Wednesday, December 7, 2011

The Lights are on...

 

I swear...I just about had to do the limbo to get the cedar garland, the moon
and the attic window candle all in one shot.

But let's back up a bit.


On Sunday morning, I took a few swigs of courage, grabbed the ladder and cautiously popped my head up to make sure nothing was up there.  I think it's scary because when I was buying the house, the inspector said there was bat poop up there and it totally freaked me out.  The owner had an exterminator come who said no, absolutely no bats.  When I moved in, I heard things running around up there and called an extreminator to come check it out.  A family of squirrels had chewed their way in through the eaves and was running around under the floor boards.  They were evicted and the hole was patched.  But that's the whole story behind my irrational fear of the attic.

With a little bit of work, it could probably look like this...


...I'd put a ripped up Victorian sofa and several stacks of dusty books and The World of Interiors would be dying to get up there to do a photo shoot.  But for now, it's just creepy.

But back to the magic of Christmas. 


...I climbed up with my little helper spotting me on the ladder
and squeezed my butt through the tiny door...



...to place the candle in the window. 

Thankfully I can turn it on from downstairs with a little remote.



Et Voila!



And as the sun set...


...the sky turned a brilliant heavenly blue...



...and the Angel Gabriel appeared in a bright -- Oh, I guess that's just the moon. 

But I'm pretty sure that's the Star of Bethlehem to the left. 


I just love white lights in the dark of winter.



Here you can see the scale of my house next to the three-story Victorian next door.



All I need is a little snow for the perfect picture, but I'm not asking for any right now.

On to do the tree!

62 comments:

  1. My mother loved placing candles in the windows.... Nothing says Christmas to me like candles. Your decorations are gorgeous. Merry Christmas to you.

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  2. OMG, I just love it. Style and class and wit - you have it all. Dreamy. Love the kitty helpers. Have you trained them to phone 911?
    David insists on coloured lights on the exterior (and the tree) and I just pretend I don't live in that house when I drive by. I told him if he dies ahead of me, I am painting the (brown wood panelled) TV room white which he won't let me paint (maybe I will do it the day before the funeral?) and I am having all white lights the following Christmas.

    Your house looks great! You have a remote for that light? I am jealous...
    T.

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  3. The cat's expression is priceless!
    Well it was well worth the limbo dance, it looks utterly beautiful and must enrich the entire neighbourhood.

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  4. Your home is absolutely lovely. I love your blue hour shot! that is priceless, could be your Christmas card for next year. I understand your fear of attics! xo marlis

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  5. Terri,
    Still teaching the cats 9-1-1. They usually do 9-9-1.

    They sell the remotes at Home Depot. You can buy a 3-pack so you can turn all of your holiday lights on without even leaving your recliner!

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  6. Your house is absolutely marvelous. I'm glad you summoned up the courage to head up to the attic and even take a picture for us! The sky is beautiful and you can chalk up photographer on your list of achievements.

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  7. If I were walking down your street, the attic candle would stop me dead in my tracks! I'm so glad you downed a little somethin to get up there. :)

    Surely that picture of your house at dusk has to be on the cover on some magazine....

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  8. Steve,
    Wow, your home looks great! The Christmas lights really show off those gorgeous columns! The candle in the attic window is the finishing touch. Looks like you're ready for the Holidays!! Now you can just sit back and enjoy.
    am

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  9. The lights look fantastic! Your cat really did look concerned - glad there was nothing to greet you up there.

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  10. Brilliant - I like the sound of those remotes and your very clever kitties. :)

    T.

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  11. Absolutely beautiful! Just curious, why not put candles in the first floor windows too?

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  12. You have everything in this post: drama, horror, history, beauty, a really helpful cat and a stunning picture (the dark blue sky is my favorite), but despite all this I was totally distracted that you have such a beautiful attic which you don't use?! Oh Steve!

