house

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Today I got to see the most amazing house... and I am totally in love with it. It definitely needs some work... but I can completely see myself living happily there for years and years to come.
Problem is... our house is not ready to put on the market... and so-- we would have to fix it quick... and then it would have to sell quickly... and it's December. Yah.
Of course... conversely... maybe it's just a great thing to know what you want...

And so... in the meantime... I am re-starting the process of cleaning out our current house. Re-working some of the stuff we have... but also... listing lots of stuff we really don't need.

...And lighting candles in the hopes that the perfect house will find us... exactly when we can get it.


*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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It's rained off and on all day today... and it was very quiet around town. I suspect that today there were lots of picnics, house parties and such in the area.... lots of burgers on the grill... potato salad... corn on the cob...
children running and playing... dogs barking...

And mom and I got to visit with a dear friend, and wander about her gardens....


About my photos for today: These photos were taken at the house of a friend. She is a lovely person, with an equally lovely house. Surrounded by gorgeous flowers... it was not hard to find things to take photos of.

Some days are easy like this.... others not so much...
I applied a vintage "through the viewfinder" layer, to help the photo on the bottom look more aged. I think it suits it.



*photos by Elaine A. Russell

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(all photos by Elaine A. Russell)



When I was a little girl growing up in Coudersport; I lived just up the street from this house. I would pass it every day on my way to Elementary School... and coming home every day I would see this older woman working in her gardens.

She was not an overly friendly woman... and when I asked about her I heard stories of her chasing people off her property... and scaring some of the local kids away. But I was curious. Eventually... one day I walked up to her and casually started weeding the flower beds with her. At first we never spoke... just worked silently together... pulling weeds and gazing at the birds. As the days went by... she started chatting with me... telling me about the flowers... telling me about the trees. Telling me the latin names of everything we could see and touch.

One day... she allowed me into her house. She made me tea and brought out cookies. She told me of her previous years teaching music at the famed Juilliard School in NYC. She played her violin for me. We began a friendship... and I treasured my moments with her in the gardens. She eventually showed me the entire house... including a secret passage that was once used in the Underground Railroad times. I only saw her sporadically over the winter... shoveled her sidewalk a couple of times... but she was a bit of a hermit... and I didn't see her much in the wintertime.

She died one winter...I think it was the winter of 76... her frozen body not found for weeks... because few ever came to her house to call....I was devastated.

Ironically... the only "brawl" I was ever in; was when a local bully was ranting about how glad he was she had died... and I clocked him one... the force sending him clean over the teacher's desk and knocking him out when he then hit his head against a cinder block wall.

Her estate was quickly settled... her sister lived in New York. She had no children... no extended family. Her house was bought and sold several times over the years... and then lay empty... literally rotting into the land.

Recently, another fabulous soul... Mr. John Peet... bought the property and is trying to restore it.

Mr. Peet has a profound love for antiques, history and music... and was also acquainted with my dear lady friend in the red house. He is working hard to restore it in a manner becoming to the era of the house.

Yesterday I was driving by the house, and noticed that Mr. Peet was there; and he graciously gave me a tour. We talked about "dear Helen"... and room by room... we wandered. He told story after story... detailing the history of the town... of the county... of the furniture... and the families that owned them/ made them/ cherished them. It was fabulous... and happy... and a bit sad too. So many memories ....

And here are some photos from my tour....

an antique spinet piano made by the B. Shoninger Co of New Haven, Ct with an Italian wedding tapestry hanging above it....

and old spinning wheel


and old brass gas light -- once used on the streets of this town... now an electic beauty...


even a gorgeous antique 4 poster with a trundle... and antique handmade quilts....

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Today we started out in Oklahoma.... and made it all the way home to Albuquerque just after midnight. My daughter did alot of the driving.... and I am very grateful. It still seemed like I felt every bump in the road.. and in that sense... it was rough. However, it was still much easier (no doubt) than if I would have done the driving as well.

Oklahoma is a very pretty state in the springtime. All along the highways were gorgeous wildflowers. The photo above shows tons of the red ones.. .I think they are a form of fire weed.... and they were stunning. We also so lots of daffodils, tulips, dandelions, wild mustard, and a few poppies.


Throughout Oklahoma and later into Texas, we continued to see lots of beautiful farmland and ranch land. We saw tons of cows, and even the occasional goat, sheep and even alpaca farms. America really is gorgeous... and it's a shame we (as a whole) don't appreciate it as much as we should.

