massachusetts

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  96. Merry Christmas Joan, Dan and the girls from Holland , MI! Love your heart and grace as well as your lovely home!

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  97. Merry Christmas from Albuquerque, New Mexico!

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  98. Merry Christmas to you and yours from Dowling Park, Florida (a little, bitty community in north Florida).

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  99. Merry Christmas and the Best for the New Year too. Wonderful photo of the girls. From Providence , Rhode Island.

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  100. Merry Christmas from Jamestown, TN! Your blog and beautiful home are my very favorites in blog-land. I look forward to each of your posts.

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  101. From Pantego, Tx. Have LOVED reading about y'all for a couple years now. Still want to move to New England & enjoy the seasons & the beauty. Thank you for sharing with all of us. Please keep posting!
    Maryanne G.

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  102. I just adore this tradition of yours along with your blog, home and the girls of course. So Merry Christmas from Asheville, NC from Clarice Kitty and me, Donna.

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  103. Merry Christmas from sunny Temple Terrace Florida. I've been a follower of your blog for many years. You have a beautiful home and I enjoy reading and seeing all the updates you and Dan have done over the years. I would love to have a farm house like yours, but our home is perfect for retirement. When I remodeled my kitchen in 2013 your blog was a very helpful when I was making decisions. Like Dan my husband can fix just about everything, he was a big help with our kitchen remodel.
    My husband was born in Maine, but grew up in South Hampton, NH. We still visit family friends when we have the opportunity, which will be this upcoming year. New Hampshire is one of my favorite places to visit. Thank you for sharing your beautiful home along with the girls. I'm sure my Chissy would get along just find with the your girls.
    Blessing for a Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year!

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  104. Hello from Gainesville, TX. Being from Dallas, I'm sure you are familiar with our town. Merry Christmas!

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  105. Merry Christmas from Weatherford, Texas.

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  106. Always enjoy your blog posts, Joan, as well as following you on IG. Thank you for sharing your home with us.
    Angela
    Geneva IL--where it's going to be a lovely white Christmas!

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  107. Merry Christmas from Clarkston, MI! I have been following your blog for a few years and absolutely LOVE your home and decor. It is in my top three favorites! :-)
    Robin

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  108. Merry Christmas to you and Dan & all the girls!

    -The Clockers, Lantana, TX

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  109. Wishing you, Dan and the girls a safe, warm, Happy Holidays. I am from Oklahoma, but moved to Arkansas last year, and a longtime follower of your blog. This is such a wonderful tradition with the calling cards. A way of connecting us all through space and time, all the way back to 1881. I am the crazy gal who also painted her outside AC unit. My husband and I got the biggest kick when we read that you'd done the same thing. We thought we were the only ones. :)

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  110. Hi Joan. I thanked you a few years back for your influence on my design style and told you that your "fingerprints were all over my home". I am still grateful and now your tracks have traveled to my daughter's new home. Thank you from Tennessee.

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  111. Merry Christmas from Norton, Ohio. My husband and I retired from teaching four years ago. Hope to visit NH in the near future. Fabulous home. I enjoy visiting it through your posts.

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  112. Merry Christmas !! I love your blog, your house, your love for dogs!!!

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    1. I'm live in sunny san diego but originally I'm from Chile

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  113. Hi from Durban South Africa. Love your blog. Merry Christmas

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  114. Merry Christmas from Iowa. Have followed your blog for quite some time. Thank you for sharing your beautiful home.

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  115. Joan:I love the photo of the dogs - they are absolutely adorable and so blessed that you and Dan gave them a wonderful home and a fabulous "yard" to run and play in. My prayer is that every homeless dog and cat could have such a loving home. I treasure every post you make; we just finished a remodel/renovation and I copied your stairs. Please tell me how you keep from slipping down them. Hubs and I and our 85 pound pit bull rescue have all fallen down them. Only my little 15 pound terrier runs down without any problem. I've put carpet stair treads on them for safety's sake, but it isn't really the look I wanted. Must I sacrifice looks for practicality?? Merry Christmas from San Clemente, California and God bless your entire "pack"!!

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  116. My husband of nearly 55 years and I have lived here in East TN for 23 years but plan to return to our former home in NC just as soon as we can get our house on the market in the spring. Like many others, I love the all the special details you've used to make your home truly wonderful. I will simply stare at the photos trying to soak it all in as well as 'steal' a few ideas too. Merry Christmas.

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  117. Merry Christmas from Somerset West in the Western Cape, South Africa.

