When I was about 13 we drove East for Christmas to visit my granparents. At the time they were semi retired and lived in a big huge farmhouse that was at the time the Black Rock YMCA camp in MD. Being from Phoenix AZ, I had never been in a two story house, much less one that big. And the property was huge with a stream running through the meadow. My grandmother and I made penuche fudge and then one day we went up to the chilly attic( only read about those in books) and got a bushel of wrinkled red apples that I thought were rotten but she said they were "sound" and we made applesauce in the huge old farm kitchen. She had a huge white sink. We all played the game of Life in the wallpapered and white trim painted dining room on a shiny mahogany table( ours was kid proof and our home was a modern ranch with a open floor plan)
There was a huge stone fireplace- also a first for me, with a fire going all of the time, and my brothers were allowed to help set the fire and keep it stoked. We even got to use my Dads big socks to hang on the mantle on Christmas Eve!The floors were wide plank, not very shiny and the stair had a maghogany bannister with a big newel post. and yes my brothers did give it a slide but that didnt go over very well. and I was chicken.
There was a big snowstorm that rattled the old windows and my GM took us to a thrift shop( not a first) and bought galoshes for all of us 3 kids and Bobbsey Twin books for me.
At the house,there was sun porch that was full of stuff and my grandmother went in there and pulled out some "shoe skis" for me to try out in the snow( yes another first) and I had a blast "skiing" down the ramp from the barn out to the perennial garden.
I think that is where I fell in love with big old houses with big kitchens and fireplaces and streams running through meadows . I felt as though I was in a story book.
A couple of years later we came in the summer and hiked all over the camp and the forest and fished in the big stream. They moved out to Cal.
I hadn't thought of this in so many years. :)

My maternal grandparents' house. It was made of stone, and had a huge ballroom-sized bathroom, with an enormous sideboard and a gorgeous Christmas cactus that sat there; seemed it was always in bloom. There was a screened porch that we lived on in the summer, and in the winter, it's where the egg nog was stored (it would get a thin layer of ice). The back bedroom had a beautiful sunbonnet girls quilt on the bed and my sister and I would try to pick our favorites. There a big glass cabinet full of my favorite books, beehives in the pear tree grove, and once, a snapping turtle that my grandfather caught. I will never forget that house--wonderful memories. Thanks for asking, so I could remember it all over again.

Mine is the home we lived in from my kindergaten year (1957) until I was in eighth grade. We had woods on two sides and a huge yard (more than an acre-which is big for suburbia here on the east coast-this was outside Philadelphia). One of the best things was a screened in porch that ran the entire length of the back of the house looking to the woods. There was a window pass-through from the kitchen to the porch at one end where we ate dinner almost every night in the summer. My dad would replace the floor to ceiling screens with glass in the fall, so it was usuable almost year-round. We would see pheasants, groundhogs, deer, etc. in the lower part of the yard in the early morning. No neighbors that we could see from the house, although there were three other homes going off the same driveway/cul-de-sac. You couldn't see the house from the road because of the woods and also because it sat down from the road. There was a marvelous huge stone fireplace, heated floors in the kitchen and playroom (gosh how I would love that now), and windows, windows, windows. The garage was separate from the house and built into a hill, so I could climb up onto the roof at one corner, which was almost as cool as climbing to the top of the huge maple on one side of the house. We also had black walnut trees which my dad hated because they were always dropping something onto the stone patio and there was a pretty little sour cherry tree that yielded the perfect fruit for my mother's cherry pies. So many great things about that house, but also some awful brown carpeting in the living room and dining room and terrible wall paper in the dining room. Nonetheless, it was a wonderful house.

Alas, we moved when my grandmother came to live with us. I always remember that as the happiest place for a child to grow up.

The house I spent most of my childhood in was pretty neat. My parents sold it when I was a senior in high school, and built a lovely new home, but I've always had fond memories of the other house. Originally it was a summer cottage called "Robin's Nest" that was part of a huge old resort hotel built in the 1800's. It was situated on the highest property on a hill overlooking Mirror Lake and the town of Lake Placid, NY.

