Yesterday I wrote a post about a blog I found that talked about a couple building a new downsized house next door to their old Big House in Concord, Massachusetts. And I wondered about possible problems with any historical district rules. That’s enough of a recap for here; the original post is right under this one, or if you don’t want to scroll, click HERE.

Well . . . I checked back in today and guess what? Yes, a new post talked about the HDC being concerned with the color of the house. It is blue; I think it is a light blue, but that still puts in the category of blue as in Red, White & Blue. An American color scheme, dontcha know?

One of the homeowners wrote: While people have grumbled about the paint color and the HDC is on the warpath again . . . And when that happens, all manner of things will be well. We will just be another house on Main Street. Albeit the blue one.

The HDC puts out a 95 page guideline pdf (HERE), in which pictures may be found. Some of the houses appear to be in the blue family. But, to make sure everything is in the appropriate spirit, details are listed.

The Act states that the Commission “shall pass upon the appropriateness of changes in exterior color features of buildings and structures within the his- toric districts wherever such features are subject to view from a public street, way or place.”
A hearing before the Commission is not required to repaint a building or structure the same (existing) color.
A hearing before the Commission is not required to change the color of the building or structure provided that the chosen color scheme is in keeping with the period and style of the building or structure from the historically ac-
curate list available in the Commission office and the choice is confirmed by the Commission staff. A written rec- ord of the appropriate color choices, along with sample chips, is required to go on file. Please consult Commis- sion staff. If it is determined that the colors are proximate to those on the Approved List, given the architectural style, the owner will be informed in writing that a hearing is not necessary. Any other color choices require a hearing before the Historic Districts Commission at one of its regularly scheduled meetings with samples of color choices.
Color compatibility with adjacent structures should be considered in choosing your colors to promote vis- ual harmony of the streetscape. How- ever, several houses with identical color schemes in one area may not be appropriate.
Additional procedures on preparing for a paint color hearing, copies of the “pre-approved” appropriate color list, and additional resources on choosing historic paint colors are available for review in the Commission office.

The guidelines pdf. actually quotes Henry James right at the get-go of it’s no-no list.

“Putting the three or four biggest cities aside, Concord, Massachusetts, had an identity more palpable to the mind, had nestled in other words more successfully be- neath her narrow fold of the mantle of history, than any other American town.”
Henry James, The American Scene, 1907

I don’t know but maybe he meant to say “more palpable to the narrow mind”.

I have ancestors who were in the Revolutionary War. I would like to think they were fighting for the right to say, “I don’t like that color” as opposed to, “You can’t have that color.”

Gosh, we can really get worked up here at the Peanut Butter Cafe & Roadhouse. Maybe we’ll use some of this energy to put a pink flamingo out front.

I came across a blog written by a seemingly very nice lady who lives in Concord, Massachusetts. Yes, this is THE Concord I’m talking about – THE Concord where the shot heard ’round the world originated.

She and her husband are building a new downsized house next to their older, big one. I was glancing at the pictures and reading a bit about the move one door down the street – do you use a moving van? – and it dawned on me historic district edicts might be a concern.

I mean this was THE Concord of Emerson, Alcott and Thoreau to mention but a very few, and because this house is on the river, perhaps close to The Old North Bridge, it seems reasonable to assume there is some regulatory body. Considering Walden Pond is there as well as Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, I would think the entire town is probably considered an historic district.

Which brings me to this: Exactly how to you justify rules for the hometown of Civil Disobedience author Thoreau? Oh, I know you want to preserve the Colonial Era for history’s sake, but, by gosh, this is a thin line here. In the American tradition, can you tell embattled landowners that they cannot erect, oh say and gasp as well, an A-frame.

Ah, but there is another American Tradition a’trending – the gated community, evolved from its poor cousin, the dreaded homeowner’s association. Heaven help those living next door to an HOA Gestapo memeber.

I don’t know how old the original “Big House” is, but people have been living in my mother’s house out here in the wilds of Indiana since before the Civil War and if anyone had told her just what she could and could not do with a tree or shed of paint color, they would have had a hell of a fight on their hands.

Heck, if anyone came to me and said, “AmeliaJake, you can’t . . .”, Mother would climb right out of her grave and tell them a thing or two.

I’ve gone way off topic here; I started out admiring a house’s design and appreciating a lady’s thoughts and now I’m into a rant. In this case, I am not going to identify the blog, but if the one or two readers who check in would like to know, just give me a nudge and I’ll link you up with Kate and Pete.

I wasn’t going to go and then I was and then I wasn’t and finally I did. I went and mowed at Mother’s. I knew I might have trouble getting a mower started and was steeled for it. I should have been wearing a lead shield; I think I believe little animals that build nest in motors emit sub-atomic rays that threaten your will to live.

