Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Birds, puppies and houses

To get us started on our move to Tennessee our daughter and son-in-law rented a truck and came for several days to pick up some of our furniture for our Nashville house.  It is just a dent - maybe 5% of our things, but a start just the same.

It will take several months to go through all our accumulation of 40 years for the move and it will keep me busy.  I still took time to take pictures in our backyard.  We moved our house plants outdoor as the weather was mild.  On the leaf of one of the plants was a tiny frog - I had never seen its kind before - it was the size of a coin.  (Click on collage to enlarge.)

Our first tea rose for the season was very pretty.  In the 1970s I planted an heirloom pink climbing rose bush - I forget its name now.  It has survived neglect all these years and gives us a profusion of blooms with many petals.  It climbs high and I can see it, eye level, from the second floor window.

A family of yellow finches adopted our bird feeders.  Their bright colors would be a splash of sunshine under any weather.  I took their pictures through our kitchen window that has a screen so the pictures are not as clear as they could be.

Other birds would come to the feeders, but the little yellow finches did not like that.  They would fly around them or sit on a branch and impatiently wait, and then come back and resume their feeding.

My husband will miss this backyard that attracts so many different birds.  Our Nashville house has a small yard with hardly any bushes and trees.  Here we see such a variety of birds - many I cannot photograph as they fly away so quickly.

One bird was unknown to me - it had the body of a sparrow but the striped head of a finch.  Anyone knows what it was?

I had some old pecan nuts that I threw under the bird feeders.  A little squirrel kept running back and forth with the nuts and took all of them away.

The chipmunk's head was hard to see among the red rocks.  He is well camouflaged in the top photo.

Last week we drove to Tennessee to stay with our daughter and family.  We did see a robin by their house.  But I was in the car and too far - it flew away as I came closer.

Our daughter and family live in Brentwood, Tennessee.  It is a suburban town south of Nashville (only 13 miles from our future house downtown.)  They chose this location as they worked in towns in opposite directions and Brentwood was in the center of their commute.  They live in a nice house, not a maxed-out fortress like those now being built in the area.  Brentwood is in Williamson County which also includes the cities of Franklin, Fairview and Spring Hill. The area is pretty with rolling hills and farms.  The Harpeth River runs through it.  Native Americans were the first residents of Brentwood.  European-American white settlers came next in the 1700s, dislodging the Native Americans.  After the Civil War small farms growing tobacco and other crops were cultivating the land.  Brentwood was incorporated as a city in 1969.

Brentwood is not a "city" per se - it has no real downtown or the usual Southern "town square" with a historic courthouse.  It is made up of subdivisions, churches, schools, grocery stores, restaurants and banks - no sidewalks - you have to drive everywhere.  It used to be mostly spacious farms, fenced-in pasture lands - but the land is being sold to wealthy residents and promoters who build oversized houses.  In 2006 Williamson County was the 11th wealthiest county in the country (and still is in the top 20,) maybe because famous country singers live in and around Brentwood, such as Dolly Parton, Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Kenny Chesney, Garth Brooks, Keisha, Carrie Underwood, Trisha Yearwood, etc., as well as well-known athletes and other celebrities.  I also read the 90% of the new residents of Brentwood and adjacent localities are not from Tennessee.  Driving around the county we can still see how pastoral and peaceful it must have all been.

Driving about 4 miles away to the grocery store, we pass some pretty landscape with trees, an historic house and barn, but suddenly come upon a huge McMansion in the middle of a field - it is startling.

As you drive down the county roads you still see some lovely farms with horses running free.  But, maybe next door to an old house there will stand a gaudy, incongruous and artificial French-Normandy castle meets British cottage mega house.  Then there will be an empty lot for sale followed by another McMansion of a totally different style - an oversized brick a gogo pretentious abode.  It has an Italian look, but with big Southern columns and weird windows on the roof looking like antlers.  Next might be a 1960 era ranch.  What a series of discordant architectural styles.