When my parents bought the cottage, the old hotel Grandview had been closed for several years, and was eventually torn down. Our "cottage" had five bedrooms, 2 baths upstairs and one down. It had a living room, dining room, den, eat-in kitchen, laundry room, huge pantry, maid's room, an enclosed room on the back that we used as a wax room for our skis, and a large glass enclosed porch on the front overlooking the lake. There were four fireplaces in the house, and one of the fireplaces was in my bedroom, but that one was never used by us. My parents did use the ones in the dining room and living room.

When my folks bought the house it was filled with summer furniture, big old wicker chairs, couches and tables. I still have one of the wicker chairs that was left behind. We found four old pitchers and basins stored in the attic, one set which I still have 55 years later. There was a small private, hotel-owned ski hill just outside our kitchen window with a rope tow that was still in use when we moved into the property. That's where I first learned to ski when I was 4. My mother could sit at the kitchen table with her coffee and watch me out the kitchen window as I skied down the hill. She didn't even have to leave the house, because the rope tow ran parallel to our driveway and she could see me at all times. During the winter, my dad would flood water in the garage that was built underneath the front porch, and let it freeze. A day or two later we'd use it as a skating rink.

My two older brothers and I "grew up" in Robin's Nest, and we all share some great memories of living there.

My family had a summer house on Lake St.Clair outside a small French town in Ontario, Canada. Our beach had soft sand to dig in. We'd find tiny spiral shells we would make necklaces, bracelets and rings from. My grandfather had a wonderful wood fishing boat we'd go out in. He'd made a wonderful floating dock that we could swim to close off shore. My parents tell me that I learned how to swim before I even learned how to walk there. We used to have the most wonderful bonfires on our beach at night. Out back was a small fish pond and an orchard where we used to climb trees.

Our kitchen had knotty pine cabinets and a bay window where our table sat. My grandmother had her Cottageware collection in our kitchen. I loved seeing the wonderful serving pieces from England and Occupied Japan that all resembled thatched cottages. Many years later, I inherited them and they're one of my most cherished things.
Our living room was very large and had a big stone fireplace. In the front was a screened front porch. We had an old white tin dish pan that was always filled with water for us to rinse our feet in before coming inside. My grandfather had strings of small yellow lights strung out all the way to our beach and back again. It looked magical to my child's eyes. Our neighbors and my family used to have wonderful cocktail parties out there, I remember. And cookouts, too. At night, we kids slept in a huge upstairs bedroom. It was a long room with many beds, almost like a dormitory. I'd sit in the window and wave to my best friend, Kippy (Karl Jr.), whose place was next door to ours.
It was a magical time. Thanks for the opportunity to remember it all again :~)
Lynn

Mine would be my grandparents house. You entered into a black slate floored entryway that led into the formal living room. That room had an entire wall of sliding glass doors that led to the patio and pool beyond that. Off the LR was the formal dining room, with a romantic fabric mural depicting ancient Roman ruins.

The kitchen was eons ahead of it's time...a HUGE L shaped room with built in sub-zero refrigerator and freezer. Double ovens, a 6 burner gas grill and all the base cabs had roll out drawers. My grandfather built my grandmother a giant pantry with double doors that opened out to reveal built in spice racks, tiered shelving custom built to suit her 5 gallon jugs of olive oil... There was a breakfast bar that led to the family room, too.

The family room had a built in wet bar and a built in hi-fi, which amazed me to no end. At the front of the house was a long hallway that led to 2 bedrooms, one they'd converted to a sewing room, and the bathroom had deep purple & white tiles.

At the other end of the house was another long hall with a built in office space for my grandmother, another bedroom that had been converted to my grandfathers office, the master bath (all pink tiles & fixtures and a stall shower), a laundry room and the master bedroom with more glass slider doors leading to the patio & pool.

The patio was covered in a bouganvilla covered lattice and had a restaurant quality grill where my grandfather made THE most awesome burgers & steaks. The pool changing room was tiki themed. I practically grew up in that house, and I will always remember it.