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  118. Absolutely love your blog - my very favourite by far, thank you for sharing your life with us- all the very best for a magical Christmas xxx
    Natalie
    Melbourne Australia

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  119. Merry Christmas from outside Nashville, TN!

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  120. Hello Joan and Dan,

    Best wishes for a happy holiday season and a great 2017. It is always a pleasure to hear about your house and collections. My own place is just getting back to normal after extensive rebuilding.
    --Jim

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  121. Womanwalkingblog.wordpress.comDecember 23, 2016 at 2:38 AM

    Greetings from Bristol, England - a very old city but a beautiful one too.

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    1. Womanwalkingblog.wordpress.comDecember 23, 2016 at 2:41 AM

      Sorry - I got ahead of myself there. Meant to add that my name is Ceri and that we have had several very happy and memorable holidays on your neck of the woods. What a lovely part of the world.

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  122. Merry Christmas from Fall River, Nova Scotia !

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  123. ...blessings...and love...laney (atlanta)

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  124. Merry Christmas from Ravenel, South Carolina. Your house is such an inspiration.

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  125. Merry Christmas from Jeanne in Bangor, ME

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  126. Merry Christmas from a very hot Melbourne Australia. Salads and sparkling wine here for Christmas day. May your day be perfect. Your home certainly is :)

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  127. Happy, happy Christmas from Winthrop, ME
    🌲⭐️🍾

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  128. Merry Christmas to you, Dan and those sweet pups from Fairhope, Alabama!

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  129. Merry Christmas from Chester, NJ

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  130. Merry Christmas from Winston Salem, NC. I love your blog and dream of rescuing an old home one day. Thanks for sharing the beautiful pictures of your home.

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  131. Merry Christmas from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, a beautiful area of the country if you can take the long winters! Love your home, your dogs, and your home renovation stories. Some of your kitchen elements inspired me in our own kitchen remodeling a few years ago.

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  132. Merry Christmas from Donna, Bob and Maggie in Warrenton, Va...we will be with most of our kids, spouses and grandchildren. So glorious chaos!!!

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  133. Our card would be engraved of course, in a soft ivory.
    Merry Christmas and a Joyous New Year
    Lori and Lynn Kees
    Coppell, Texas

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  134. Seems you've opened a can of worms! Such a lovely idea:-)
    As a military family for 28 years (now retired), we have lived in so many places and also used calling cards and the "calling card" tray in our entry foyer for guests or when we visited.
    Originally from Long Island NY, we've lived in Oklahoma (a few times), Alabama, New Jersey, Connecticut, back to New York, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, back to Kansas, and now Tennessee!

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  135. Merry Christmas! Sarah from Dexter, MI. My great-great grandmother went by Nannie.

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  136. I always look forward to your invitation to leave our calling cards, Joan! Wishing you and yours a most blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year! xo Heidi in Marietta, GA

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  137. Merry Christmas from Lisa in Charlottesville, Virginia, and Harbour Island, Bahamas. Many thanks for your lovely blog!

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  138. Merry Christmas from Nashville Tn!
    I love your blog, with each post I show my husband and say I want this! LOL,
    Thank you for sharing your beautiful home and family,

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  139. Merry Christmas! I love your house and blog! Donna in Macon, GA

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  140. Merry Christmas from Tuscaloosa, Alabama!

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  141. Merry Christmas! Dana in Lyme, Connecticut

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  142. Merry Christmas from Hope Valley, RI.

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  143. Merry Christmas to you, too. From Batavia, IL

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  144. Merry Christmas from Lake Jackson, Texas on the Gulf Coast!

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  145. Happy Holidays from Barrington, NH! My family is an old NE family but my brother now lives in Denton, TX with his family :-) Love your courage to share your life and thank you for letting us all peek into your beautiful home! Best Wishes for the New Year!

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  146. Merry Christmas! We spend about 5 months in Boca Grande, Florida. Our other home is in Michigan. Love your blog!
    Sarah

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  147. Merry Christmas from Natick, Massachusetts! Not too far away, and I share your love of New England and old, beautiful houses. Thank you for sharing yours with us! Happy New Year!

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  148. Merry Christmas from Gallatin, TN

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  149. Greetings from New York City and wishes for a merry Christmas and a happy new year to you, Dan and the puppies. Anne

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  150. Greetings from an lifelong antiques lover and college prof. from Dallas, Pa. whose heart has always called out for an antique house. Here's to hope for the impossible! You are my inspiration.