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  13. Anonymous,
    The Christmas tree will go in the window at the center of the first floor so I didn't think it needed candles on the first floor. But, I agree, it looks like they're missing right now. I also thought it seemed odd for them to sit either halfway up the window or on the floor. I have extras; perhaps I'll give it a try.

    Tricia Rose, I know. It's only about 6 feet in the center so it's not very usable but it might be fun to make it a sleeping loft or studio space or something at some point.

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  14. Steve: Your home looks so inviting. There is nothing better than white lights. Cindy

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  15. God I love your house.
    It looks very similar to mine.
    Well, ok if you cut a third off of the side and took off the enclosed porch and changed the windows and pulled off the old siding and added a new porch with columns...
    yep, just like my house.
    sigh...and added an attic instead of my crawl space.
    (I'm so glad you have a unfinished dark scary attic. Otherwise I would be so envious that I'd fall over into a jealous coma.)

    ...oh, and your lights are perfect and loved all your photos! :)

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  16. so simple so lovely.
    Merry Crhistmas.
    Cathy

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  17. You ARE so nice to come home to Good King Wens----oh wait that's not for here it's for my blog.

    You have created a veritable fairy land of loveliness.

    Not too much not too little it's just right.

    Wish you were my neighbor.

    xo J.

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  18. I think Steve, the gift you have is knowing when to stop. It is so utterly simple it's refreshing. I am so tired of decor overload....santa's multi color neon lights, flashing lights, blow up plastic snow globes (the latest in my neighborhood) and the dreaded icicle lights....I want to look out of my window and see a carefully dressed home like yours that speaks to the architecture of the house.

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  19. Your house is very pretty and all the prettier with twinkling white lights! Love the shots at the various stages of sunset and darkness.

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  20. it is all beautiful!!! I am so proud of you for going into the attic! what a big boy;) thank goodness you had your attack cat there for protection! too cute.

    joan

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  21. Perfect, just perfect.

    Bridgemor

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  22. Dreamy...Love your little cottage next to the bruisers.


    And just wondering....what proof was the bottle of courage that yu swigged? Can you pass it to me? Need to do an attic run too. eeek.

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  23. LOVE the Christmas decor and night time photos. I had to smile when I noticed that you decorated your blog header too!
    Merry Merry Christmas

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  24. so pretty. the nightime photography is really great too.

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  25. Looks GREAT Steve! Just right...I'm glad you use white lights too...
    I have to laugh, though...I don't like my attic for the very same reason! Which also leads to my dislike of squirrels and to be honest...although sort of cute...chipmonks are not on my like list either.:-)
    Great job! **Tami

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  26. I love it when homeowners put lights in the attic windows! It's a little extra magic! Your home looks lovely! And bite your tongue about the snow, it adds days on to the school calendar! LOL!!! ;-)

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  27. The simplicity of your decorations is first rate. I hope an inflatable Santa is not next! ;)

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  28. That color evening sky is exclusive to New England. The Paris sky at dawn is only to be found in Paris. I love this about different landscapes.
    Bats are good things. Unfortunately they're disappearing in New England.
    Your house looks like Merry Christmas to me. Can't wait to see the inside!

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  29. Very beautiful and serene with great photos. I have two questions though:

    1) have you considered a little greenery on the front stair posts

    2) what are the cats receiving for Christmas

    Looking forward to the tree...

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  30. J.W.
    Hmmm. Hadn't thought about it. Do you mean a garland down the rail or just a decoration on each post?

    The cats are getting new kitty beds and a few packages of their favorite furry mice.

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  31. So beautiful. Your neighbors are lucky. Aren't cats the best companions. Merry Christmas!

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  32. My first thought was just the posts, but either way would be very fine I think. Maybe with a ribbon that matches the one holding the wreath.

    My cat is receiving his favorite furry mice, too (he always chews the leather tail off), as well as a plush fish-shaped toy that has "Gefilte" written on the side. :)

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  33. Simply stunning. First class. Top notch. Totally fitting. Everyone should have your taste. How pretty the world would be!