929 Madison st :) Port Townsend WA (same town we purchased our new house in a couple of months ago).

It was a two story victorian, Five bedrooms, 2 baths (I think the downstairs one had a shower but don't remember for sure...that was my mom and step dad's room). We had a claw foot tub upstairs and a push button toilet that never worked :oP

It instilled a love of historic homes in me that has never left. I always dreamed of buying that place but it was never for sale when I could afford it. It's been purchased and remodeled somewhat (from what I see on the outside) as well as had some of it's appropriate siding replaced (shingles removed, clapboards added). Two blocks away was a wonderful park with a stream and rose garden as well as a fabulous beach which we were never allowed to go to when we went to the park (so we went anyhoo of course).

I used to walk to church at a church that's still standing, actually a landmark, beautiful place. We got a dime to put in the plates when they passed them. We spent 8 cents on penny candy (that's a lot of candy back in the day) and then put two cents in the coffer :oP My son and I now walk to the church and that same store a few times a week and hit that park weekly as well. I can't tell you how special it is to provide him with the memories I enjoyed. The places are different (the store burnt down but was rebuilt basically the same for historic purposes) and there are stop signs that never existed :P but still...it's sort of the same place.

I see the joy of a victorian home to a child in his eyes. he calls it the castle and thinks the little nooks and crannies are the best places in the world. When people visit he takes them to the attic eves instead of the grand rooms LOL (I'm sitting in one grand room now....it's so full of laundry that mom did and I've been sorting that you can't see the dining room table LOL not so grand anymore).

I send a holiday card to 929 madison street every few years with a little note thanking them for loving the home and sharing a little memory of my childhood there. A few different people have owned it, but they have all responded (I've been doing this for over 20 years) with a nice note. It's wonderful to know the house of my childhood dreams is still a "home".

A friend in a fairly rich neighborhood. I was very middle class. I loved their kitchen and garden. It was the 1950's, they had a white kitchen with a built in eating area. Walking through the garden was like a dozen secret places. Odd how we can remember little things like this from years back.

I remember the first childhood home I lived in. I am the oldest of 5 girls with just seven years between all of us. It was a new house in the burbs and a tri level. The 3rd level had an unfinished area and my dad finished it off as a bedroom for 4 of us. I remember him coming home and working on it.It had unfinished floors and he sanded and stained them himself. While doing this the big sander tipped a bit and put a dent in the floor. We always had to point this out when we had friends over!

There was one very large part of the room that my sister and I had beds in ,then in the large dormer area 2 other sisters had their beds.

The room was painted a marine blue with crisp white trim. We all had Maple beds with rose colored chenille bedspreads. There were Ventian blinds on the windows with sheer white ruffled curtains.

My youngest sister had her own room. Can't remember who it is, but there is a poster here that did a bedroom for her 3 girls that reminds me of my own youthful bedroom.

I also remember that our kitchen had a"picture" window where we had a nice view of Lake Erie until they built the houses behind us.

When I sit still long enough, I swear I can still hear the pinging sounds of the heat cursing through the old metal radiators; I remember the wonderful old patina of the often-polished gumwood mouldings that surrounded each and every doorway; and the attic, that wonderful playhouse of an attic with its wide and winding staircase. This well-built home had a lovely, sun room that wasn't huge but warm and inviting. It was a room where we watched TV, read books, and cuddled on it's small sofa when we were well as when we were sick.

The sights and sounds I remember are from a life-long of living in my parents' home. It was surrounded by lilacs and our street was aptly titled Lilac Terrace. It was a beautful, old, well-cared for home on a dead-end street of four houses. All of my memories are stored there even though most of the people who lived there are now gone and we no longer own it.

My only hope is the new owners will have this old grand lady speak to them the way it spoke to us.....

This has got to be one of my favorite threads!

I love reading all the stories and my imagination is running wild with what your "storybook" houses looked like. If you have old photos, please share them.

I have shared my "fondly remembered" home with y'all before, but some of you may not have been on GardenWeb last year. It is of my grandparents southern colonial home in Georgia, seen below.

