Christmas Greetings

This is Christmas Mass at Saint Patrick's Church in Stoneham, Massachusetts. My hometown church. My sister and I attended Mass this morning and we were lucky enough to have seats in the balcony. I snapped this photo before Mass started. It was much more crowded later on.

I hope you have a wonderful holiday season.  I will post about my seasonal activities later this week.

Right out of a Currier and Ives painting

We had a snowstorm Saturday night into Sunday morning and the timing of it made it impossible to photograph the action. It was just too dark to get good photos. So  I was bound and determined to get some snow shots during today's storm.

It was after 4:00 in the afternoon so the light of day was fading. I drove by our town common and it looked magical. I knew I had to stop and take a few shots from my phone's camera.

The scene before me, the gazebo, Christmas lights, a steady snow, were perfect ingredients for my own Currier and Ives "painting".

In Summer, this little patch of green space is host to community concerts, kids playing frisbee, and dog walkers.

I am not sure why there are not more lights on the trees on the common perhaps funding is an issue. Isn't it always?

Never mind about the lack of lights, it was pure magic to me today. My town has never looked so pretty.

I got back in my car before pulling away and heading home, literally a two minute drive away.

But then I saw the Congregational Church, the subject of many of my Winter in Stoneham photographs. I had to get one more photo of the church in the bluish light of Winter.

And of course, a parting shot of the Fire Station. The Firemen are in for a long night. I have already seen several fire trucks and ambulances drive by my condo this evening. Beautiful and sometimes treacherous Mother Nature at work.

Nature's Jewelry- A Winter Walk

We had about 6 inches of snow last night. I think this is about the perfect amount of snowfall, not too much and not too little. Although the temperature was in the 20 degree range and there was a howling wind, I ventured out to see nature at her best.

My hometown looks very Currier and Ives-esque after a winter storm. You would think that since snow is white that everything snow covered would look bigger but it is just the opposite. Everything looks smaller and in my opinion more beautiful.

The gazebo on the Town Common looks like something out of a Victorian painting. All we need is a small pondand a few skaters to add a little more romance to the scene. And of course, if we're creating a painting we can leave the snowplow out.

I walked down one of the streets in my neighborhood just admiring the pristine snow. The plants and bushes had little ice pellets on them and they were breathtaking.

I was hoping the beauty I saw through my lens would translate to my photos but it's not quite right. In person, it looked like crystals and diamonds were shining on the trees in the late afternoon sun.  As if someone had flicked a switch and turned on thousands of twinkle lights.

The snow has a way of hitting just the right spots on a house like the turret on my friend Kim's house.

I tried to zoom in closer to capture nature's crystal and diamonds on the branches.

Smow is really nature's jewelry. There is nothing prettier to me. It is special because it is so temporary. The ice on the branches melts once the temperatures rise so it is constantly changing.

Once the sun hits those icy branches, the melting begins, but not today. It was too cold for any melting and I was able to enjoy nature's illumination.

The snow and ice made for some magical views. And the sky would eventually turn a lovely pastel pink. Had my fingers not been flirting with hypothermia I would have stayed to record the beautiful sunset.

 

 

Icy coldness just adds to the flavor of the shot and makes the painfullly numb fingers and face worthwhile.

 

 

Some of the homes looked Christmas card perfect. The snow was better than any holiday decoration.

 

My neighbor's yard took on a wintry mystique. A big gust of wind blew snow off the barn roof just as I was taking this shot. So cool!

His garden ornament was dancing for joy at the beauty around him. Or maybe he was just trying to keep warm!

 

And in my own yard, some perfectly formed snow and ice crystals make a lovely statement piece for nature's jewelry.

Hidden Gem on Nobility Hill

A few Sundays ago I went to an open house at this home at 26 Chestnut St, Stoneham. The home was for sale by the owners and I wanted to go in and introduce myself as a mortgage lender. I figured the owners would probably need a mortgage for their next home.