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  151. May all the joy, love and peace of the season be yours from Laura Ingalls Gunn. My husband and I were stationed for a time in Warner Robins, Georgia and enjoyed the peach everything at Lane's. We now reside in a small suburb just outside of Fort Worth.

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  152. Greetings from Alexandria, Virginia - a suburb of Washington, DC. Originally from Rhode Island and planning a final move to Nashua, New Hampshire when we retire down the road (although the hubs worries about the winters). Love New Hampshire and miss New England altogether. Love your posts, your home and of course your pups! We are Lab people and a Bengal cat.

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  153. We hope you have a lovely Christmas! My 2 daughters, spouses, 2 grandchildren, and pups are spending the holiday with us at Lake Martin in Dadeville, Alabama. Keep delighting us with your blog and enjoy a happy New Year! Lisa

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  154. Merry Christmas from Lake Elsinore, California. We're in Southern California exactly between LA and San Diego. Interior.

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  155. Merry Christmas to you and yours from San Francisco, where I am visiting family. Cambridge, MA is where I call home. Wishing you all the best in 2017. Susan

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  156. Merry Christmas from Greers Ferry, Arkansas! Look forward to every post and wish they came more often!

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  157. Merry Christmas from Clarion County in Northwest Pennsylvania!

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  158. Merry Christmas! from Sara, Ohio This year we have been blessed with our first grandchild, a beautiful little girl just now two months old! The photo of your girls is heartwarming!

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  159. Joan, Dan, and pups,
    I LOVE your blog and most especially love that you use your voice to help dogs find their forever homes. Our Sophie is a shelter dog and she blesses and enriches our lives every day!
    Merry Christmas and BEST wishes for a wonderful 2017!!!
    Jo Ann Bastanjoo
    (originally from Bucyrus, Ohio and now living in Cedar Park, TX--a suburb of Austin)

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  160. Merry Christmas from the Leach Family (Brian, Christi, Ryan & Cade and Marley, Kay and Lexie) from Madison, Georgia. xo

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  161. Merry Christmas from Dublin, Texas!

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  162. Merry Christmas from the City of Decatur, GA. Love your beautiful house. ~Anne

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  163. I leave my calling card each yr.but have never commented about this: I have a valentine b'day so I love hearts. I have a heart shaped wooden box that is padded with a mirror on the inside top. Someone (no name or initials like your tray) signed in pencil on the bottom "Findley,Ohio April 8,1929 ~trip from Detroit, Mich." My husband bought this at an antique shop,and I've always wondered about the back story. In my mind I think this was a trip by train! But who knows?! Merry Christmas to you and yours from Mississippi. ~Betty B.

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  164. Merry Christmas from Middle TN. As a frequent visitor of several blogs, I sometimes get wrapped up in the new trends out there. Then, I visit your house again, and know this is where my heart is. It chuckles me to see the paint colors you used several years ago are being used by the "new generation" in their decorating scheme. Your house is a timeless, classic and if I cant have one like it, I can dream through yours. Thank you for allowing us into your home.

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  165. We wish you such a happy Christmas and winter time! From, Jan in Iowa

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  166. Hello from Umbria. Happy Holidays to you, Dan, Louise, Ella and Magnolia. xoxo Robin

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  167. Another Merry Christmas from Decatur, GA--unrelated to the first!

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  168. I love you Joan and you know it!! I cannot thank you enough for what you do to help our dogs get seen and adopted. You are a caring and wonderful woman and your blogs are uplifting and genuine. I enjoy reading them to have my boost for the day!! Love from San Antonio, Texas.

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  169. Merry Christmas and Cheers to 2016!! May 2017 be even BETTER!!! Love love love. Alice

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  170. Merry Christmas from Clarksburg, West Virginia! May you and your family, including your precious Louise, Ella and Magnolia, enjoy a beautiful Christmas!

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  171. Greetings from Calgary, Alberta, Canada (an hour's drive from Banff in the Rocky Mountains)! Every time you invite me into your home (blog), I am touched, in that moment, by the beauty, and the serenity I feel. Thank you. Alara

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  172. I really, really enjoy your blog. I feel a certain connection, as I have done animal rescue for most of my life. I have always believed that how we treat animals says a lot about us as people. I am also a blogger, a native of the Finger Lakes region of NY, now residing in Virginia. I wish you and your family many blessings and a joyous holiday season!!!