My grandparents lived in the house before I was born, and probably moved from there when I was around 12 years old. I have memories of climbing the wide winding staircase, stopping at the first landing and playing with the 'Goddess' statue in the large wall niche, then continuing up to the second landing to take a look at the huge stained glass widow, and on around then finally coming to an end at the wide upstairs hallway. My siblings, cousins and I would also count the stairs, and skip the 13th, as we were sure someone had been murdered on that step. :) At the bottom of the staircase, you could go out to the right and into the grand hall, or to the left where there was a service hall to the portico. The area was opened to the grand hall, and there was a long built-in bench (like a window seat) along the stair wall, that also had a step up. We would imagine that a body was hidden inside the storage area of the seat. :) Of course, we would also play hide & seek and this was a likely spot for all.

Other memories...

Bathing in two of the three large bathrooms with claw foot tubs, and listening to my grandmothers bathroom music box (which I know have.)

Playing in the dining room, sitting at the head of the table (I also have this table) and using the "under the table" Butler's buzzer to summon my siblings to serve me. We took turns of course. from the dining room, you walked through a large Butler's Pantry filled with glass cabinets (someone on this forum has just redone a room that looks very similar) and then into the large white eat-in kitchen.

In the kitchen, I remember having breakfast with my grandparents. My grandmother always served her homemade raspberry preserves with toast. For lunch we had ham salad, made with homemade mayonnaise...YUM! A special treat was having a Coke bottle either with a straw, or out of a nail hole made in the top of the soda cap.

One of the three living rooms or parlors, held a very large deep red velvet couch. It could hold all the siblings and cousins at one time and was so comfy. My grandmother had a needlepoint screen that was held up by an animal tusk of some kind. We were told never to touch the tusk because something bad could happen if we did. All those years, I though my grandmother meant something evil, but she only meant that we could hurt the tusk because it was very valuable (as I later found out when I had it appraised for my parents.)

I mentioned the grand hall before, and it truly was a grand hall! it must have been about 30' long and 15' wide. At one end were the double lead glass doors, and the other end held a very ornate fireplace. The entire area was flanked with head tall wainscoting, painted creamy white. During Christmas, one of the many trees would be decorated near the fireplace.

When I spent summer weeks at my grandparents, my cousin would also come. We had connecting bedrooms, and would run from one bed to the other. W@e gave my grandparents fits! My grandmother would always settle us down by giving us hot chocolate - in bed and making us promise not to run around anymore.

One of my favorite hiding places was the attic. To reach the attic, you went towards the very front of the house, and through a doorway that led past more lead glass cabinets and to a stairway. My grandmother kept a collection of dolls that she found during her travels. I don't know what happened to those dolls, but they were a little creepy to me as I passed by on the way to the attic. Ironically, I don't remember much about the attic but a large wooden area, so I don't think it was used for storage. There was also a door that led to the small balcony over the front doors.

Summers were spent on the breezy screened porch, sitting on wicker chairs with the fans humming overhead. I have some of that wicker, too. We loved to run on the sprawling front porch, play in the humongous tree house across the street, or in the generous neighbors swimming pool.

Thanks for letting me share, and keep the stories coming!

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Coincidently, last night I had a dream in which my maternal grandparents home was "featured". I hadn't though about it in years. I always loved going there to stay because my grandmother would indulge my love of reading by letting me read anything that was in her bookcase and let me stay up and watch TV that my parents never would. The house was not as grand as some spoken about on this thread, situated quite close to the railroad from NYC to upstate, but I remember lying in bed with an open window in the summer and hearing the train rumble down the tracks. There was also a small apple orchard where we climbed trees and the baby grand piano that my mother learned to play on in the living room. My favorite place was the closed-in front porch (where my grandmother grew african violets on the window sills) that was barely 5 feet wide, just enough room for a small daybed to sleep on if you didn't want to sleep upstairs.

We used to visit my father's uncle in WV. He lived in a big old house that had been built just after the turn of the century. It had high ceilings with dark stained wood trim and a huge staircase at the front entry. It's been probably 30 years since I saw it last, but I remember it being a cool house.