My daughter and I had an interesting discussion revolving around Route 66. We were discussing whether there was an equivalent to that kind of thing today (not that I know of). And we were talking about how people travel alot today... but not in the same context. At least the impression I got of the Route66 fame; was that it was treated like a trip... not where the destination is completely the goal... but more of the journey being the goal. I think most people today who are driving/ traveling are more focused on getting to a certain destination... as opposed to enjoying the journey.


We got into Amarillo around suppertime, and on impulse... decided to stop at "The Big Texan" for dinner. If you've never been.... it's an iconic kind of place. The Big Texan is totally kitchy, totally cowboy... and totally everything you would expect a Texas steak house to be. There is a huge dining room full of about 100 taxidermy animals on the walls... wood floors...country style tables... even an authentic cowboy band.
There is a saloon/ bar area... a massive poker room...a gift shop.... fudge and candy area... even a game/shooting range for kids.
There is a hotel/motel right next door that is owned by the same company.... and the building looks like a row of old buildings from a historic western town.

Needless to say, I had an awesome time. The band was fabulous... the atmosphere was fun.... and I had the best. steak. ever. Seriously. I had an 8oz sirloin topped with sauteed mushrooms and blue cheese crumbles and a side of fried okra. My daughter had a cup of chili, cornbread, and a HUGE appetizer that was comprised of fried okra, jalapenos, mozzarella sticks, and rocky mountain oysters. We didn't get dessert (cuz we were stuffed)... but the portions were enormous! and everything looked fantastic. ((Total cost of the meal was just under $40 for both of us))

The following photos are from the Big Texan....(see more on this place: here)




*all photos by Elaine A. Russell

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** all photos by Elaine A. Russell


I had a friend ask me about the architecture here in Coudersport.
Alot of it is victorian in style; having been built in the 1880's after a big fire wiped alot of the town out.
I don't know much at all about architecture in general; so I can't elaborate on specifics at all. I know what I like... but that's about it. In any case... I thought that I would focus today's and tomorrow's posts on some of the houses around town. Let me know what you think ...










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...all photos by Elaine A. Russell.
Photos were taken today at St. Eulalia Cemetery in Coudersport, PA.


I slept late again today. Between the drive, the time change, and still being in a Lupus flare... my body is just tapped. So too... are my emotions. It's an odd thing... being in my parent's house with them not here. This is not the home I grew up in though.

Between birth and about 4yrs old... I lived in the town of Bradford PA. My mother's sister; and her family, still live there as well. When I was 4; my family moved to Coudersport. We lived in a fairly old farm style house on a hill. We had a double lot of land, right next to the woods... and the woods was my playground. Trees were my friends.


When I was a little over 13, we moved to live beside my grandparents in a double-wide trailer. It was more in the middle of town.... but about as far from idyllic as you could get. Up until I went to college at age 19 ( I worked for a year to save up tuition money)... it was a living hell. The bright spot being when I went to Germany as an exchange student in 1981.

My parents continued to live in that trailer for another 10yrs or so ( my grandparents now being gone)... and then they bought the house they live in now. It is still right in town... but at least does not hold any of the bad memories that the other house did. In an ironic twist of fate... the entire neighborhood where I had spent my teen years is now under about 10 layers of asphalt.... and it is now a massive parking lot... formerly owned by Adelphia Communications.

This "new" house is pretty normal I guess. It is a one story modular home with a good sized deck out front, and a fairly good sized patio in theback. It backs up to the channel... where the mighty Alleghany river runs through the center of the town. Every wall in this house is off-white. .. save the weird flowered blue wallpaper in the bathroom. The ceilings have some sort of sparkle to them, which I can only assume is glitter that was mixed in with the ceiling paint. All the carpets are beige. All the furniture is shades of brown. It is immaculate. My mother is more than a little OCD... so, as you can imagine.... everything has a place... and is in it.

It is not the kind of home I would choose to live in; nor my lifestyle at all.... but it suits my parents just fine... and they are happy here.



The town has had it's ups and downs. Having years when John Rigas had Adelphia Communications here (Link: Adephia)... it was majorly booming... home were restored... parks built...businesses started and flourished. Since the company's demise (or at least most of it) in 2002... Coudersport has gone back to a sleepy little town.... but with expensive homes and huge buildings, now mostly empty. It's rather odd. Some townsfolk prefer it this way... others miss the hustle and bustle of a slightly bigger town.