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  173. Christmas greetings from Seattle! I love your blog, and the stories you share so unstintingly about your life in New Hampshire with Dan and the girls. I'm a transplanted New Yorker now living in the Pacific NW and will be spending the holidays in Gig Harbor with my parents. If memory serves, Dan has a fondness for The Tides. I will lift an IPA to you both at some point over the next week! All the best to you in 2017, Diana McSweeney

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  174. I really can't remember how many times I've left my 'calling card' here but it's been more than once. I have been reading your blog for a long time now and still enjoy your lovely words and stories of your life with your girls. I'm Katherine and I live on the south coast of England with a family of boys, one of which has four legs and a waggy tail. I am on instagram if you are interested as katiejane68. Hope you have a wonderful, safe and Merry Christmas xx

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  175. Merry Christmas from Steamboat Springs, Colorado! I grew up in seacoast New Hampshire and still have lots of family in New England (though I've lived in the Rocky Mountains for nearly 20 years). Your beautiful blog provides me a window to my beloved New England. Thank you!

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  176. From Maryland saying Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Thank you as always for sharing your wonderul talent with us and your amazing life in New England! Louise eyes are killing me ;-) Love, Love, Love this photo! Cheers!

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  177. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Upstate of South Carolina.

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  178. Feel like your blog has been such a journey - a lot of great information, smiles, and yes, tears. You are so real. Even my younger daughters, now 13 and 15, like to keep up with you, Dan, and the girls. Thank you for sharing your positivity! From The Crossroads of America - Indiana!

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  179. I am one of those crazy people: I've gone back to the beginning of your blog (actually more than once)and read every single post. I really admire your efforts on behalf of rescue dogs; you are truly making a difference, I'm sure. My husband and I live in Burleson, Texas (near Fort Worth) with our four rescued mutts.

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  180. Merry Christmas from Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. Happy New Year to you all.
    Warmly,
    Gwen

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  181. Merry Christmas to you, Dan, and the beautiful girls! I love your blog and seeing the pictures of the house and surrounding area. Visiting from Dover, NH!

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  182. Merry Christmas from the South, Hoover, Alabama just outside of Birmingham! Merry Christmas to those sweet pups of yours! Their soulful eyes make my heart happy! Thank you for sharing! Many blessings to you in 2017.

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  183. I love your holiday tradition Joan! I think I've left my "calling card" each year. ;) I hope you, Dan and your sweet girls have the most wonderful Christmas!! Gina from Southwest Virginia :)

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  184. Merry Christmas from Burnaby, British Columbia!

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  185. I was drawn to your beautiful blog by the title. My husband and I and our (now deceased) fathers built our home. We LOVE our house! We've been here for 32 years, and we hope to stay here as long as the Lord is willing. Every member of our family has lived here at one time or another, and for various reasons. We've sheltered parents, grands, children, and their children and pets. A house is made of bricks and stone, but a home is made of love alone. God bless, and Merry Christmas from Tennessee!

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  186. Merry Christmas from Long Island, New York, love your blog! I follow you on Instagram too, I'm @tinaastaritaderrico you have impeccable taste and I always feel inspired after looking at photos of your home!hope you have a happy and healthy new year!
    -tina

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  187. Merry Christmas from The Great Smoky Mountains of east Tn....we are mountain strong! Your girls look lovely :)

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  188. Merry Christmas from Greenwood, IN. Thank you for such a beautiful and interesting blog!
    Hug the girls and watch out for those bears!

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  189. Love your blog...and love this tradition of yours! Merry Christmas from Madison, Wisconsin!! ;)

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  190. Christmas greetings from Grass Valley, Ca - that's between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mts. I'm always excited to see a new post from you on my Feedly - your home is a jewel box of inspiration!

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  191. What a wonderful picture of the dogs and your front door! Merry Christmas and all the best for 2017 from La Honda, CA (tiny community on San Francisco Bay Area).

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  192. Merry Christmas from Cedar Rapids, IA. Here's to a happy and healthy new year!
    Karen L.

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  193. Wishing you& Dan, your family and the dogs a Merry Christmas !!
    Hugs from Holland,
    Stella

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  194. Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year to Everyone!

    A cold and snowy greeting sent from Pleasant Hill Farm in New Prague, MN

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  195. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Elkhorn Wisc. I have really enjoyed your blog and refer back to it often. It has compelled my family this year to adopt a shelter dog a Vizsla puppy we named Penny. She has brought so much to our family and we love her dearly. Thank you both for letting us be a part of your life. Sincerely Laurel M.

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  196. I so love to come a calling. Merry Christmas

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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