Totally Confused

ok can't resist posting again. When I was 15 mos old we moved from MD to the Salt River Indian Reservation in AZ so my Mom and Dad could teach at the school. My Dad also drove the school bus to pick up the kids on the res. The house that was provided for them by the BIA was a white bungalow or almost a quonset hut and was raised off the ground. when you walked around the whole thing shook. I wasnt allowed to go under because of scorpions and snakes but I did. There was a cement fishpond in the back and the yard had some grapefruit trees. Every day, a pinto pony used to wander over to the wire front yard fence and visit me when I was 3-4.My mom gave me her large yellow pyrex bowl( still have) with apples and carrots cut up so I could feed my friend every morning and keep my fingers.
One day when my Mom was busy with the baby, I asked if my friend could come into the house. She said yes. So I brought in my friend,who followed me in, his 4 hooves really shaking that little house. My Mom didnt know what to do so she called our pediatrician who had horses and he just laughed at her( he was a friend) she ended up tying some cloth diapers together and looping it around the neck and leading it around the dining room table and back out the front door. Of course a visiting dignitary from the BIA was driving by on the dirt road and screeched to a halt.absolutely true- parents gone but this story has been relayed at every family gathering since so there are living survivors who know this!
Also have told the story when asked by interviewers to tell them a bit about myself so I do- got every job too!
I also had a dog named Hawber( hamburger) that would follow me everywhere and even helped me dig under the fence to go visit my Dad in his classroom at the school,wearing only dirt, my underwear and red tennis shoes . Yeah that story was often told too.
So I love white bungalows with big front porches- think of the house in Cross Creek, or huge farmhouses like when my grandparents lived in the house at Black Rock.

Cute "little" house newhome LOL

(Is it still standing? It's beyond beautiful and grand!!)

My grandparents' house was a magical place -- a big, old house with a name (Kirkside) and a long historic past. The main portion of the house was built in 1815, though portions of the structure date back to an earlier building constructed in 1725. (My grandparents lived there in the late 1940's through the early 1980's, so my Mom's teen years through my own.)

Much of the house, including the grand staircase was put together with wooden pegs because nails were too expensive back then. The house also had pegged floors that were *not* level. (We used to roll marbles across my grandparent's bedroom into the fireplace.) And HUGE hand-carved beams in the basement. It sounds incredible, but the massive stone fireplaces rested on wooden beams that were raised off the ground on sawhorses, if I recall correctly -- can't imagine why that would have been!

There was a grand ballroom on the second floor with the most incredible wallpaper. It was a floor-to-ceiling, round-the room mural depicting the four climate zones that I've since learned was made by a company called Zuber, and remains intact in only a few U.S. buildings, including the white house. That wallpaper showed icebergs, jungle rainforests with vibrant birds, snow-capped mountains, the African savannah, oceans and seaports with tall ships -- just like National Geographic on the walls. I remember spending hours in the ballroom just 'reading' the wallpaper.

There was also a big screened porch at the back with a slate floor, decorated with fishing nets and glass floats. Grandma used to serve Welsh Rarebit (she was a terrible cook!) on the screened porch in the summer, with fresh rasberries gathered from the garden for dessert. She used to have fits when my sister and I (California girls) walked around the house barefoot with our hair wet. That simply wasn't done in her day!

The house was completely renovated in 1991 on the 'This Old House' TV show, and the recorded broadcasts are a family treasure.

I have very fond memories of our cabin in Georgetown, Colorado! We actually shared it with another family because my dad helped build it. It sat right in front of a beautiful rushing creek. With the windows open at night we could listen to the wonderful sounds of outdoors and the creek. I loved to play and explore in the wooded area behing our cabin. I remember the inside was very small. I loved one of the lamps by the sofa that had string beads hanging from the shade. I would play with the beads. We could walk around the town to many small gift shops and also a delicious creamery that had wonderful icecream cones. Such a fun place to visit on week-ends.

When I was 6, we lived in the third floor apartment of gigantic Victorian overlooking the ocean. This apt. had 3 bedrooms, LR, huge kitchen, and a bath. My parent's BR had a deck with an incredible ocean view. It was like sitting on the top of the world with the ocean crashing on the rocks. My BR was pink. It had tiny windows with pink and white striped awning curtains. Adorable. Sis had the same in lavender.

