Purple

She was born the year Susan B. Anthony passed away and Teddy Roosevelt was president.  It was 1906  and she was built without a bathroom or an indoor kitchen or electricity.  Just 60 years before she was built, Andrew Jackson and his wife dined and stayed a few blocks away, so it was fitting that she'd reside on a street named after him. She has seen quite the change in that street out front.  It was once dirt and the children that played in her yard would wave at the neighbors as they passed by on horse.  But for years it was red brick and made way for a street car.  It is paved now and perfect for cars and bikes and skateboards, but the evidence of its past still remains.

It is more than likely that her first owners used a horse and buggy for transportation, since the Model T was still two years from being invented and the Model K was too upscale for their budget.  Her windows remained open most of the time due to the Florida climate, and for the few months that it was cold enough, she burned coal in her fireplaces to warm the hands and feet of those dearest to her.  She sits upon stacks of old bricks which has always allowed her to dance in the wind.  She has experienced death and births.  Her walls have held in secrets for 111 years.  It's 2017 and I continue to find evidence of the life she's lived.  She's been blue and pink and yellowish-green.  We are sure of it from the evidence in her cracks.  But she is ours now and so she is purple.  But not just purple.  She is purple with a green front door and a swing to match.  And if you sit on her grand porch and look up, you'll see that the roof of her porch matches the sky.  

During her time here on Jackson Street, she has held the grieving close to her fireplace for comfort.  She has protected the scared during fierce hurricanes.  She has hosted extravagant parties with great joy. Children from the Victorian era played with blocks on her wood floors and children in the 60's ran through her rooms with space ships and dreamed of going to the moon.  But in the 2000's she has cared for a girl and a boy.  She listens to their music and laughter and conversations and watches them play and run free.  Her walls are galleries for their art and the art of a dear neighbor who has passed on.  She holds her boy high up in the sky to fly his airplanes and gives colored light through her windows for her girl to read.  Although her bones are growing weary, she sits up tall and gives her family a wonderful home.

These are the original fixtures, which were gas and converted to electrical.  You can see the knob that controlled the gas.

Where the furnace once was.

I'd love to know all the major life decisions that were discussed in this corner in the heart of this home.  It's now the place where Margo writes papers, Jude folds paper and I pick out the perfect fruit or vegetable for our meals.  The Bible is read here and prayers are lifted.  My favorite still life pastel of our Gurney's dining room (a piece created by Margo in Mrs. Ryan's art class) hangs here as a sweet reminder of our family's love for each other and God.

The tree that my daughter and I painted together when she was a toddler.

 A collection from their years in Mrs. Ryan's and Mrs. Currier's art classes.  They are treasures dear to my heart and they are scattered in every room of this house to add to the joy of our everyday lives.

One of the paintings that our neighbor, Ann Morley, left for us after she passed away.  She would paint pictures of our family and leave them on our back porch for us.  She loved coming over and talking to Margo about colors.  And Margo loved talking to her about everything.

Mrs. Ann (known as Frantic Ann in the art community), didn't understand why people liked this piece.  I thought it was a masterpiece.  I can still see her fingers holding a brush in her studio.  This is another piece that she left out on the porch as a morning surprise.

This post is part of the Artist Inspired Blog Circle series.  Every artist will have their own vision of the theme, {Purple}.  Continue through the circle of their visions for {Purple} by clicking on the links.  Next up is the most talented, Shelby White.  To enjoy the beauty of her work and her artistic vision on this theme, click HERE

The Artists Inspired Blog Circle is made up of an exceptionally talented group of photographers from all walks of life, from all over the world.  They are wives, mothers, friends, daughters and visual storytellers who draw from their own experiences to create art that is inspiring, unique, beautiful and thought-provoking.