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The Blue House. Back in the Day.

Melissa Beene Ford/ Big Blue House

This is a picture of our house from sometime in the 60s or 70s. Definitely after 1966, when the previous owners bought the house, because you can see the kitchen in the left of this picture, which was added on by them.

Back then, it was white with black shutters.

A couple of years ago, I was out in my yard, and an older gentleman was driving by and stopped to introduce himself. He had lived in this house as a child, he said. His parents had added on the office (the room on the right in this picture) in 1944 or 1945. His childhood room is now KB’s room. I wish I had written down his name, because I forgot. I’m sure my friend A.T. knows, though, because she knows the name and address of everyone who has ever lived in Tyler City Limits, and could probably tell me his license plate numbers as well. Anyway, HIS parents (whatever his name was) had painted the house white.

Then the Phillips family owned the house. Judge Phillips. Anybody remember him? (I don’t. But all the old-timers around here call this ‘Judge Phillips’ house).

And then, the Gallops bought it in 1966. And added on a kitchen, and painted it blue, and it was blue for years and years, until Yours Truly decided that the Williamsburg Blue *DEFINITELY* had to go. But it will always be the Big Blue House to me….. and to the neighbors who sometimes let it slip that they think I should have left it blue. I do love that unsolicited advice.

The date on the back of these pictures is 1991. I remember the house looking like this, blue with white shutters, and seeing Mary Dell Gallop working in the yard ALWAYS. (Because we lived two blocks down the street for seven years). She had BEAUTIFUL flower beds, and would probably roll over in her grave if she saw what I had let the flowerbeds become. 🙁 Sorry, Mary Dell….yard work isn’t my gift or calling. I wish it was.


If you look closely, you can see someone to the right of the front door (your left). I think that’s Mary Dell. Click on the picture to make it bigger so you can see Mary Dell for yourself.

And sometimes, when there’s a full moon out on a quiet night, you can look in that exact spot and she’s still there.

Just kidding. But it did give you chills, didn’t it?

Another view. Circa 1991.

Of course the yard didn’t look anything like this when we bought the house. Mary Dell had passed away years before, and the house sat here empty and the yard had been left to its own devices. The flowers died, and the weeds took over. Weeds higher than my head.

So while I don’t quite have Mary Dell’s flowerbeds….at least they do look better than I found them. That’s worth something, right?

And here it is in 2005, when we bought it. Chipped, peeling paint, overgrown weeds, and definitely no tulips lining the sidewalk.

. Is that an orb in this picture?? What did I tell you about that ‘exact spot’….*

And here it is last year, 2007. Before our friend Paul helped us landscape.

And I know you’ve seen this before, but I’ll post it again just to show the changes through the years. This was our house this spring, after landscaping. (Thanks Paul).

*And I’m just kidding, DIANE, before you leave me a comment about how Godly Women don’t believe in ghosts. Its a joke, all right?

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Comments

  1. Shanequa says

    December 21, 2008 at 10:41 pm

    Girl, you know you make me laugh…<BR/>for many reasons in that post.

    Reply
  2. callie says

    December 22, 2008 at 5:48 pm

    I love that you know so much history about your home. It’s lovely!

    Reply
  3. Barbara says

    December 24, 2008 at 8:28 am

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    Reply
  4. Anonymous says

    December 24, 2008 at 5:27 pm

    If you had been wearing your Christian panties with the Godly cotton panel, you wouldn’t have seen that ghost!! You baaaad lady.~g~<BR/><BR/><BR/>Your house is lovely (even though it still looks blue to my aged hippie eyes).<BR/><BR/><BR/>Merry Christmas!!<BR/><BR/><BR/>hehe…I was about to type in my word verification code and it is…..forpelay….haha…sorry, that just struck me as funny…

    Reply
  5. terri says

    January 5, 2009 at 4:55 am

    I LOVE your house.

    Reply
  6. Steph says

    January 8, 2009 at 5:50 pm

    melissa! melissa! MELISSA!! where are you? post already:)<BR/><BR/>and your house is georgeous.

    Reply

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About Me


Hey there... I'm Melissa! Texas girl. Mom to three + one goldendoodle. Believer. Old house fanatic. Creating a happy + healthy home with purpose is my passion. I'm so glad you're here!

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I don’t know who’s big idea it was to strip 80 I don’t know who’s big idea it was to strip 80 years of paint off of this door down to the wood and start over… but that person has no business starting new projects. 😅 My neighbors must have thought this project would never end. *I* thought this project would never end. 😰 If you’re thinking of doing this yourself? Just don’t, ok? Throw the whole door away and buy a new one. 😂🤣 Just kidding.  Old house weirdos like me… we can’t just do things the easy way. Anyhoo… after some trial and error, @sherwinwilliams Celestial is what I landed on, and I have to say… I like it. Periwinkle-ish blue looks great with the yellow house and will look even better when the azaleas are in bloom. Was it all worth it? That’s not important right now. 🤭 Will I do this all again in two years? The magic eight ball says… without a doubt. 👏🏻 I’ve already picked the next color. #gluttonforpunishment #somefoolsneverlearn #oldhouselove #oldhomelove #makinghome #southernliving #gardenandgun #azaleadistrict #tylertx
Spring in the Azalea District makes the winters in Spring in the Azalea District makes the winters in an 80-year-old house completely worth it … what broken pipes, icy hardwood floors and drafty windows? 🤔 I forgot already. #comeonspring #azaleadistrict #tylertx
Happy Saturday ☀️ Happy Saturday ☀️
Salt Lake City is always magical ✨ Salt Lake City is always magical ✨
2022 had its highs and lows for sure, but scrollin 2022 had its highs and lows for sure, but scrolling through my pics from the last twelve months made me realize how blessed and content I am. Prosperity, love, and peace have been ours in abundance, in spite of the pain of losing my dad. The second picture is the last picture of him… the last time I saw him. 💔 But God has been good to my family this year and 2022 is ending far better than it began. 😄 #2022inreview #thanksforthememories
Who wants a Christmas tour of my home? 🙋🏼‍ Who wants a Christmas tour of my home? 🙋🏼‍♀️
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That’s it. That’s the tour. (Slide two). 
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It’s a new trend I’m starting: bare Christmas tree. Lowe’s tag still attached (so quirky and unexpected)! Christmas ornaments still in boxes. Coming soon to an Anthropologie window display near you. 
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Every year I think, “next year I’ll do better. Next year I’ll have it together.” And then, here we are on the SIXTH Christmas that we’ve been in this house, the sixth Christmas I’ve dragged our chaotic bunch of Christmas mess out of a chaotic garage I still haven’t unpacked from our move six years ago. 
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Maybe this year is the year I’ll organize it all and put it back neatly so that by Christmas number 7, it will be smooth sailing. People will flock to my social media to see how I’ve pulled everything off SO PERFECTLY. Next year will be my year. 
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Seems every year there’s less and less bandwidth for all these things. There’s more grief and stress, less money. More demands, less grace. 
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I put this sign on the wall in my office so I could keep it in front of my eyes: Love. Joy. Peace. And all that. I am SO unlike Jesus most days. So lacking in all of these character qualities. And that’s WITH waking up most mornings and spending my first 30 minutes with God Himself. 
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How lost would I be without that? Geez. I can’t fathom. I REQUIRE being transformed by renewing my mind every single morning, and even then, responding to people and life with love, joy, peace and patience doesn’t come naturally. 
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It’s the goal, though. 
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This weary world needs that from us Believers during this season, more than ever… even more than an Anthropologie-window-display worthy Christmas home tour. 
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I’m working on both.
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