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  34. simply elegant and stunning, love it!
    debra

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  35. Absolutely beautiful Steve! I just love it!
    xoTrina

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  36. Dang, you know you're an interior junkie when you start throwing the World of Interiors into your posts -- AND when you hit the description of them dead-on. As for summoning the courage to get into the attic, the things one will do for pretty! Yup, I'd say you are a true junkie. Your lit-up house is perfect, perfect.

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  37. Fantastic lights photos!
    Thank goodness for spotting cats.

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  38. These pictures are making me so homesick!!!! I'm surrounded by Gothic, Romanesque, ancient Roman, Palladian architecture, but I'll still take a nice New England Greek Revival ready for snow any day...

    and i love the cat picture. cat pictures never get old.

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  39. Your house looks beautiful. The decoration is just right; celebratory yet restrained. Love it.
    Best...Victoria

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  40. I'm glad you braved the attic to put the candle in the window. It was definitely worth the effect. Let's just hope the bulb doesn't go out and you'd have to go up there again! My attic is the same way. Could be amazing but scary. I actually had a bat in my house and it totally freaked me out! Thanks for sharing your holiday greenery. I love its understated simplicity.

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  41. You know what I think, when I drive by someone's house that has a light in the attic - an insane sister is locked away up there . . . . whooooooo.

    Ann

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  42. Ann,

    Nope. My sister lives in the basement.

    Steve

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  43. Gorgeous! Love your house inside and out. I feel your anguish climbing up that ladder too! The attic is not my favorite place to be. Actually, I´ve never been.. ;)

    -Sanna-

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  44. your house looks beautiful. What a great idea. Your attic would be so much fun to put a little hide out up there.

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  45. Your sunset photograph, and the one following it, would make the perfect Christmas card. The Urban Cottage looks great!

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  46. Perfection! Thank you for the time lapse photos. It is just like being there. The blue sky is so pretty!

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  47. I agree with Razmataz... less is more. Your home is the best example of that principle I have ever seen. Stunning! Truly stunning!

    Question: Since you have a remote for the attic light can't you just leave it plugged in up there all year long and turn it on in December?

    Take care,
    Karla in Ca.

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  48. Simply perfect and worth the effort. It's always nice to have a trusted cat to steady the ladder. I wish your house were on my street or our house on your street. Yours would cheer me at any time of the year and mine would look all the better for your inspiration.
    Can't wait to see the tree lights shining through the first floor window.
    Linda

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  49. Lovely!

    The blow-up Santa will be a nice addition next year.

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  50. Blow-up Santa up on the porch roof? Perfect!

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  51. It's just magic...that's what I kept thinking as I looked through once and then went back to read twice. So pretty I can hardly stand it...you must be so happy when you turn the corner and see your house each night. I know what you mean about attics...I swear those nocturnal animals would sound like they were rearranging furniture up in ours and then the exterminator would come and see nothing...looking at me like I was a little crazy. Steve, your house really was made for Christmas and seeing that little light in the attic just makes it perfect. Great photos!!

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  52. Looks fantastic and I just love your house! I may have to do a little Cambridge recon to stalk, err, I mean see it in person.

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  53. Just beautiful! You do the limbo very well. :)
    xo Dianne

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  54. I think it looks elegant and welcoming at the same time. You always do such a wonderful job.

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  55. Steve...
    Your work, your photographs, your house & your blog are simply magical.

    I always enjoy a visit with you.

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  56. Looks absolutely lovely! I hope you have the attic light on a timer! :)

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  57. How very lovely. I love the tradition of candles in the window. I wish more folks would do it. This is my first visit to your blog, so I've spent some time browsing through your earlier posts. I'm so glad I did that. You've created a great spot for your readers to visit and I really enjoyed the time I spent here. I'll definitely be back. I hope you have a great day. Blessings...Mary

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  58. Your house looks beautiful. I imagine you going outside in the dark to take a peek now and then.

    Bats? I think I'd leave the candle up there and just turn it on a Christmas. Just saying....

    -Debi

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