Welsh Rarebit! My other grandmother and my mother used to serve that on Sunday's after church...with toast! :)

igloochic - Yes, the house is still standing and used as a college administration building. I went back to the house years ago. That's where I took the second photo. Notice the porch has been glassed in and hand rails/handicapped ramps added The house wasn't nearly as huge as I remembered through the eyes of a child, and it made me sad to see the upstairs rooms turned into offices. The main rooms are used as meeting and reception rooms, so they remain similar to the originals. I once found some interior photos of the house as it is now. I will take a look for them again, and post them. I'll also look for some from my childhood.
BTW - Googled your home place. Is it the one on the corner? Too bad they don't have street view, yet. I saw the park and beach, but not the church.
I too love old homes, but have never had the opportunity to live in one any older than 42 years. Can't talk my DH into another one.
I took the following photos of an abandoned house near our neighborhood. I always thought it looked lonely without occupants. I wondered what the families that grew up there were like. Because the country was turning into the city, the house was torn down about two years ago. Last month, I published the first photo seen, in our local newspaper. A few days later, I received a call from an elderly woman and she was sort of crying. She said that she had lived in the house and that someone had sent the photo to her. She was so thankful to see the photo of her beloved home. She asked for a copy, and I sent her several that I had taken.
denali_2007 - At first I thought you were describing the Brady Bunch house. :)

sweeby - I watched all of those 'This Old House' series and vaguely remember your home. is it available to watch on the net?

I am enjoying each and every memory. :)

These are the photos of the abandoned house I mentioned above.

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In the spring of my 6th grade year, an uncle that I had never met decided to come meet his three nieces. Russell was the eccentric older brother of my deceased dad. Driving south in a Rolls Royce, he stayed for only a few hours, but promised to send plane tickets for our entire family to come visit him at his home in Kennebunkport, Maine that summer. My mother flatly stated, "Don't get your hopes up. We will never hear from him again!"

But the tickets did arrive, so that summer we flew from Atlanta to Maine, not knowing what to expect. Uncle Russell met us at the airport, and promptly handed out $50 bills to each of us kids, and the keys to his second Rolls Royce to my adoptive dad to drive during our week stay. Off we went, following him along the coastal roadways to his "cottage," which he called "Rams Gate."

Turning off the road onto a gravel drive, and through stone pillars, we kids squealed with delight at what we thought must be his house; as we drove past, we realized it was only the garage. The drive continued until first a flagpole and then the cottage came into view; a 21 room house perched on cliffs overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

The attic was dark and mysterious, the first one we had ever been in. Piled in one corner we found boxes filled with silver platters and candle holders, all engraved with monograms; an M for our uncle's last name, but other intials we couldn't figure out. When we told our mom about it, she scolded us for going up there. Years later she would tell us the whole story.

We dressed for dinner each night in the formal dining room at the long table. Live Maine lobsters were on the menu one night, but having stood in the kitchen watching Olive drop them into the boiling pots of water, I didn't touch mine once it arrived on the dining table. That was the night friends of my uncle had been invited to dinner. I was seated next to a gentleman who starred in the movie "The Best Years of our Lives." As an 11 year old who was really only into horses, I was not impressed.

Our week sadly came to an end. We packed our bags, gave back the key to the Rolls and flew home to Georgia. A few years later, Russell sold Rams Gate, bought a home on the Pacific Coast, threw a large party and went upstairs and shot himself.

As a teenager, I learned from my mother that all that silver I had seen in his attic were wedding presents from his brief marriage to the granddaughter of the founder of a very successful upscale department store, which remains in business to this day. Apparently the bride's family did not approve of my uncle, and Rams Gate was the result of the divorce.

All I know is that I'll never forget that one week in a house overlooking the ocean.

This is easy. My childhood home. I think I was born "old", because all of my adult life I've dreamt that house was mine. My parents moved to the lake after us kids moved out. :(

It was on Main Street, USA. One of those big, old, two story homes. I'm thinking it was a Craftman because of all the wood trim inside, which was painted white.

The fireplace wall had built in white bookshelves going across the room, and it was like we had one big mantel.

The upstairs and downstairs hallways were round. I've never see hallways like that since.