I had a nice conversation with one of the owners, the husband is an electrician and he had done most of the work on the house himself. He encouraged me to look around. I'm glad I did because it is spectacular! The asking price is $599,000.

I asked the owner if I could take photos of his home and then blog about it.  It wouldbe a treat for my blog readers and it would help spread the word about this beautiful home for sale.  The next time I toured the home I met the wife and daughter.  The wife has exquisite taste and the home is decorated beautifully. I think I have a similar decorating style. In fact, I asked  the couple to call me before they sell any furniture or home items because I am definitely interested.

The home was built in 1902 in a section of Stoneham called Nobility Hill. The original owner was a lawyer and the home has had only three owners!

When you enter the home you will see a lovely foyer complete with a stained glass window and window seats that offer storage.

A view of the window seats. I've always wanted a window seat in my condo and it would be wonderful to have that amount of storage.

 

A different view of the foyer. I want that table!

Looking to the right of the entrance you will see pocket doors leading to the living room.

It is actually two rooms, one could be a music room and the other the living room.

 

This is the view of the kitchen from the dining room. Don't you love those french doors?

 

The kitchen is phenomenal. The island was built by the homeowner.

 

Another view of the kitchen.  I think this would be the biggest selling point of the house.

 

I love white cabinets in the kitchen. The stainless appliances were gleaming. I like the shiny finish.

 

Here's the view from the back door, check out the little white stove. It is staying with the home.

A half bath off the kitchen. It is so cute! There are plenty of bathrooms in this home.

 

I couldn't stop photographing this gorgeous kitchen!

 

Shall we head to the dining room? I like the rich color on the walls, very regal.

The chandelier is spectacular and so is the fireplace in the wall. It's a great room for entertaining.

A closer look at the fireplace. This room is cozy. I can see a lot of family parties in this room.

There was a charming little alcove off the dining room and it was made into an office. The purple is a perfect color choice in this small space.

Let's go upstairs, there's lots more to see. Look at the stained glass window.  It has been restored as has the window jam. As you can see, everything is in tip top shape.

We'll go this way towards the guest bedroom and the master bedroom.

 

Pretty window in the guest room.

 

 

Lovely mouldings around each door.

 

 

The master bedroom was sophisticated but warm.

 

 

This room has a fireplace too.

 

 

A view from the hallway.

Here's the piece de resistance. When I first walked by this room, I thought it was a bedroom and I was sure that the tub was a bed!

What a spectacular vanity! Look at all the storage. The floor is pretty special too.

 

Nice window treatments in here and throughout the home.

 

And here's the bath tub I mistook for a bed. Isn't it amazing? Wouldn't it be nice to take a nice long bubble bath here after a hard day at work?

 

The ceiling is navy blue and it looks great. I would never think of painting the ceiling a dark color but it really adds a designer touch to the shower.

 

 

I took this with my wide angle so I could capture the whole room.

 

 

Tell me that bathtub doesn't look like a bed! The wood accents add a high end touch.

Gleaming hardwood floors look fantastic in the hallway and throughout the house.

More of the details on the mouldings and doors.  It's a nice warm color.

The owner's 9 year old daughter showed the house to me and she said this was her mother's room. I dubbed it the "woman cave".

And this very exotic room is the daughter's bedroom.  The bureau was rescued from the side of the road and repainted.

The attic is partially finished. Just one room for now.  There is much more space for expansion up there.

The deck was surprisingly large and surrounded by trees. Another great spot for entertaining.

The trees were in full color when I snapped this photo. With a view like this, you don't need to take a trip to see great foliage.

One more view of the deck.  You can see how spacious it is.  It is right off the kitchen.

I didn't go down to the basement but I am sure it was nice as far as basements go.  I hope you enjoyed your house tour and if you knowof  anyone who may be interested in purchasing this house, please email me at chatelaine08@gmail.com.