Sometime, months and months ago, we were asked if we’d include our home on the annual tour of homes. And by “we”, I mean me. I can’t blame John. He was out of town.
Yes! Of course. How fun!!! I clearly remember talking to my neighbor about it. I was outside with the dogs. Lucy gave me the “Boerner glare”. She knew there would be work to do.
As of this morning, we have exactly one week to get the house and yard ship shape because hundreds of people will be walking through. And by “we” I mean “we”. Lucky for me, John is the best when it comes to making our porch eat-off-the-floor clean.
Insane.
I was temporarily insane. I didn’t know then how busy I’d be now. In the past month I’ve been to Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi and all over Arkansas—Little Rock, Batesville, Heber Springs, Jonesboro, Osceola, and I even drove through Oil Trough. In a blink, I put 4,500 miles on my new car. I’m happy to be home but now I’m thinking about all the things I need to do around the house.
We’re pros when it comes to the home tour circuit. Several years ago, we nearly killed ourselves making our Dallas house tour ready, but it was fun. I wrote about the aftermath HERE. So, yes, I signed up again without giving it much thought and certainly without realizing how tired I would feel at this very moment.
Honestly, I know it will be a cool thing and a great day, and after I have a little more coffee, I’ll feel better about life in general.
Our Fayetteville home deserves to be seen. It was built in 1875. It’s part of Fayetteville history. I wrote about the home’s history and the history of our Washington-Willow neighborhood for Only in Arkansas which you can read HERE.
I’ve said it before—we are merely caretakers.
History is important, y’all.
If you live in Northwest Arkansas, consider supporting the 13th Annual Tour of Homes on Saturday, May 7. The home tour benefits historic 125 year old Washington Elementary School. Tickets can be purchased for $20 in advance (at Bank of Fayetteville on the square, French Metro, or The Gift House) and $25 on tour day (available at any tour house). To read more about the event and the homes on tour, click HERE.
This is really happening. The sign has been in our yard for weeks.
Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.
[tweetthis]May 7! Annual Tour of Homes #FayettevilleAr benefits #WashingtonElementary @FayFlyer @Fayhistory #historicalhomes[/tweetthis]
Musical Pairing:
Come On-A My House, Rosemary Clooney
Wish we could be there! Your house is perfect for the tour and you will be the perfect hostess.
Thanks, Colene!
All those years ago we always had hundreds of people walking through our house. We just never called it a home tour. Lol. We just called it Saturday night fun.
Haha yeah I remember.
All the houses are pretty, but,I like yours better.
Awww spoken like my aunt. Thank you!
My name is spelled wrong but I can’t correct it. Haha
Oh– how I wish I were there for the tour!!! Take pics!!!
Come on! Road trip…
Very exciting, Talya, and so neat to live in a home as old as yours. Too much history is fading, but I love the small towns here in Georgia that can still boast of old homes kept in loving shape by the owners. In fact, my mother lives in Oxford, GA, in the Hopkins house; it was built in the 1850s I believe. It’s amazing!
Have a wonderful tour day!
Blessings!
Thanks Martha! I’d love to see the Hopkins House!
I know you’re up to the challenge, especially with John and the girls helping. Wish I were close enough to help.
You can’t really just learn a lagguane fast . xDTake classes, books, websites, and of course practice, practice, practice. But usually it takes about 3 or 4 years of constant studying to become fluent. And still, people study lagguanes for 8 years or so.
They used to do something like this in my hometown (Eutaw, Alabama) with all the antebellum homes. They called it The Pilgrimage for reasons I’m not entirely sure of. They got high school students to dress up in hoop skirts and act as hostess for old-home enthusiasts, conducting tours through the homes and telling what I’m almost sure were very inaccurate details about the homes’ history.