Imitation castles next to old country homes - interesting neighborhood ... The European inspired fake castle (on the second row right in collage below) which includes disparate ornaments, was built in 2008 and has 6 full and 3 half bathrooms, a 7-car garage but only 4 bedrooms.  It is listed at $6 millions.  I checked and found that after several fields, they are surrounded by a barn looking building as their neighbors to the right and an ancient mobile home for the neighbors to the left (2 bottom pictures below.) ... The house certainly clashes with the local ambiance.

I researched the web to see if there is a Land Planning Commission in Brentwood and Williamson County.  There is, but I could not find in their zoning regulations anything on architectural integrity, or community harmony.  I did see that a developer had offered to build affordable housing but had been voted down.  You won't find apartment complexes, housing projects, modest neighborhoods here.  The aim is to let high-end grandiose suburban homes take the place of old farms.  The down-home Southern charm won't survive.  This is a shame because there used to be historic large houses in the area, and they blended in the scenery (see the first 3 historic homes below.)  Now it is just a pastiche of style, to celebrate "money" with ego boasting Hummer type houses adorned with huge windows (that don't match the building size,) a tower or two, and a mishmash of styles.  The sense of place and the character of the valley are gone - left are these over-designed, ostentatious and disproportionate houses competing for massiveness (and sprawl is ignored.)

There are many of these multi-million supersized bloated mastodons on the market.  They are not "green," consume enormous amount of energy, and are car dependent (there is no public transportation anywhere that I could find,) cheaply built and encouraged by land developers and local municipalities.  Their garish designs are not in harmony with their surroundings - you don't get a sense of "community" with them  - no harmonious symmetry.  These starter castles on the lush Williamson County farmland dwarf their neighbors' older homes - what is happening to the culture of architecture in America?  Maybe these ridiculously sized, socially irresponsible homes don't use architects, just developers and a plan book.  On the other hand I read that "millennials" (77 million young people aged 18-36) prefer to live in small houses in cities and in the mixed-used communities of urban centers.  They reject living isolated in sterile sprawling mega houses in the middle of a field - so what will happen to the McMansion monstrosities in the future?

You may think that I am a bit hard on this, but I come from Europe where there are stringent national land-use laws.  Urban planning laws are also tougher - my mother, who wanted to add a room and rear entrance to her house, had to wait one year for a building permit - it had to "fit" with the neighborhood, be historically done, even though you could not see the room from the front of the house.  Most old cities in Europe would not have their unique characters if some of their wealthy citizens, like here, had decided to build a mega house in their town, without any regard to their neighbors and environment.  There are many wealthy people in Europe.  Just imagine, just for fun, if one of these Williamson County huge single family houses were built into one of the European cities below - what would they look like in these cities?  In the left columns are: Cinque Terre, Italy - Colmar, France and Dinant, Belgium.  These cities do have their proper style of architecture but here, in Williamson County alone, an assortment of styles have been randomly copied from a motley collection of European mansions.

There is an interesting article on McMansions by columnist Thomas Frank - read it here (Let them eat McMansions: the 1 percent income inequality and new fashioned American excess.)  He says: "The suburban ideal of the 1950s, according to "The Organization Man," was supposed to be "classlessness," but the opposite ideal is the brick-to-the-head message of the dominant suburban form of today.  The McMansion exists to separate and then celebrate the people who are wealthier than everybody else; this is the transcendent theme on which its crazy, discordant architectural features come harmonically together.  This form of development wants nothing to do with the superficial community-mindedness of the postwar suburb, and the reason the giant house looks the way it does is to inform you of this.  Have the security guard slam the gates, please, and the rest of the world be damned."  I am pleased that we will be living downtown Nashville, in an historic district.  It is a Neighborhood Conservation Zoning Overlay district where you just can't build, add or demolish a house at will.  Many houses are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.  Below are some more areas of Williamson County that have not been built over, yet.

Our daughter read on the web that a local animal rescue shelter needed some help.  They had just found 8 puppies abandoned in a box and were asking for volunteers to keep some of them for a while.  Four of these puppies were in the house when we arrived.  My husband and almost 3-years old granddaughter favored the little white puppy, but it became sick and had to be returned for several days.