My room was so large, it had three closets. A walk in, a coat closet, and a closet with sheleves only. Wood floors. A bed on one end, and a wicker seating area at the other.

The dining room had a lovely window seat, or "bay window" where we kept the telephone, and I'd lay on it and gab with my friends. Until my mom turned the upstairs closet into a phone room, where we could shut the door. lol.

One room was all windows, I'd move in there in the summer, just for the heck of it.

It was on a beautiful corner lot where we played tag football all the time. Real sidewalks!

Rock patio with a built-in concrete picnic table and benches with backs to them. Detached two car garage, huge basement.

The saddest thing? I took my son's there when we were driving through the town to show them my glorious home, and some idiot laid a concrete driveway in the side yard! I just wanted to cry since there were three places to park already.

To this day I still dream I own that home.

This is easy for me too. I have fond memories of the house I grew up in. My parents lived there until I was in my thirties. Relatively small house by today's standards, but it was HOME. Ranch, great screened in porch, deck and patio in the huge backyard. The lot was almost 2 acres, I think. Wonderful neighborhood where I had lots of friends growing up where we played tons of outside games. Red Rover, Simon says, kickball, etc. My mom had such a green thumb, the landscaping was gorgeous. Ahh, sweet memories!

sjharris53 - What a story! Is the department store Macy's?

Newhomebuilder, it was Saks Fifth Avenue.

My family home in England! It stood alone in a beautiful, secluded valley filled with trees, a lake and a river teeming with trout.
I spent an idyllic childhood freely roaming the woods and meadows, rowing on the lake and catching and releasing fish in the river. I also spent much of my time at the nearby farms, helping out caring for the baby lambs, chickens, horses etc and with the various harvests. My mother could often see me from our sitting room window, a little girl with pigtails, sitting on the tractor for hours on end beside our farmer neighbor, both of us singing at the tops of our voices as he plowed the fields.

The house itself was large and built of stone with hardwood floors and fabulous views from every window, open fires and no bathrooms. The toilet was outside and we bathed in front of the kitchen fire in a tin bath until we 'upgraded' to the same tin bath filled from the fire heated 'copper' in the wash house across the back yard. I remember running back to the house often through the snow, cheeks rosy from the heat of the bath and the cozy oil lamp lit wash house. The house had no electricity supply until I was 14 years old, so no TV but always lots of books and lively conversation, laughter and music. My younger brother was born by candlelight.

Although our lives were in some ways hard my friends were always envious and several wished my parents would adopt them! As for me, I could never thank my parents enough for the wonderful start they gave the three of us siblings. They had the courage to raise us in a place with few amenities but a wealth of beauty, space, peace and adventure. I loved every precious, free, exciting moment!

"it was Saks Fifth Avenue."

Ahhh...I was thinking about the "M", but that was your uncles last name, not his bride. SAK's, I didn't know it still existed. The last time I saw one and shopped there was in Charleston, SC about 10 years ago.

sis3 - I don't know your age, but isn't it amazing that you grew up without the modern devices that so many others had, and yet you are now sitting in front of one the greatest modern devices of all time...the computer! Did you ever think there would be such that we have in the technology world? Sometimes it's very scary to me.

Enjoyed your story.

Thanks newhomebuilder. I am 'only' 56 years old, my parents traded the conveniences of the time for the beautiful location. Even in 56 years the changes have been incredible, not just the technology but the way we live our lives and our expectations! We have gained so much but have also lost so much too! I love my current spacious home with its central vacuum, whole house audio, multiple dishwashers and refrigerators and wireless everything etc., but I am so glad I lived the old way, those experiences were priceless, and honestly I would live that way again in a heartbeat!

Only a couple more years older than me, but I honestly don't know if I could have lived that way. Hats off to you!

