Hopalong Hollow....

Hopalong Hollow, where the Blueberries grow sweet, and the moss feels soft beneath your feet.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Little House on the Prairie cabin...

When first I noticed the antique cabin being "reassembled" on a property a few miles from my home, I wondered if it would become a residence or simply the saving of a piece of our American history. For months the beautifully  restored cabin sat, vacant, lovely but seemingly lonely.
 Then, a week ago as I drove past I saw this sign,
and all these TREES....
JOLLY GOOD!
The little cabin had been transformed into....
A Little House on the Prairie, Christmas cabin!
With grapevine wreaths and evergreen wreaths,


and  a yard full of Douglas Firs.

Inside the cabin,


Ma Ingalls is stringing cranberries and popcorn,


For the Little House on the Prairie, Cedar tree.

The stockings are hung by the chimney with care,

 and I can just smell the delicious scent of sugar cookies baking in this little stove.
(Actually, that is just my over- active imagination)

These little dollies are waiting for a mistress..
and the buggy is ready to be hitched up to the horses in the barn.


Usually, I cut my own tree from the woods behind our house, but I cannot resist purchasing one of these beauties, because the Little House on the Prairie cabin has put me in a Christmastide mood, ( despite this sunny, warm day).  
 I choose this 7 footer and load it in my van.

Isn't it simply grand?

  On the way home, I pass by another cabin...
this one not so loved...
and ever so lonely.
For 20 years I have watched as this wonderful piece of history has slowly decayed and fallen into complete disrepair. I would give anything to save this cabin from ruin. But the elderly owner will not sell.  My desire has been to dismantle it and move it to the Hollow, where it will be renovated and loved.
Along with the old smokehouse, and the stone well.
I just cannot understand why someone would stubbornly allow their family history to disintegrate rather than sell to a stranger who will help to keep that history alive. 
It Befuddles me.
  Alas, I will not give up... one day, we, here in the Hollow,
  will have our own...
 Little House on the Prairie Christmas Cabin.


And now, for a shout out to two lovely blogger friends who came to see me recently at an art show in Virginia.
Shell from "Raspberry Rabbits" http://theraspberryrabbits.blogspot.com/
and Sharon from "Corgis in my Garden" http://corgisinmygarden.blogspot.com

Sharon, me and Michelle

Michelle is a designer, quilter, savvy business woman and rabbit lover . Sharon is a creative craftswoman, gardener and corgi lover, ( she also sent me a beautiful dress I commented on her blog about... it was being worn by a scarecrow at the time... seriously!)

It wasn't until I discovered blogging that I realized how many kindred sisters and spirits I have out there in the world.  Gardeners, history and antique lovers,  farm gals,animal lovers and quilters, artists and craftsmen,  Anglophiles, writers and illustrators, and fabulous designers, makers of magic and lovers of life. I even discovered some dear cousins through the blogging world!
But this was the first time I've been privileged to meet some blogging mates in person.
Love you ladyes!



24 comments:

  1. One day I hope to get to meet you, Jeri. Sorry I missed the opportunity to meet all 3 of you ladies.

    Hope you have a lovely week ~
    TTFN ~
    Hugs,
    Marydon

    PS
    Pop over for our GIVEAWAY

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  2. Upcycling that oldie into a Christmas cabin is just so magical! Good thing there are no old cabins in our neck of the woods or I'd be rescuing them right and left.

    Now after reading your post I think I'll go dig out our collection of Little House books to read over the holidays. There's nothing else I can think of that will put me in the holiday mood quicker.

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  3. Is it really the Ingall's family house ? I love Laura Ingall's Books and of course the TV serie , i wathed it when I was a little girl...
    This place is very beautiful ! And for buy a Chrstimas tree, it is fantastic !
    Thank you Jeri and nice week !

    Nathanaëlle

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  4. Sorry, I tape too fast ! :)
    "I watched it when I was a little girl" and "Christmas tree". Right now :D

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  5. Oh what a lovely cabin! They did an awesome job of restoring a piece of history!
    Some day we will meet in person too!

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  6. Beautiful post, Jeri! I love the pictures.

    Meeting you in Virginia Beach was so much fun! Can't wait until you come to Richmond next time.

    Thank you so much for the gift you gave me at the show. I have it on my coffee table!

    It was so funny to hear you say that your dress came off a "scarecrow"!

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  7. Hi Jeri,

    What a delightful and sweet cabin and so happy to see that it has been lovingly restored.
    I do hope that you can get hold of the other one, does need some love and care.
    Also how grand your Christmas tree is, and what fun you will have decorating it.
    Lovely that you were able to meet up with Shell and your blog friend.

    Happy week
    Hugs
    Carolyn

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  8. Oh dearest, I TELL YOU that if I FIND out that you are near sometime, I have got visit you. There is NOTHING LIKE meeting someone you don't know in the conventional way, but someone you know SO WAY via corresponding daily and through creativity. How splendid for YOU! AND what a lovely and enchanting CHRISTMAS spirit is there in this old and rustic place that you show us here. THANK YOU DEAREST ONE for coming to visit my stage post. What a fun time of year to get the creative juices flowing! LOVE TO YOU AND THE FURRY AND FEATHERED ONES! Anita

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  9. Great post, lovely big tree! You need to write a post one day about how you keep your hair so long and full. Keep us posted ! Take care, Gina

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  10. Dear Jeri,

    What a lovely story of a cabin saved! And I'm sure that you'll have the other cabin, too; you're drawing it to you and it will come and the perfect time.

