If you’ve been visiting my blog for a while, you know about Stella – our little cottage on the cove. We learned about that vintage coastal community through a dear friend who lives just down the road from us here at This Old House. She and her husband raised their kids during summer months in their cottage near Stella – It maintains the same rustic 1930’s seasonal cottage charm as ours, partly because of her loving touches just about everywhere, and her husband’s beautiful artwork to compliment it. So, we are neighbors both here and down at the shore.
I need to tell you just a little about “Mrs. F” without giving away her personal information. She is a real dynamo! Having already lived most of her 90th decade, she continues to maintain two households with a little help from her children and grands, still volunteers for several organizations, still creates, gardens and bakes for family, friends, and the causes she supports. I have several perennial plants in my cottage gardens now that come from her garden, they will always remind me of her, and my gratitude to her for having helped us find a cottage of our own.
I stopped in a few days ago to see the bird carvings her son had created, and was just blown away by the Christmas decor she had absolutely everywhere in her charming home. An observation I’ve made regarding “Mrs. F” and a few other people I’ve been lucky to know who have lived well into their 90’s… despite heartbreaking events like illness or the passing of a spouse, they all share something vital – and that is to live fully with purpose, intention, keeping up with family and friends, nurturing their creativity and being active in causes they believe in throughout all of their days.
Browsing all the decorations and artwork and treasures around her home, the warmth of the place and the person and the people she holds dear surrounds you. I told “Mrs. F” her home reminded me of a Christmas House… and she said that is exactly what her grandchildren call it.
The ornaments on her tree are vintage, some she made out of copper, some given to her by students during her teaching career.
New Yorker Magazine Covers… I absolutely love it.
So many treasures of the heart in this old farm house down the lane… Thank you, my dear friend “Mrs. F” , for sharing it with us here on my blog.
There’s one more thing I’d like to share – Mrs. F’s recipe for Swedish cookies. I was gifted with a lovely box full of cookies she made for the holidays, and these particular cookies are absolutely divine buttery sugary perfection.
