Bama Planter

Thanks to my cousin Cassie for snapping this photograph of my house late afternoon yesterday.

Hay Taliaferro . Oil on Canvas First quarter 19th century. 27 1/4" x 21 1/4" sight, 33" x 27" OA.

I was able to purchase 105 tin ceiling tiles ( 20 x 24 ) from an old building, probably 1880's. A few will be used to make a backsplash behind my grandmother's Hotpoint stove that I still use. I hope to replace the new copper tins that should never have been placed in a pegged 1850's pie safe by cutting some squares and using an iron punch to make a pattern. Finally, the drinking gourd crop was successful. I hope to end up with about thirty in all. When the summer ends, the green gourds either rot or turn rock-hard. There is absolutely nothing that can be done. Mother Nature makes the decision.

So, I planted 60 feet of sunflowers last summer, all yellow, ordered from a lady in South Carolina. Right in the middle of the row, this red sunflower plant decided to appear, proving there's a rebel in every situation !

I have done more with the wall since I sold the green cupboard two weeks ago. I took out the miniature oil portraits from among the silhouettes. One can finally see the biscuit/pastry table now. The elderly couple oil portraits are from Alabama Black Belt country, so named for the rich dark soil. The chair on the left is a ca. 1680 mushroom chair from Massachusetts. The Windsor chair on the right dates ca. 1790-1820. The little black leather key basket on the table is from antebellum Virginia.

I said good-bye to the green cupboard in the center of the photo. My friend Regina has taken it to her house and I think it will be happy there ! I am choosing one piece at the time to pass on to someone else who will love it as much as I have. My purpose is not for drastic change, but I do think that the log walls are too concealed at the moment. This didn't happen overnight. It was a 15 year process. If I can manage to part with two or three more pieces, I am sure the room will look much better. The room seems small but is 20 ft. x 30 ft., yet with all the pieces, it is a bit cramped. I guess I am moving toward quality not quantity. Plus, I think I need a change. I bought some very nice dark olive green paint to redo the doors and windows. I realized I had not painted the front room in 10 years. I think a few color changes are due. The back room was painted about 1993 and is also due for a face-lift. I did a quick count and there are about 1,200 books in the house. I ...