They were probably watching and chortling while I spent almost two hours with the Wheel Horse that acted like it was ready for the glue factory.

It started – the tractor – when this whole episode started. It started for a moment, then died. I would try repeated and it would try, but no go . . .literally. So I sighed and hooked up the battery to the car. That was not going to work, but it popped into my head that maybe the air filter was dirty. It wasn’t.

I peeked in the hole beyond the air filter and saw “stuff”. I thought it was a little stuff, but it turned out to be BIG STUFF. I pulled a lot of stuff out through the little hole and there was still more, so I investigated and found four screws with hexagonal heads set in special little screw indentations. I did not have a little bitty socket tool . . . but the man across the way did.

More precisely his young grandson did. This was lucky for both of us because it gave the boy a chance to use his tool set other than working on taking apart about everything in his grandpa’s house and, for me, there was a way to get the engine cover off.

After all my time digging out the infamous STUFF, I figured I would find some areas where it remained. The engine cover exploded off with the pressure of the remaining STUFF which was a GREAT BIG WHOLE LOT.

And the engine – she roared to life. And I mowed and mowed and mowed until evening grew nigh. I put things away and locked up the shed. Oh my, I forgot to mention that last fall at the last mowing I had hung the keys to the padlock on a nail inside the shed and later absent-mindedly closed the doors and padlocked them – which of course does not require a key to do. And I did it. So, yesterday, I had to pry off some wood, crawl into the shed – and it was warm enough for snakes – to retrieve the keys.

The little nest-building rodents were probably thinking, “SERVES HER RIGHT.”

So I look up from the padlock to see an old, white-bearded Amishman on a bicycle pulling into the yard and asking, “How’s Grandma?” I said, “What?” He repeated it and I pointed to myself with a question on my face. He said he was talking about the lady who had spoken with him a couple of years back about taking some trees down.

After talking with him about her death, I ascertained that his son’s name was the name that Mother had left written on a note page on the dining room table. That mystery solved. We talked some more and one thing led to another and he mentioned when his mother died. She was born in 1917. What??? My dad was born in 1918. I said to the old man that I was 63, and would be 64 in August. You’re going to love this: he said he was 63 and would be 64 in November. ACCCCCCKKKKKKKK.

Oh, Lordy, I am an old Amishman sans beard . . . although I have referred to may chin hairs on occasion.

As I was driving later on a east-west road with the setting sun at my rear, I realized the shadow of my car stretched out far in front of me and I could see my head in the shadow. So I put up my hand and tried to make a shadow puppet. I am an old Amishman sans beard on an (east-west) road to senility. I don’t know what I would have told a police office had I been stopped.

The pronunciation of words – and, by the way, pronunciation one of the words involved – was the substance of a disagreement between Summer and me yesterday. She was leaving the room and used the word “preferably” and I corrected her with “preferably”

She came back, took my laptop an started looking at dictionary pronunciations. After much grimacing on her part, she finally found her version at some site.
We then started researching advertisement, interesting*, and a few other words I can’t remember.

*About interesting

Last week I got an email, as did Der Bingle, from LZP about his son’s commendation. It came through the morning after Mr. Feller died and things were hectic.

But today, I want to take time to mention it here and then highlight the email response Der Bingle, a former Air Force officer, sent to LZP.

Here’s the email from LZP: (click to enlarge)

Here’s the email that LZP got back:

Lon LZP,

 

Those aren’t normally given to enlisted personnel. Joe must have done an exceptional job.

Ron Der Bingle

I had a horrible nightmare last night. And this morning the sun is often covered by widespread clouds . . . so my spirits are lifted for a moment or so and then the grey takes over. Then it happens again. If I can make it until 1 pm, more sun than clouds are predicted and at 7 pm, the weather people show all sun.

Seven pm. Oh, great. Seven pm is getting on to “dark time” as I remember it being described as a little girl.

I think I need to put some feathers on my head and moccasins on my feet and go out and do a sun dance in my (fenced-in) backyard. Of course, if I go out in the backyard, I will see it needs to be mowed. Auuugggggghhhhhhh.

Okay, I’m not linking to the story in the News-Sun because I don’t think you can see it online if you are not a subscriber. I am going to feature it here, though, because if there is one story that should be out there for all to see, it is this one.

It was written by Matt Getts of the News-Sun (kpcnews.com). Rev Barker was the minister who spoke at my mother’s graveside service, and I will be forever grateful.

***

KENDALLVILLE — Thursday night, the Kendallville Area Chamber of Commerce gave its highest individual honor to a man who has dedicated much of his life to helping those in the lowest of stations.

The Rev. Dan Barker, a retired pastor, current executive director of Common Grace and Noble County Jail chaplain, was named the chamber’s 2012 Citizen of the Year at the conclusion of Thursday’s 55th annual banquet.