The other three puppies were energetic and lively.

The puppies were so cute; I could not stop taking their pictures.


One of the puppies watched my husband pushing his grandson on the swing.  But then they all fell asleep.

Luckily the puppies did not go to the front yard or they would have seen a big, wild rabbit.  He was fat and did not run away when I came closer to take its picture.


We drove back to Georgia, to our cats - without a fuzzy puppy, unfortunately, or ... fortunately?  :-)

There are many photos in this long post, but since I only can post once a month or so, there is plenty of time to read and look at them.  I also had some fun with watercolor and paint.







49 comments:

betsy said...

Welcome to Nashville!

How right you are about Williamson County mega-homes. I can stand at the steeplechase course at Percy Warner and see Faux castles and Tuscan villas atop the surrounding hills. Nashville is a boom town, and there is much speculation and overbuilding going on. Old neighborhoods gentrified will never be the same. Pastures destroyed for subdivisions break the heart.

But there are many wonderful things here. The Warner Parks are gems.

Welcome!

Elephant's Child said...

McMansions? Bleah.
How I wish that we had stronger regulations keeping them in check. Money is the prime decider here. If you have enough of it you can do almost anything - including quite a lot that shouldn't be done.
I love your garden and the frog. And the puppies.
I hope in this busy and stressful time you coninue to be blessed with beauty.

BeachGypsy said...

So glad to see a post from you! You always have such lovely pictures and I ALWAYS LEARN something new and interesting on your blog! I'm from Tennessee and its BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY. I adore the original old historic homes. I have to agree with you on the "mc-mansions". Just don't get it. None of it even 'goes' together...what are they thinking?
I am excited for y'all on your up-coming move! Just do a little at a time, the best way. It will all get done..even though it does seem to take forever. Take your time and watch your health ok?
I love the beautiful pictures on the blog today....especially the beautiful countryside scenery and the bright yellow finch caught in flight!
What sweet puppies!! They all look strong and lively and healthy....so fun! Hope they all find good homes!
Come visit my blog when you are up to it....today's post it on animal cruelty and one amazing doggie who survived it!

bayou said...

Hello Vagabonde, at least you do your name again justice :-). A good start for the removal but I know the feeling... So good, that you have help and support! I loved all the pictures of Tennessee, a part of the world which is unknown to me. And I adore the puppies! Did you paint the last two pictures or is it the app from a photo? And those birds! What a colourful variety! Thank you so much for sharing. Love and best wishes, Anke

Thérèse said...

Intéressant comme le sont toujours tes billets.
Les lois n'ont pas changé en France sur les permis de construire et les permis d'extension, par contre ce sont les signatures et les tours de passe-passe qui jouent souvent des tours de magie... pour te donner une exemple: une maison dans notre rue a été déclassifiée au cours d'une réunion municipale le temps de permettre deux construction dans son parc...puis re-classifiée et aucun rappel n'a pu avoir d'autorité...
J'aime beaucoup la mini grenouille, bon courage pour la réorganisation mobilière.

DJan said...

I agree that those McMansions are an eyesore. I'm also glad you will be living in a historic district, but I also imagine how much you will miss all those birds and beautiful flowers you have now. I think that is a white-crowned sparrow. We have them here in the spring and summer but they migrate away during the winter. It's always so nice to see you here. And I just love the puppy pictures! :-)

Frances said...

Dear Vagabonde, this is such an interesting post. The mcmansion phenomenon is astounding. I saw lots of this sort of thing in Virginia also. It's even worse when the huge pastiche house is squeezed into a plot not quite large enough to let it rest comfortably.

It looks like a sort of themeless (except for money and ostentation) theme park is growing around Nashville. That trend does seem to mesh with the current political climate. Oh my goodness!

Let me now praise the beauty of those birds and the complete charm of the puppies.

May I also say how much I like your watercolor work!

xo to you and yours.

donna baker said...

Developers are the new lawyers. Love the birds and puppies. It has taken me quite a long time moving after decades. Still trying to get rid of stuff and move things from farm to city. It is exhausting. Try not to think about all left to do. Still going between the two, but eventually hope to sell the farm.

