christmas homes tour

One of our Christmas "traditions" is taking in the annual Christmas Homes Tour

in an old, stately neighborhood in Fort Wayne.

Nine grand homes of previous generations are being (or have been) lovingly restored

and generously opened to an appreciative public

in all their Christmas splendor.

After dropping my cell phone several times early in the afternoon,

I gave up taking photos and just enjoyed the Walk.

Refreshments were served in this Carriage House

behind one of the homes on the tour. 

Large, expansive bathrooms with the most modern equipment

were obvious trends on this year's tour

(as was the color gray--in many shades and tones).

Even with many elegant and expensive furnishings and finishings on display,

simple things and scenes brought me the most pleasure.

I'm hoping my husband will make me a wooden star like the one in the window here...

 I'm a simple girl at heart, I guess.

I returned from the tour
to our own old house to see it with fresh eyes and appreciation--

and a few ideas to implement as well!

simple and free

 It doesn't get much thriftier than free

(or purpler than above)!

 After church this morning, my husband and I

parked the car and set out for a leisurely walk

through an unfamiliar (to us) neighborhood.

 I used my cell phone now and then to capture sights

that interested me.

 I wish I'd taken more photos now.

There were so many unique features and lovely landscapes.

 This last one seemed especially significant and reassuring

as we returned home to the news of the horrific happening in Orlando.

Thankful that the best things in life are simple and require no money--

including prayer.

all style; no thrift*

Sunday, we toured Brookside, formerly known here as the Bass Mansion.  John H. Bass was founder of the old Bass Foundry and Machine works and dean of Fort Wayne's pioneer manufacturers. For more than 60 years, Mr. Bass was a leader in the financial and industrial life of Fort Wayne, Indiana.  His country home, "Brookside", was one of Northern Indiana's most attractive suburban estates. The Bass mansion, surrounded by 300 wooded acres and artificial lakes, is now the home of Saint Francis University.

 Local florists decorated each of the rooms and halls for the Christmas tour.

This place is ALL style and NO thrift!
*(I don't mean anything negative by that "NO thrift" comment.
The restoration was done "correctly", I think,
thanks to the generosity of many donors.)

What a pleasure to take in the beauty of this lovingly restored place!

 Obviously I had difficulty knowing which photos to eliminate!