Happy Birthday, Mom

Happy Birthday to my mom. To celebrate I took her on a tour of homes in a posh neighborhood in St. Louis. It was a misty, cold day and we were wet and uncomfortable many times. Mom said we looked like drowned rats. I enjoyed it anyway and I hope she did too.

I had to become a ninja photographer because they recommended photos not be taken in the homes. I was surprised and pleased that the few I was able to take turned out because the lighting was pretty dim in a lot of the homes and being ninja I couldn’t exactly stand there and fiddle with the settings or take time to set up a shot. Yes, I am a rebel and a rule breaker. I get these traits from my rebel and rule breaker of a mother who kept trying to sneak open closet doors or the refrigerator or would do the "white glove" test with her finger looking for dust. All in good fun...we were really only playing and had a lot of laughs.

Really, it was a treat to be able to see inside these grand homes build in the 1900's. There is no comparison for the luxurious detail and quality construction in today's houses. It was wonderful to see the care that goes into maintaining and decorating these beautiful old homes. It's hard for this farm girl to imagine real people living in such opulence but I liked imagining who might live in such vintage luxury. Married couple, gay couple, family? I was a detective as well as a ninja looking at personal touches around the homes.

There were a few times I turned around and actually had my breath taken away at what I saw. Rich woodwork, jewel-like stained glass windows, terrazzo flooring….I could go on and on.

Can you believe someone has this window in their home?


Very cool mirrors and I love when there's a contemporary flair in an older home:


A non-ninja photo:


Mom enjoying her birthday beignets: