A couple of summers back, a delicious internet friend became a real-life-met-in-person friend, and spent some time here in my house.  She took lots of pics that made me see my home differently, not so “needs cleaning” and more “how charming”.  Like this one.

I’ve still been dragging my feet, wondering which end is up, feeling swamped with project after project, and then 2 days ago the sun hit the windows at that magic morning hour when the wood glows, and I grabbed the camera and started shooting. 

The orange chair I bought 2nd hand in PA, at the Salvation Army, and the neighbor caught me, 8 months preggo, trying to lug it out of the back of the car and up the steps.  She insisted on helping me get it to the porch.  It’s about 10 shades lighter now, with bandanas pinned over the worst of the spilling stuffing thanks to Dominic’s scratching.

The ceramic baby boots and shamrocks, a gift from big Doug’s mom.  The boots were a gift to her when he was a baby, hence the sentimental hanging onto them.  They are so not my type of thing it’s funny.  I love them though.

I spend hours in front of this window ledge every day.  Red teapot from the tea co. that was in my mom’s extended family years ago, the funky menacing chicken bone, and that little ceramic dish, a gift from the same friend who inspired this.  Made in Japan, by a master potter from clay from his own land.

My many-shelved kitchen.  I don’t even see them anymore.  I have to climb on the counter, or fridge, to get to most of them, tiptoeing along the front edge of the stove at times.  Glad I’m reasonably nimble.  Brand-spanking-new oven on the right.

Fynn’s kitchen, tucked into the old bricked-up fireplace nook.  It’s barely over two feet tall, and he produces many chocolate dishes there.  Picked it up at a stoop sale intending to make it a spice cabinet, but my counter was too small.  It makes a perfect kitchen.

The entryway, overflowing with shoes, light, jackets, keys, and the sign for FG Park that I delightedly snagged while on a run last fall.  Waiting to find the right place to put it, not on the tiny window ledge there where it fell off on Fynn’s head a few weeks ago.  Head of steel I think.

Those are my favorite corners, the rest of the set is here.  I do love where I live, despite the dramas.