After two days of freezing rain, we awakened to a beautiful snowfall. Hoping to break out the sled (for the first time in many years) I trekked out to explore and take some photos of ice-covered branches and the animals excitedly traipsing about, oblivious to the cold. I walked near the pond, hoping to capture…
It's a big day here at Arundelle Green. After months of dreaming and planning (and scheming...convincing my husband that goats = joy!) the truck arrived with wood and wire and four strong guys to make another permanent mark on the land: fencing for the goats. Over the weekend I hired a local handyman with a…
I've said it before and I'll say it again. This house felt familiar from the day we moved in. It is a red brick, Colonial style, grand beauty with traditional details and just a touch of farmhouse charm to soften things a bit. First, I set up the kitchen. (Of course.) Isn't eating the first…
As a child, we never celebrated Christmas. Well, let me clarify that. We had a Christmas tree and all kinds of tinsel. We also received Christmas gifts and sang about Santa Claus. But we never celebrated Jesus. It was a purely secular holiday for us. The church tradition in which I grew up believed celebrating…
On a warm Autumn day my father giddily wielded a pair of branch loppers and beat me to the Shadow Wood. Before I knew it, he had forged a path. We had not yet been able to explore what lay beyond our back yard because the underbrush was so thick and foreboding. The decision had…
Root us in a place, Lord, that we might find our home in you. The Book of Common Prayer We are such a transient society. Me, this girl who lived in the same tiny town until I was twenty-three? Even I have moved more times that I would have thought. Three towns in Texas, one…
We made the drive out to Shelbyville, Tennessee on a crisp November morning to pick out stain, doors and knobs for our soon-to-be-built bookshelves. My fourteen-year-old son sat in the back of my Ford Explorer, long legs stretched out in front of him from his chosen spot in the third row with the second rows…
In our home, there is a massive shortage of bookshelves. Built in 1999, this fact is quite a surprise because most houses from that time period (especially those built by the same builder as ours) have lots of beautiful built-ins. But, not ours. There is a lovely front room, though, that was used by the…
There is a young woman at my church who makes me smile every time I see her. She is not just beautiful, she is strong. Tall, model-status lovely, smart, and full of life. It was my honor to host her 18th birthday party here at Autumn House. They danced, sang, swam and laughed the night…
"You can say no," she said. "But I want to throw my nephew a surprise party and I was wondering if we could use your house." It was an easy yes. We have a big, spacious home with a pool along with a pool house that just screams to be used for parties. When the…
Arundelle Green 