Picture of my house - sans scaffolding!!

[shelli]

will also update photobucket when can with interior pics

am getting very excited now

 

[Pford75]

once again...congratulations, it looks lovely.

 

[skier-hughes]

It's looking great,

graham

 

[Penners]

Luvverly!

What's the thing that looks like a little truncated chimney on top of the porch? I presume you don't have a fireplace in there to warm visitors as they wait for the door to be opened?

But what a great idea, eh?

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Shelli - is looking magnificent!

You must be delighted.

 

[shelli]

Luvverly!

What's the thing that looks like a little truncated chimney on top of the porch? I presume you don't have a fireplace in there to warm visitors as they wait for the door to be opened?

But what a great idea, eh?

Its just a flat capping stone - but made for a bigger roof - it was left over at a friends project and OH thought it would look nice on top of porch when they replaced the roof - i am reserving judgement - I thought it stuck up a bit too much - but if it helps keep the roof together it's at least useful if not beautiful - I have an ominous feeling he wants to put something on top of it - he's already put quaker balls on the main roof (although I don't know how I'm going to explain our huge wine cellar if weary quakers knock on the door needing shelter! )

 

[Penners]

he's already put quaker balls on the main roof

Well, I've hear of religious intolerance, but I think that's going a bit far.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

Shelli - is looking magnificent!

You must be delighted.

Shelli, whilst you may indeed be looking magnificent (and I have no reason to doubt that you are), what I meant was that your house is also looking magnificent.

SWMBO peruses this board at times (she likes to keep a check on how much time is spent working on the house and how much time is spent doing "research" on this forum!), and I don't want to have to explain my idiosyncratic punctuation to her - or it my not juss be quaker's balls on the roof....

 

[FamilyWiggs]

BTW - what are quaker's balls?

Or is it quakers' balls?

Or even Quakers' balls?

Either way - what are they?

 

[Penners]

Presumably the means by which Quakers ensure the perpetuation of their religion.

 

[DaveBrigg]

Surely just the way that they celebrate Christmas? Although dancing on the roof sounds a tad dangerous.

 

[yamin]

So pretty - love those windows too - you've got it restored without it looking overly new, kwim?

Enjoy!

Yamin

 

[worms]

kwim?

I'm afraid I have to ask... Is this one of these forum shortcodes, along the lines of LOL and SWMBO? Or something completely different?

 

[yamin]

Sorry! 'Know what I mean'??

 

[piper]

Presumably the means by which Quakers ensure the perpetuation of their religion.

As someone married to a genuine Quaker (i.e. member of the Religious Society of Friends) - and counting several Quakers among my friends - I need (with the greatest respect of course) to put you, Penners and also Shelli, right on a number of points. Though please note that I'm not seriously offended, or accusing you of any of the things discussed in the political correctness thread, and I DO recognise a joke when I see one.

1. The quaker "religion" is not heriditary. I would guess that perhaps only Judaism is both a belief system and a genetic inheritance.
For a succinct statement of what quakerism really is, visit http://www.quaker.org.uk/Templates/qwInformation.asp?NodeID=95801

2. Quakers are normal people these days - they don't wear funny clothes or hats, they don't live on oats, and most of them even drink alcohol (in moderation of course). So Shelli, your wine cellar would not cause the shock and offence you plainly fear - get rid of that guilt! A visiting quaker would probably much admire the plain and simple beauty of your house.
As you're so close to Kendal, visit the Quaker Tapestry exhibition for an inspiring and fascinating insight into Quakers' history, and what they REALLY do (my wife is one of the trustees of the tapestry exhibition, so I would say that of course - but it really is brilliant)
One thing they DON'T do, of course, is organise Christmas Balls.

But what puzzles me is why those wonderful stone balls that grace the gable ends of many old houses, and even the grander barns around here, should be called Quaker Balls. I've never come across that name before. Is it general throughout the country, or just local to Lancashire/Westmorland (i.e. historic "Quaker Country" - Swarthmoor Hall, George Fox and all that)?
I hadn't even noticed if they are on any old meeting houses, but I don't think so. I would have thought that with the historic Quaker belief in simplicity, they would have been considered unneccessary ornament, perhaps even rather pretentious!

 

[Nemesis]

Is this a cue to promote one of the best historic buildings anywhere in my far from humble etc?

http://www.hct.org.uk/chapel9haltwhistle.html


No balls in sight though!

However - came across this ref re Dufton, and I do wonder if a ball finial was possibly something used by Quakers in times past in the architecture built in the NW, and so the association came about?

http://www.thecumbriadirectory.com/Town_or_Village/Dufton/Dufton.php

 

[Nemesis]

A little more delving - it seems that in times of yore, 'Quaker' pinwheels or pinballs may have been given as a token of affection - wonder if that is a connection?

Tenuous maybe, but... also still used in knitting patterns today?


http://www.thesamplerguild.co.uk/Ackworth%20page.htm


Scroll down page for more and a pic of the book:

Tokens of Love - Quaker Pinballs by Erica Uten - Available

For the first time.....a treasure trove of Quaker pinballs and pinwheels old and new with patterns and instructions for knitting.

 

[Penners]

As someone married to a genuine Quaker (i.e. member of the Religious Society of Friends) - and counting several Quakers among my friends - I need (with the greatest respect of course) to put you, Penners and also Shelli, right on a number of points.

As someone of Quaker descent myself - and living proof that it's not hereditary - I'm glad you're not offended and can recognise that there was nothing whatsoever to be offended about in the above light-hearted comments. :wink:

 

[Nemesis]

Right - more Quaker pinballs, from a workshop at Ackworth School (Quaker foundation in case anyone is wondering):

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2877972940056357207pkcsjx


Simple, (in concept - not saying I could make them!) delightful 'love' or affection / friendship tokens.

http://www.ernahiscockantiques.com/view_product.php?product_id=368

So maybe that's the derivation - ball finials resembled pinballs? Pin as in knitting pins (needles).

 

[Penners]

Whoever made that pinball is a real wizard at it.