Art from the Barn, Foote Brothers and Bella Shivers...

Last Saturday I spent the day with my older sister, Joann. We traveled down old country roads in the area taking pictures of the trees adorned with their Autumn colors. Today I spent the day with my younger sister, Barb. We started the day going to an annual art and craft sale called Art from the barn. It was located in the country between Oshkosh and Omro, Wisconsin and it was in a big, red barn. I was able to begin my Christmas shopping. Can't tell or show you pictures...that would ruin someone's surprise.

The reason we decided to be in this particular rural area today was because I saw a photo on one of my facebook group pages - Oshkosh: A remembrance of both Past and Present - and it peeked my interest. It was a photo of a place called the Foote Brothers Mansion in Eureka, Wisconsin.

So I Googled it and this is some of what I found:
The mansion was an1850's "mirror mansion" built by identical twins Argalus Isaac and Augustus Ira Foote. It was speculated to have been an undergroung railroad site and  a site for Al Capone's still. The brothers were born in 1817, and shared a deep brotherly love throughout their life. It's been said they had a double wedding, Argalus married Adelia, and Augustus married Anna, making a complete foresome of "AF" initials. So close they were, after moving from Massachusetts in the early 1850's, they had constructed a home for two families. One side of the house was the mirror image of the other side just like the brothers themselves. It is said that they furnished their sides the same and that the interior decorating was of the highest quality. (for more information go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/31711092@N05/2971127373/)
My sister and I drove until we found this house. It was so sad to see it in such shambles. The picture above must have been taken in winter or early spring before there were leaves on all the trees. This time of the year we could hardly see the house from the road because the full leaved trees hid it well.
The stories these wall could tell....Here are some pictures that we got today.

The weather really cooled down the past couple of days. Very crisp outside, actually very crisp inside this house. I just don't want to turn on the furnace yet because the thought of the high propane bill every month makes me sick. But if Bella doesn't stop shivering soon I will have to. The poor little thing has no meat on her bones and the few teeth that she has left in her mouth are chattering. Thank God for electric blankets!