Tuesday, October 9, 2012

My Weekend...


I hope everyone had a great weekend! This was a three day weekend for me and I should have used it to rest, but instead I was busy running the roads with friends. I went to Cuthbert, Georgia this weekend to visit my longtime friend James or as I like to call him Jaybeaux. He bought his dream home six years ago and he’s been committed to a major labor of love ever since. As long as I’ve known him he’s always wanted and been fascinated by grand old southern homes. Well, six years ago this month he finally found one and he’s been working on restoring it. Below are three pictures from his Facebook page that I snagged for this post. This is what the house looked like when he found it. Now, tell me it’s not a determined soul that will take on a project like this.

 Before


This is no small house either. Behind the main house you can see the ballroom and also the old outside kitchen. It was built in 1853.

Before2 


This is Jaybeaux on the side of the house after he and Ken removed all the shrubs and debris from around the property. This really gives you a good idea of the scale of the house. James told us this weekend he was terribly afraid of heights and he had to make himself climb the scaffolding a little higher each day until he was no longer scared. Let me tell you something, that molding at the roofline is waaaaaaaaay up there. I got dizzy just looking up from the second floor porch.

 James


This is the work he’s done so far. Pretty amazing don’t you think? I guess he could see something no one else could. A lot of hard work and love have gone into this house. James is not a construction expert, he's not wealthy, he's just a determined person figuring it all out as he goes along. Making his dream come true one board and one can of paint at the time. I have no doubt he and Ken will completely restore this old house in it's entirety. What an accomplishment...

 After


It was a nice four hour trip, two hours to get there and two hours to get back home. It was a pleasant little Sunday drive and was punctuated with pretty scenes like this one. Wildflowers were in bloom all over the place. I don’t know what these purple flowers are, but we saw two cow pastures filled with them.

 Flowers


 We got back to Montgomery just as the sun was starting to set. The clouds were making a very unusual pattern that afternoon. I pulled off to side of the interstate to take this picture. Friday night and Saturday with my good friend Carol, Sunday lunch with my dear friend Jaybeaux and nice holiday to rest the following Monday. All in all a pretty good weekend...

 Sunset

18 comments:

  1. what an grand house that deserves to be saved...what an incredible man to have the determination to do it.I would love to see how the inside is going too..he should have a page devoted to the restoration... Love the stunning clouds

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sharon,
      I've told him he really needs to do a blog about it. He knows the complete history of the home because he's met one of the grandchildren of the original owner. I believe she is in her 80's now if I remember right. She told him everything about the home. What furniture was where and even the way the yard was landscaped.

      Delete
  2. If you are gonna dream, dream BIG. Wow, what an undertaking. Truly a labor of love. It will once again be grand no doubt. It makes your little garden project seem minuscule doesn't it?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lisa,
      Does it ever! The thing of it is he really, really enjoys it. James has always been fantastic at stuff like this though. I think it’s his calling.

      Delete
  3. I think your clouds are altocumulus clouds. Check this link: http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/%28Gh%29/wwhlpr/altocumulus.rxml?hret=/guides/mtr/cld/cldtyp/home.rxml They signal an oncoming cold front; which we know we have. I used to be an air traffic controller so had to learn clouds. They are quite cool.

    The house is simply stunning. Wow on ALL THE HARD WORK. It must must be his life's goal and greatest achievement when it is all done. Please do show the completed house.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tina,
      That sure looks like them! That's interesting information. So if we see them its about to turn cool or we are goign to get thunderstorms. :0) Not only did James do the work himself, he also lived in Houston half the time too.

      Delete
  4. What a humungous project and the work he's done so far is beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sweetbay,
      You really have to see all of his photos to get a full grasp of just exactly everything that's been done. It's amazing.

      Delete
  5. Replies
    1. Phillip,
      James is a hair dresser. :0)He's going to make the outdoor kitchen building his salon, so it'll be at the house but not in it. Pretty smart don't you think?

      Delete
  6. That is a transformation.
    My sister and her husband are doing a similar thing in Louisiana. An old house built in the late 1800's.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wayne it takes people with more skills than I have to do something like that. If you decide to put up photos of it come back and add a link to this post. :0)

      Delete
  7. What an accomplishment, one that we all benefit from when a house like this is saved. My hat is off to your friend.

    I think the purple flowers are some species of ironweed (Vernonia).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's very true, Les. Well there was iron weed growing all over the place and it was spectacular! My photo doesn't do it justice. :0)

      Delete
  8. Sounds like a wonderful weekend, Randy... I'm SO impressed with what your friend has done with that house. WOW--what a huge undertaking. BUT--I can only imagine what it is looking like now and what it will look like in the future.... Awesome!!!!!

    Have a good weekend.
    Betsy

    ReplyDelete
  9. Your friend has done a wonderful job on the house thus far! The Saint and I use to talk of doing the same thing to an old home and turn it into a Bed and Breakfast. Age has crept upon us and that dream never took hold. At this stage in our life, we would have to buy a B&B all ready to go... LOL... I wish more people would restore such homes of the past. As I drive down a country road and see an old weathered home surrounded by weeds, I cannot help but wonder, WHY? Those old homes have such great bones to work with compared to the cheaply made houses of today.... Kudos to your friend!

    Hey, we were driving through Atlanta a few weeks ago and spotted some clouds such as those you show! The sun was setting and it was a stunning sight to behold. Wonder if the same batch of clouds!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Skeeter he has done a wonderful job! Not only did the have great bones the craftsmanship... Oh my. People don't put that kind of love into homes any more. Plus most cant' afford to either. The moldings and wood work in older homes is incredible, not just the big ones either.

      Delete
  10. Not the same clouds, I just saw the date of this posting is Oct 9. The day I spotted those clouds was Oct. 18....

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for leaving me a message! I enjoy every one that I get!