As for me... either way; it's still my hometown.


To see more about Coudersport: link

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-----------------------------------------------photo by Elaine A. Russell



Today we woke up and left the hotel around 9:30. We drove until lunchtime... and stopped at a Waffle House in Indiana. Those of you who know me... know I love diners. I know the food isn't the best for you... I know the music is generally awful.... I know they are usually all sorts of tacky.... but I just love 'em. There was a park nearby, and Sabrina was so happy to see actual grass... she ran around and ran around and rolled in it; smiling and panting the whole time.

We made several short stops today... but basically concentrated on driving and getting as far as we could. Surprisingly, there is very little snow about. I remember it usually having tons of snow still in March... so it really surprised me.

We saw tons of police en force on the highways.... really. Not sure why. ... but things were pretty uneventful. Kristin did have a relatively close encounter with a groundhog... she even got a photo of him... which was pretty cool.

Had my last Starbucks around dinnertime... figured it was the last one I was going to be near for awhile. It was good ♥

Made it to the backwoods of PA... about 2hrs from our destination when I got a call from a friend of my parents to call my mom "immediately." So I pulled off and called. Turns out my dad has had a turn for the worse. This am; they had told my mom that he was going to be transferred tomorrow to our local nursing home for rehab... and that he would be leaving by ambulance tomorrow.. and that I would need to come and get her in Geisinger. Well. Apparently he is not doing well...and that is all on hold for now. I am anticipating driving the 3hrs to the hospital tomorrow sometime to be there.... but my mom told me to just stay put for now.
So... At this moment I am at my parent's house in PA... doing laundry... and unpacking.


I have a "1 bar" connection here.... so ... internet is sometimes fleeting...but I will post when I can.

Freecycle, framing, and Flying Star



photos by Elaine A. Russell

One of the blessings of having remodel work done, is that it is sort of an adventure.
Right now, we have one working sink (kitchen) .. one working shower (hall bathroom)... and lots of plasterboard dust all around (framing walls). With 4 people in the house... it's going to be a testament of patience.
And right now.... we are doing well.
Another benefit is that I am slowly going thru things again. Because the workers are putting in a different doorway to the garage, we had to move all my craft/ jewelry making stuff and tables, as well as a heavy duty work bench and alot of tools. Today I hope to go thru alot of it and potentially get rid of some stuff.
Yesterday I was able to give away some buildings supplies ( lumber, cinder block , etc )...gotta love Freecycle (http://www.freecycle.org/). I have been a member for several yrs, the last 2 of which I have donated an item or more for every day of the year. I think it's an awesome program, and seems to help alot of people who are both looking to get rid of/ or get ... good used stuff.
A final benefit, is that we are getting to sample some of the great food places ABQ has to offer. The hubby and I have always enjoyed eating out and exploring ... so this is a real treat. The other day we went to Flying Star up on Coors and Alameda (http://www.flyingstarcafe.com/), and last night we went to Nothing but Noodles (http://www.nothingbutnoodles.com/). Great food.


*Pictures are from that Flying Star location.

it may not be what it seems...


-------------------------photos by Elaine A. Russell

Some things are like that. Pretty on the outside ... but not so much on the inside; and visa versa.

Yesterday was kind of like a study in contrasts. We drove by Gertrude Zachary's home on 2nd street. It is a gothic castle-like structure... beautiful... yet seemingly very out of place in it's location. Only 2 blocks away is a meth clinic and a homeless shelter. So.. you've got this gothic beauty... and starvation across the street. But all may not be what it appears. The longer you look at the house, the more it seemed empty and cold... and 2 homeless men -- who seemingly had nothing....started talking to me; and were extremely nice and warm and friendly.. and had all the substance in the world.

Life is like that sometimes. The seemingly worst situations turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

glass graveyards, mausoleums and more...

-----------------------Rivers of glasss.........
-------------------------more glass.....................

------------------and the geese ! ........photos by Elaine A. Russell

So today was a perfect day to join friends and go to the glass graveyard to scavenge old pieces of glass for mixed media projects. It was a really pretty day out. Afterwards we drove by Gertrude Zachary's house(cough.. mausoleum.. cough)... and then went to the studio to work on some stuff. A good time was had by all. More pics to be posted soon.... but in the meantime....