I cannot believe this thread ended so abruptly. Aren't there anymore stories out there? :)

Great thread.....I would say mine was my aunts house that I spent most summers in on the island of Crete. I would head there very year just after school was out and stay until labour day. sort of lie my cottage.
Anyhow, the house was in the city and had a small court yard that was boardered by the main house, the bathroom and a tall wall separating the neighbours property. The main house was small, 2 bedrooms, a living / dining room and a kitchen. Shutters on all wondows, wide window ledges of marble and mosaic / terazzo floors. Although it was often in the high 30's (Celcius) there was usually a little breeze and when there wasn't we had the trusty old fan.
used to love sitting out in the courtyard in the evening just before the sun would fall, it was the best time of day when peopkle would stroll over to each otehr's houses for strong greek coffee and ice cream.

Used to sit for hours under the Jasmine tree reading and writing post cards to my friends about summer loves, beach adventures and family get togethers.

When I got older, I would do the 'walk of shame' (coming home as the sun rose) with my heels in hand nidding hello to the neighbour who was up with her newborn watering the plants before I crawled into bed for a few hours.

The house was nothing fancy but the family memories there were special. That same green laminate table that we used to eat on, iron on (wtih lots of heavy blankets layered on it) and played cards on is still there. My father was born in that house and it just holds so many wonderful memories of carefree youth!

guppy - Are you still in Greece? I loved my visits there to Corfu, Santorini and Katakolon. Never been to Crete. Have you watched the "Traveling Pants" movies. Your story - especially "the walk of shame" - reminded me of those movies. :)

Found an older photo of my grandparents house. This from one of our past Christmas days spent there. I removed the above college building photo. This photo shows the side porch and portico. Notice the screened doors on the upper and lower doors? I'd forgotten that the house originally had no air.

{{gwi:1576004}}

Mine was my childhood home until maybe 6th grade. It was a big house (well, I'm sure it seemed bigger than it actually was at that age!), the exterior was grey with white trim, black shutters and a red door, built atop a large hill with a retaining wall on one side, so high that the neighboring garage (2 story commercial building) had a roofline level with our yard. The stairs from the sidewalk was a chore, even in today's day and age, I couldn't imagine having to deal with that daily. There were huge oak trees in the back yard, it was a very private space, and we had a pool, my siblings would jump off the tree branches into the pool, I was too small at the time. I loved playing in the leaves in the fall, our back yard would be completely covered once all the leaves dropped. We had a large bathroom, the area with the sink was sunken, and on the elevation was the commode and bathtub, the walls and decor were black and white themed with ornate wallpaper. The kitchen was big, I'd love to have a kitchen that size, and there was a winding staircase going to the second floor, and on the landing was a window...looking out the window, given that we were on a hill, was a long way down. So, I remember as a child I always had this irrational fear that I would fall down the stairs and out the window from that landing. LOL. I loved that house, so many fond memories. Today, that house is no longer there, probably a liability due to it's location high up on a hill (all neighboring houses were at a lower grade) coupled with the maintenance that came with the retaining wall, but I just adore houses with similar color themes.

I have too many!

My childhood friend's home, brick /white wood siding, had a huge porch upon which you entered the living room. What I remember about it was the big Baby Grand piano. They also had the down stairs 'den', in the infamous knotty pine.

My paternal grandparents built an all-brick home which was one of the largest in our small town. It became known as the '3 bears house'.

My paternal grandmothers was a 2-story white clapboard house w/a front porch across the entire front and Hydrangeas growing against the front fence. There was also a swing on the porch and a very sour cherry tree on the side of the house.

My own house was a brown clapboard colonial(Dutch?)style house w/huge front porch and white columns. My bedroom had blue linoleum w/white stars, a bluish wallpaper, and blue double beds, vanity, and dresser. I can recall this room like it was yesterday!

Lastly, my best friend as a teenager, lived in a monstrous 2-story which was haunted!

Fun thread! ;o)

newhomebuilder - no I am not in Greece. Just summered there. AFter University, spent 2.5 months in Europe and shortly thereafter got married and a full time job so vacations were limited to 3 weeks every few years. I was fortunate this past summer to end my maternity leave with 7 weeks in Crete. I dont' anticipate being able to get back for a while with 2 little ones and back to work.

my old home was a small place for 4 people but it was nice close to my friends. big front windows and a back yard with a secret pass to a friends hous...

Here is a link that might be useful: modern furniture

I understand from another thread that the response above this one is SPAM. Try not to give him the satisfaction.

MJ