    We want to build a little one-room schoolhouse once we find our perfect place; it would make "playing school" so much more fun!

    Love,

    Marqueta

    p.s. I'm so happy that you were able to meet some blog friends; I've been certainly blessed by getting to "know" you here.

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  11. Oh Jerri they did such a wonderful job on the cabin. It looks beautiful all decked out in antiques and Christmas.
    One would think they would sell that cabin off to someone who would reassemble and take care of it rather than just let it rot away. Such a shame.

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  12. how fun that you watched the cabin go up and then could wander around inside taking in the lovely details.

    It is interesting how some people let things fall to ruin instead of selling them. I have an old house on my photo blog this week....

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  13. Dear Cousin Jeri,

    What a lovely place to go to pick out a Christmas tree! What a spectacular 7 foot tree you picked out! Love that mustard coloured wagon in front of the red barn! We hope you can someday acquire that wonderful little cabin, we know it would look fantastic at your place in the Hollow!

    Your cousins who are thrilled to find you in the Hopalong blogland,
    Diane and daughter Sarah at the Corgyncombe Courant

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  14. Someday I would love to make the trip to come and visit your precious "Hollow" and God willing you will get that lonely little cabin and restore it to it's former glory! Wouldn't it make a wonderful studio/store, now my mind is running rampant! I think it would be perfect so I am wishing and praying hard that the owner will have a change of heart. Have a beautiful day Jeri!
    Tina xo

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  15. What a beautiful cabin! I don't blame you for getting your tree there. I wouldn't be able to resist either.

    I love the Little House books and TV shows. We have the Little House Christmas special on a video cassette tape. My children don't like it but my husband and I watch it every year. It makes me want to simplify. :)

    Sherry @ A Happy Valentine

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  16. You touched my heart with the photo of the log cabin. My aunt lived in a similar one in Virginia and I've always felt safer, warmer, more beloved in a log cabin than any other kind of house.

    Wish I could go pick up a tree there too.

    Oh Jeri, I'll say a little prayer that you someday save the other cabin, smokehouse, etc. I could just see that in your life.

    Sending love across the miles,

    Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island

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  17. Ooh, my heart skipped a beat when I saw the little cabin !
    Such wonder....
    I have always wanted a log cabin, I went and looked at one just last week, and in my mind's eye, I had it decorated and was completely in love with this 1896 little gem.
    I wonder if they are planning on leaving the cabin there, year round ?
    Sad about the abandoned one, maybe you can make an offer :)

    Love your Christmas tree...perfect.
    What a lovely post, thank you, it's lifted my spirits !!
    ~Jo

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  18. I've just discovered your sweet blog. I look forward to visiting often!
    ~blessings~

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  19. I loved the tour of the cabin, how perfect is that! Jeri, when you first started talking about the delapadated one I thought you were going to say you were putting a workshop in it. Would that be an option that the owner might go for? We own property that was Mom's and I can't bear to think of selling since it's been in our family so long. Yet, we will never live there. That may be the same situation with that cabin. Would love to attend a show and meet you. Maybe someday when we can call our days our own!

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  20. Oh, dear Jeri! It is exactly as you described!! And to have the pictures to drool over, now, I can hardly contain the excitement! You will not believe this...we acquired a stove identical to the one in that cabin! Earlier, in the fall, we found it at an auction hall in Maury county. We are in the process of having a vent put in out on the screened porch, and husband has built up a hearth for it, out of some ancient bricks he found behind the detached garage. I can't wait to cook a pot of chili...maybe some biscuits in the little oven...maybe some of those sugar cookies you were imagining in the Ingall's cabin;)). I will dedicate an entire post when it's up and running!
    I am praying for your cabin restoration to come to fruition...good things will always come your way, sweet girl...He saves the perfect things for the perfect time.
    Hugs to you...I'll be missing you at Dickens of a Christmas this weekend:( ....and come by and visit Grammy's House new post,
    Christie

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  21. Just finished decorating a
    Friend's "stately" conjoined
    log cabind for their group
    luncheon.The interior walls
    and doors to die for...there
    is something time transporting about an authentic log house lovingly
    rescued and restored.
    Where is this keeper of Christmas trees located?
    Worth a drive out...
    Candle lit and fingers crossed that that little poor cabin will house your wondrous creativity one day.
    Gentility

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  22. HELLO THERE GORGEOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, me too, I hope I can live long enough and healthy enough so that these harp playing, illustrating and theatre-making hands of mine will look just as wrinkled and proven as those on the photo!!!! GOOD TO SEE YOU DEAREST! I hope you are creating and loving every moment of it; I AM!!!! HAVE A GRAND EVENING! Anita

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  23. What an incredible cabin. Oh my gosh!
    Love ya back my friend. Such a wonderful day it was.

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