David said...

Vagabonde, So your big move is underway... It will be a huge change in your life after living so many years in the same place but you will adjust and then you'll discover the positives of living in your new home. Of course, one will the fact that you'll be close to family. Our son and his family lived in Brentwood for a time. I didn't care for their house but they did love the area. My wife and I do like Franklin and its history... It does have an interesting downtown area.

Castles...what can I say! Some people just want to show off their wealth by building them...poor taste be dammed. Since most of the region around Nashville was countryside, it was open to development for homes of any type and size... There probably are older historic areas in Nashville itself where architectural limitations are in place. The development we live in allows for a variety of design but it does set boundaries and every new home has to be approved before construction starts. Of course, this community is only about 30 years old.

Even in your new home with minimal trees around, if you put up a couple of feeders you'll be surprised at the number and variety of birds you'll attract. Nice bird and flower photos...and I loved your little frog.

So you can paint too! I especially liked the little boy with the puppy! My mother, stepfather and brother all had artistic talent...even selling some of their work. On the other hand, I have zero ability in that regard.

Keep a positive frame of mind for the remainder of your moving process. Look forward rather than back...as we all live in the moment and the future is ours to capture.

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Jeanie said...

There is SO much to love in this post, VB! Like the adorable puppies -- yes, that's one of those fortunately or maybe not so fortunate things that you didn't end up with one. I could see your husband having a new pal to occupy him! And supposedly pet interactions are good for people with illnesses of most kinds. But it would be a huge responsibility with the move and all and I suspect you would get the brunt of it.

Your bird photos are fabulous, especially the one in flight. You may be luckier than you think in your new home if you can plant some tall shepherd hook poles near your window. I don't have a lot of trees by my door (save for the neighbor's lilac) but I do have a lot of birds at the window, much to Lizzie's delight! I especially love the finches, too - they are my favorites!

Three cheers for getting a good load of stuff to Nashville. You have to start somewhere. And I am SO with you on the McMansions. They make me crazy, especially when they don't fit the environment.

Tamago said...

I love yellow finches, they are so cute and bright! I'm not familiar with the bird with striped head, either. Such unique looking bird.
Williamson County looks beautiful place with beautiful green fields. But those mega McMansions sure look strange in the middle of modest neighborhood. It seems to be the trend there and it's sad that nice historic sceneries are destroyed.
The puppies are so cute! The photos of them napping are so precious :-) And your paintings are fantastic!! Have a great day xoxo

Magali@TheLittleWhiteHouse said...

First, welcome to the new puppy!! So cute!
I'm always surprised by the size of the houses in America (like, who needs six bathrooms?), as American readers are always surprised by how small my cottage is, though it's considered comfortable here in France. But what surprises me the most is that people don't choose to build in the Southern style, which is beautiful and can create big houses as well.

Cynthia said...

Those puppies are so cute, I don't know how you came home without one! How exciting, a new home in a new state. You will have so much to explore and photograph in a new area.
Thank you for visiting my blog and commenting today. I will definitely look for the books you recommended as I have not read them. I do enjoy historical fiction. I'm wondering where in Georgia you have lived for so many years. Are we "neighbor's"?

Mae Travels said...

HI Vagabonde,
It was good to hear from you on my blog, and I'm glad your move is off to a good start. When I get back from France, I'll read this in detail, as your study of the sociology of the towns looks very intriguing!

best... mae at maefood.blogspot..com

Denise Covey said...

Hello Vagabonde. I was surprised to hear of your move to Nashville, but it will be wonderful to be so near your daughter and her family. Interesting shots of those incongruous McMansions and fake castles. Give me those European towns with their strict planning laws any day. Love the watercolours!

Wishing you the best for the move! Hope all goes smoothly! And I hope you find enough wildlife to keep you happy...

Linda P said...