Barker humbly accepted the honor after being given a standing ovation at a packed Kendallville Event Center.

Barker, 66, was born in Brighton, Mich., and when 2011 Citizen of the year recipient Ray Scott announced this year’s winner was born in that community, the rest of the laurels Scott had mentioned started to hit home for Barker.

“I was shocked,” Barker said. “When I heard Brighton, Mich., I kind of panicked.”

Barker’s surprise honor came following a keynote speech from Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels.

Also receiving special recognition by the chamber were 2011 Industry of the Year Creative Liquid Coatings and 2011 Business of the Year Shepherd’s Chevrolet Buick GMC.

Common Grace provides services to those who are undergoing financial hardship, offering food, rent and utility assistance.

KENDALLVILLE — Thursday night, the Kendallville Area Chamber of Commerce gave its highest individual honor to a man who has dedicated much of his life to helping those in the lowest of stations.

The Rev. Dan Barker, a retired pastor, current executive director of Common Grace and Noble County Jail chaplain, was named the chamber’s 2012 Citizen of the Year at the conclusion of Thursday’s 55th annual banquet.

Barker humbly accepted the honor after being given a standing ovation at a packed Kendallville Event Center.

Barker, 66, was born in Brighton, Mich., and when 2011 Citizen of the year recipient Ray Scott announced this year’s winner was born in that community, the rest of the laurels Scott had mentioned started to hit home for Barker.

“I was shocked,” Barker said. “When I heard Brighton, Mich., I kind of panicked.”

Barker’s surprise honor came following a keynote speech from Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels.

Also receiving special recognition by the chamber were 2011 Industry of the Year Creative Liquid Coatings and 2011 Business of the Year Shepherd’s Chevrolet Buick GMC.

Common Grace provides services to those who are undergoing financial hardship, offering food, rent and utility assistance.

“Common Grace is the one place to go if you need help,” Scott said.

As its executive director, Barker has been the go-to agency’s go-to man for the better part of two decades. He helped start Common Grace in 1995. For the last 11 years, he has ministered to inmates at the Noble County Jail.

It would be accurate to say Barker came upon his philanthropic endeavors naturally — and evenly divinely.

His parents both were pastors, and they showed him what caring meant.

“Our home was a home to anybody and everybody,” Barker said.

After graduating from Marion College, Barker entered the Asbury Theological Seminary. While in the seminary, the young man from small-town Michigan spent time in the Bronx section of New York City. There, he learned the joy of helping people from all walks of life.

“I referred to it as my conversion,” Barker said.

Barker graduated from the seminary in 1971. He served pastorships at several United Methodist churches in Michigan before coming to Kendallville in 1978. He oversaw the flock at Trinity Church United Methodist for 15 years, then spent eight years at Trinity United Methodist in Albion before retiring in 2011.

He remains active as the executive director of Common Grace, a man who has lived a philosophy that the church isn’t limited to a structure. That’s why, he said, helping others is what he must do.

“It’s imperative to serve the poor,” Barker said. “I see in every person a reflection of God. I’ve never met a person I could sense the presence of that divine essence.”

Barker said he is but one small part of the success of Common Grace. He cited the generosity of ordinary citizens, church groups, foundations and social organizations with really making things happen in this area.

“It’s a community that cares,” Barker said. “I don’t feel I’ve had to do that much. People want to help people.”

Barker doesn’t see his work at Common Grace coming to a close any time soon. His work for those who have nothing isn’t a hobby, it’s a calling from God to serve.

“That’s what your life is,” he said. “It doesn’t require any extra effort to be who you are.”

That doesn’t mean it’s easy, he admitted.

“You don’t like experiencing the despair of life some people have to deal with,” he said. “At the same time, it’s extremely gratifying.”

Hey, we’ve been living in this peanut butter world for over a half century now, cherishing the comfort food of a folded over piece of bread with peanut butter in the middle . . . and feeling at home by the sound of a screen door in summer and the heavy thump of a solid wood country farm door in winter. We chortled when restaurants served little bitty pieces of food served as edible art on a plate. Apparently, some heard our chortling and investigated.

BECAUSE we hear from LZP that peanut butter is the new rage in Iowa City.  Check this Out. Here, let us help you with this screen shot.

Three restaurants are mentioned in the article: Gus’s Food & Spirits, Crepes de Luxe Cafe and Quinton’s Bar & Deli.

My good friend, Kathryn Feller, who will be 95 on Friday,  buried her husband Emory today.  He was 98 and would have turned 99 in July.

Kathryn was an example of grace and a determination that overcame frailty.  On an unusually hot day in March – 85 degrees – she showed the stuff of which heroines are made. I am humbled.