Sometimes the stories behind the treasures we find are more meaningful than the treasures themselves! This is the sweet story behind the mirror!
Thyme for a Change
When I was in my mid 20’s , I decided to move from Central Illinois to Cincinnati, OH. Having been recently divorced, I was ready for a change. I lived in an apartment for the first year and then was able to purchase my first house. Having lived for the majority of my life in an older home, I was drawn to a house in an up and coming area that was affordable. It had wood floors, amazing woodwork, pocket doors and three fireplaces. The fireplaces couldn’t be used as they needed to be relined but they had beautiful tile fronts and nice mantels.
This how “my” house looks now . The current owners have given it a Painted Lady style makeover. They have changed the porch a bit too. It wasn’t painted that cute when I owned it. They added the brick parking area. I sold this home when I moved back to Illinois, but I still drive past whenever I go “home” to Cincinnati.
The two wrought iron gates went with me when I moved back to Illinois.
My Mom had propped one of the gates against some trees. Unfortunately, the trees grew into the gate so I had to leave it behind in Illinois. I did take the other one to Florida but it is still bouncing around in the back of my van! I need to find a great spot for it!
Weekends are for Exploring!
My parents liked to come visit me for long weekends. They came over one year for Labor Day. We were experiencing cooler than normal weather that year. Since I was working in the travel industry at the time, we decided to take a day trip on BB Riverboats, based out of Newport, KY. In fact, the entire office went . The entire office being 3 girls and their families, that is. I guess we thought we needed a bonding experience.
We boarded the riverboat mid morning for our trip to Rabbit Hash, KY. Rabbit Hash, KY is a tiny little hamlet on the banks of the Ohio River. It has a population of 315 , which is slightly smaller than Ivesdale, IL where I grew up. It is a quaint little town. It is listed on the National Register of Historic places. When I googled it this morning , the General Store looks the same now as it did years ago. It did suffer a fire in 2016 but apparently they were able to salvage much of the wood and rebuild. They incorporated wood from the same era the store was originally built and they were able to retain their historic designation .
After disembarking the riverboat, we took a trolley from the dock into the town. I am pretty sure we could have walked it, but who wants to pass up a ride on a trolley! We had time to explore the town . The main attraction is the General Store which is a combination general store and antique store. My mother was quite the shopper and she found a large(22″ wide by 40″ high) rectangle mirror framed in oak that she just had to have. It was fairly heavy and a bit bulky to carry on the trolley back to the riverboat but we managed.
Rabbit Hash General Store
The Mirror At The Farmhouse
The mirror was in the farmhouse with my parents for about 15 years. I honestly don’t remember where my mom had it hanging. I think maybe in the hallway next to the stairs. When they moved in to the modular house on the same property and we moved into the farmhouse, she didn’t take it with her. She left it for me and I moved it into the gathering room.
When we decided to move full time to Florida and I started working on downsizing, I wasn’t sure I was going to keep it. The mirror didn’t sell at the estate sale we had so I guess that meant I needed to keep it. I had it shipped down to Florida this summer with the 3rd set of professional movers that we used.
The Mirror In Florida
I finally had a chance to unpack it one night and do a quick styling in the entryway. It adds some warmth to the area, don’t you think? Seeing it as it gives me a connection to both my Mother and to the time I lived in Cincinnati. I am not entirely satisfied with how it is staged but are we creatives ever satisfied?
I love to decorate with antiques! To me, they are much more than the piece themselves. They are about a connection to the past.
To learn more about Rabbit Hash, Ky
To learn more about BB Riverboats:
To see the mirror and the table in the entryway decorated for Christmas:
Valentine’s Day idea for the entryway is located here:
A sneak peak of St Patrick’s Day
Summer Decorating Ideas for the Summer
Celadon Green & Cream Coastal Colors for Early Fall
I think the miser is beautiful and more importantly the story and the memories will last forever.
Thank you , Elizabeth!
Love this trip down memory lane!
Thank you, Marie!
I so much enjoyed this trip down memory lane!
Thank you for taking the time to read the post, Paula!
I love stories and pieces with memories. It truly makes a house a home!
Thank you, Cindy!
I love this story. And this Kentucky girl has never heard of this place! I may have to head that direction when travel becomes easier. Thanks for sharing!
You definitely should! It is an adorable little place!
What a beautiful story! I love having things that offer so much to us in our home.
Thank you , Melba!
Enjoyed reading this story. I love that old photo of you..
Thank you, Tammy!
What a lovely story. I love when a piece has a history rich in memories!
Thank you, Libbie!
It’s so fun when you have a piece in your home that has this kind of meaning and story behind it. Thanks for sharing this, I really enjoyed reading it.
Thank you so much, Carol! Your comments mean a lot to me!
There’s nothing I enjoy more than a good story about family memories and decor!
Thank you so much, Kim! I love writing the stories! I wish I had taken better notes along the way!
Nothing warms the heart like these family memories. Beautiful written, Kimberly. xo
Thank you, Juliet!
You have some treasured memories with that mirror! I think you are meant to keep it 🙂
Thank you , Cindy! I really should get it hung up on the wall instead of leaning against the wall to that it will be more secure. It does have a lot of memories attached to it!
Kim, this is the most beautiful story! Thanks for sharing this. My home also is filled with treasures attached to incredible memories!
Thank you, Sue! I think pieces of furniture or even smalls with stories are so important! That is one reason it was so hard for me to downsize! Almost everything had a story….. that I wanted to remember! Thanks for reading!