Those puppies are adorable. I would love a rescue dog, but at the moment we have to resist as our lifestyle would not be fair to one unless we found good kennels when we are away from the UK. I'm glad that your move is getting underway. I'm sure there will be much you'll miss such as the wildlife and your garden, but there are positives such as living nearer to your daughter and family. When we retired we moved to be near one of our daughters and it's been a blessing although we're very close to our other children. At least they come to visit us often. I can see what you mean about those oversized houses with styles that are not in keeping with the surrounding countryside especially those with entrance porches completely out of proportion to the rest of the facade. We built our Italian house from scratch and I like symmetry and a traditional style with the Roman pillars on the retaining walls surrounding the property. It has matured into the surrounding uncultivated fields. It's really too big for us now we are an elderly couple. However, we've enjoyed it over the years when family and friends joined us for holidays and expect that to continue in the future. Looking forward to hearing more as you progress with your move.

Carol Crump Bryner said...

I wonder what will happen to these huge houses after the rich owners can no longer afford them, or are too old to keep them up. So many rooms to heat and cool!

You did such a good job with your bird and puppy photos. I am visiting my brother in Connecticut and spend happy time watching the birds on the feeders, in the fields, and vying for homes in the bluebird houses. Yesterday we saw the first bluebirds come to the houses. Before that were tree swallows and the occasional sparrow and starling. Needless to say, the sparrows and starlings are not welcome guests when one wants to have bluebirds as tenants.

It's good that you can make your move to Nashville slowly. But it's hard any way you do it!

Carol Crump Bryner said...

And I think the mystery bird is a white-throated sparrow

Carola Bartz said...

The puppies are incredible adorable! I also love your bird pictures - it is wonderful to have so many different birds in your yard. This is something I enjoy very much here in my own home. Oh, and the little frog - what a cutie!!

I looked "your unknown" bird up in my Sibley guide, and I think it's a white crowned sparrow.

Beautiful rural landscapes in Tennessee - and how sad that they are built over with these monster mansions. I really don't understand these big houses that aren't tasteful at all but only seem to show off big money. Quite ugly in my eyes. You can find that here as well, and I think it's appalling.

I do hope that you will love your new home. It is definitely nice that you will be closer to your daughter and her family.

Magic Love Crow said...

Hi My Friend! Glad the move is coming along well. I love all your pictures of the birds and squirrels. Something you will truly miss when you move. I understand totally what you are saying about these homes! The same thing is happening where I live. I don't even know how people afford it? Even if I had the money, I would want it! Give me a small house with birds and animals around it! I really don't know what is going to happen in the future! I love the puppies! I hope the little white one is ok! Your art is amazing! Love!!! Take care! Big Hugs!

Pixel Peeper said...

I've moved many times in my life, and consider it one of the most stressful episodes of life. Make sure to take good care of yourself during this time! At least you are moving closer to family, that may take some of the stress away.

I'm with you on the McMansions...I always wonder how much of all that space is really used. And who will clean all those rooms? I'd feel lost in a house so large, located in the middle of nowhere.

Lovely bird photos! And your roses are just beautiful!

joared said...

This is all so interesting and lovely photos, I especially like your puppy watercolor and grandchild with sleeping puppy. It's a shame the countryside is being overrun with the McMansions. I'm glad you're able to live in an area where that type building is prevented as it is here in Claremont, CA where I live. Many areas in the U.S. Cope with the same problem I've read including around Los Angeles. I can imagine downsizing through your home of over forty years is challenging and separating from your surroundings. I need to sort through my things I keep saying even though I have no immediate moving plans.

Linda said...

I absolutely love all your photos and watercolours! Thank you so much for sharing, you have made my day!

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

You've moved! Yay! I have never heard of anyone starting out life in a new home with four puppies! What a marvelous thing -- you must be so full of energy to be able to do that. Just moving alone would have me exhausted.

Adored all the pictures and I will (as you suggest) come back to more carefully read your words -- I did note the part about McMansions which are a special pet peeve of ours. (But I know that not everyone could live in the tiny spaces that we call our homes.)

Vagabonde said...

Sallie - thank you for your comment, but we have not moved yet. It will take a while as we have so much stuff. The house with the puppies is our daughter's. She came to GA with her husband to start us to move, just a tiny start.

