The view from my kitchen window while doing dishes: Ben and Rich (and Maggie tagging along). Going for a walk on the Ranch.

We had an amazing wind storm on The Ranch last night.

...all night long, in fact.

So strong, actually that it blew the dog house an entire foot away from its original spot (with Maggie inside of it). This 90-year old cottage we live in is built with adobe brick and I have to say that "I'm a believer" when it comes to adobe brick. I felt so safe in our strong (seemingly immovable) little cottage with the flagstone floor.

It made me think of a few of the old farm and ranch houses we've cleaned up and lived in since we moved out of the city.

When I walked through this house for the first time (a year and a half ago) I felt like I was going to puke.

It was SO gross and dirty...and stinky.

When we started to clean it up to live in, we actually had to vacuum all the walls and ceilings before we could even paint. I felt like I was in a cave (straight off the set of an Indiana Jones movie) as I vacuumed away the canopies of spiderwebs and dirt surrounding me.

It's a far step from the giant 5,000 square-foot, brand new six bedroom basement house we left in the suburbs.

I loved that house....

...and I cried hard (alone in my car) as I pulled away from it for the very last time.

I'm a House Snob.

(I'll admit it.)

...and I always have been.

I would have always chosen the brand new cookie-cutter house with all the modern tricks and upgrades LONG before I would have chosen an old farm house in need of a little TLC.

...okay, a LOT of TLC.

But now (especially decorated inside and out with hundreds of white lights and dozens of strands of red Christmas berries) I look at our beloved little 900-square foot "Cottage" with love and appreciation.

Now, I sit here on our lovely couch and find myself drifting away in thought about what stories this house would have to tell if it could. Were babies born in this room? Did someone die in this room? Did someone come home from war in this room?

As I painted the cabinets in the hall, I took each drawer out individually to prep. Under the bottom cabinet drawer I noticed a signature of whomever handmade those cabinets and added them to the hall when the house was only 30 years old:

Well F.C.7 1952, I don't know who you are, but I would like you to know that your cabinets now hold linens and baskets of lightbulbs and flashlights. Also, your special "signature drawer" now holds much-loved stuffed animals for my kids. Thank you!

I can honestly say, "I LOVE this house."

I LOVE this house!

It is cozy and strong and safe and warm when the wind is pounding outside...

I can also say that I've learned something that has changed my life:

Having the new house with all its bells and whistles and "energy efficient" amenities is wonderful!

But loving and caring for the old house and discovering its personality and charm is wonderful also. Despite the absence of the dishwasher, I can stand at my kitchen window and quietly listen to the stories it wants to tell me while I play in the soapy water.

And at the end of the day, I'm the one responsible for making it comfortable for my family.

Because it doesn't matter where I live. If my family is there, then it's our home.

Our front door (Maggie wanted to be in the picture.)

PS: Everyone told me I was crazy for painting the front door red (until they saw it, that is). But, I'm sorry....it was powder blue before and I just couldn't walk through a powder blue front door every day.

I just couldn't.

(...and I couldn't find anyone around here who did vinyl lettering, so the Welcome lettering was painted by moi. I printed it off of the computer and then sketched it.)

Stepping Stones: They sit under the tree by the front door.

The Family Room

Dining Area

Looking at the Front Door (standing in the doorway to the kitchen/laundry)