Vicki Lane said...

I love the watercolors and hope you'll find time to do more. The McMansions, alas, are a blight on the landscape. How inadequate must people feel to build such monstrosities.

The puppies, on the other hand . . . well, what could be better than a puppy?

Down by the sea said...

The one thing I missed about our previous home when we moved was the garden. We had developed it over 23 years, you can take your belongings with you and the inside can still feel like home. We took some cuttings but it is not the same.
It's a shame that the new homes have not been built in the style of the locality, so of those homes look so out of keeping. I expect in many years from now there will a fashion to go back to the old style!
How could those puppies have been abandoned? It looks as if your husband and grandson were enjoying their presence. Sarah x

Reader Wil said...

Thanks for your visit! Those big houses are interesting.We only have a few of them. And we have strict building regulations, which is good for we live in a small country
Thanks for your comment. Yes, Australia is far away. I go to Australia at least every second year.
I wish you a lot of strength to face the moving house!
Wil, ABCW Team

Cergie said...

Bonjour Vagabonde ! On a l'impression que tu te remplis de souvenirs de ton lieu de vie depuis si longtemps : les animaux, le jardin et en même temps tu as la chance de ne pas déménager d'un coup. Il va te falloir t'accoutumer à un petit jardin qui du moins te permettra de voir passer les saisons sans te donner trop de mal. Et ton mari, je l'espère, y trouvera de nouveaux repères, vous aurez la possibilité de profiter de vos enfants et petits-enfants, cela sera un plus pour un moins...
Je me suis demandé comment je pourrais quitter des plantes que j'ai acclimatées de mon jardin de famille, celui de ma grand-mère ; j'en avais laissé déjà beaucoup, j'ai un rosier ancien cent-feuilles mais j'en ai laissé tant d'autres, des hostas, des pervenches blanches, des aspérules odorantes, des violettes etc... (et j'oublie les pivoines). Oui mais je me suis aperçue qu'il fait du bien d'aller de l'avant sans penser à ce que l'on laisse derrière soi, tant que l'on a des projets et qu'on est capable de s'adapter alors tout va bien.

Cergie said...

Tu vas avoir beaucoup à découvrir et apprivoiser et tu seras bien entourée par ta famille, il est bon que le contact soit étroit, tu pourras t'échapper plus facilement. Et oui, peut-être faire un petit tour en vieille Europe ? Que de perspectives pour toi !

Ruth said...

Good luck with your move and settling in there in Nashville. It's sad to leave a beautiful home and environs. I wish you all the best. It's good that you will be close to family.

Nadezda said...

Vagabonde, you're very right saying about style in architecture, I completely agree.
The puppies are pretty but they will grow...
Your moving started, it's enough long process.
Lovely roses, such a big bush.
Have a nice weekend!

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Thanks for your reply letting me know more about the puppy Vagabonde. I came back to read the post more carefully since I obviously missed part of it the first time! I am glad you are taking time to make your move -- rushing isn't good.

Kay said...

Wow! I am so impressed with your paintings. You are so very talented. It's always hard to leave a home you've lived in for such a long time. It was very difficult for us too, but we're loving our new place now.

I have never seen that bird before. It's so pretty.

Pondside said...

I wish you the best of luck with the big move. I am sure it will be a good one! McMansions? They are a scourge!

Al said...

Pretty flowers and birds. Good luck with your move!

Kerry said...

Oh my gosh, I need to get off my butt and paint something. I love your paintings!
Your mystery bird is a warbler but I don't know what kind. One of our bird books has a chapter entitled "Confusing Spring Warblers." :-D
Europe has it all over most of the US as far as land use planning. I live in Oregon, though, and must say that the land use codes are quite strict, so most sprawl is eliminated and there is a ton of public land. Not so in most other states.

Shammickite said...

McMansions are everywhere, even here in the Canadian countryside. I can't imagine having to live in one. What would I do with all those bedrooms and bathrooms? Yuck!
Good luck with your house move. A pain, but a good opportunity to sort out what you need and what you don't need!
The puppies are lively, but I'm glad I don't have one thank you!

DeniseinVA said...

That was quite a trip you had and you took some wonderful photos. Loved the puppies, so kind of your daughter and family to take them in. Enjoyed your artwork as well as your photos, thank you. Thank you also for visiting my smile post. I found your comments very interesting and very true, as thinking towards smiling is very different depending what country you are in. I've always thought it would be a good thing to find out before traveling abroad what is acceptable and what is not acceptable, just to be on the safe side.

Anonymous said...

Goodness. Long post, however, I think I am in the comment section. Your climbing pink rose looks like a Cecile Brunner. The smaller bird with the black and bite stripes on his head looks like a White-Crowned Sparrow. The larger bird with the pointy beak is a White-breasted Nuthatch. Good luck with your move.

rhymeswithplague said...

Vagabonde's "home town" in Georgia, or perhaps I should say base of operations, was Marietta, a suburb of Atlanta.

claude said...

Quelle magnifique publication, Vagabonde !
Ce n'est pas rien de déménager 40 ans de sa vie.
Je vous souhaite un bon déménagement et une autre vie commencera.
Bises

BeachGypsy said...

hOWDY Vagabonde! So glad to see you had stopped by. Thats awful and so sad what happened to that dog you told me about. I hope it made it. Personally I would never ever ever put our two big dogs in the back of a moving vehicle but we see people who do all the time. Seems to me they could be thrown easily and guess that is what happened to the dog you saw on the news. Our dogs ride in the car with us at all times and I was definetly not advocating dogs riding loose in any way. Perhaps they were just going a short ways----who knows? They probably were on the way to the beach which is nearby.....still.....safety should come first. Thanks so much for your comments, love it when you stop by and hope y'all are doing well with that move? Keep us posted ok

Notes From ABroad said...

You are so much stronger than I ! I would have come back home with at least one puppy lol.
My cats can vouch for this .. yes, I took my late moms cat because no one else wanted her. I am not the woman with 3 cats.

I love that last painting so much !!

Rhodesia said...

Sounds like you are really busy and on the move. Love this post.

I feel regulations here have changed quite a lot. So many new houses have gone up in the last 10 years and none of them to me look French!!! The cost of renovating for the younger generation was too great, so many places are now falling to ruin while the new houses are very out of place. I try not to look at them!

Love your water colours you are quite an artist.

Hope you are well Diane

Miss_Yves said...

J'imagine ce que représente un tel déménagement et un tel changement!

Meilleurs voeux pour cette nouvelle vie.
Je vais publier d'autres photos du voyage de ma fille au Vietnam, dans une semaine.

Miss_Yves said...

Et merci pour ces magnifiques photos .

Notes From ABroad said...

Some of the nicest, kindest most lovely people I ever met were in Tennessee .. up in the Crossville section. I will ( and my daughter) always remember them with love.

It would have been so difficult for me to 1- choose a puppy 2- choose just one 3- not bring them all home with me :)

When we lived in NY State, we lived on a country road, that connected 2 main roads. There was minimal traffic and at the top of the hill was a massive farm with Highland cattle and sheep and one lone rescued horse. ( gorgeous, covered in scars but gentle and quiet and best of all Safe !)
The farmer sold a big piece of land off and a contractor put up a small cul de sac of identical very pricey homes .. pretty but ordinary in their expensive out of place style. I wish builders would learn about what is appropriate to a location .. not a McMansion for sure !!

The speed limit was 35 and I don't think anyone, especially trucks, went slower than 50-60. terrible. stupid.jerks.

sandy said...

Very interesting post - we too have these MacMansions all around in So Cal - they look ridiculous in commuities with modest homes - One in particular that always stood out was in the middle of a neighborhood I would walk through - probably at the most these houses at their largest were about 2000 to 3500 sq feet - nice homes - fairly expensive and then there was the castle built on a corner in the neighborhood with turrets and sprawling architecture. My thought was that they had won the lottery and always desired to live in this nice neighborhood. Now there are tracts with these monsters next to other tracts of high to low mid class houses.

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