I sowed seeds yesterday, so that’s done. But then – in typical Claudia fashion – I walked over to the overgrown Annabelle hydrangea/spirea area on the far side of the porch. I stood there, trying to figure out how I could get in there and cut back some of the hydrangea as well as the dead parts of the spirea. Unless I tackled some of the spirea I wouldn’t be able to get to the hydrangea. A note about the hydrangea – there are some new shoots coming out of the ground. Not a whole lot, but there are some signs of life. A few of the stalks have some leaves, but the rest aren’t showing any signs of buds. Some are obviously dead. So I’m trying to cut back the obvious problem areas, while waiting to see what happens with the rest.
It’s a mess. Anyway, long story short, I ended up being very sore and tired, plus my congestion/allergy levels are off the charts. So today is a day of rest, except for going to the storage unit to get our window a/c unit for the bedroom. It’s very warm here and last night was uncomfortable to say the least.
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Okay. On to my thoughts for today.
If you didn’t already know me and you had somehow just discovered this blog, you would immediately come to the conclusion that I love miniatures and dollhouses and tiny things. Right?
I have seven dollhouses in various stages of progression.
Sometimes I even dare to call myself a miniaturist.
This morning I had a smack-myself-on-the-forehead moment: my dad was also a miniaturist. Way before I showed any fascination for the tiny, my dad was making miniature worlds. But his were even more tiny than mine. He constructed elaborate towns and miles of tracks and tiny buildings. He was a model railroader.
He made this car. Thankfully, and I don’t even remember when or how, I somehow came into possession of it. I assume my dad gave it to me.
I grew up with sounds of model trains running on the tracks in our basement. The earliest were Lionel trains, which were much larger than the HO scale shown above. I’m pretty sure one of the setups was on our old ping pong table. Eventually he moved to the smaller scale and constructed winding tracks, signal lights, streetlights, little houses, train stations. He landscaped everything. I remember going to the Hobby shop with him. I can still hear the sound of the train whistles.
It was an escape for him – a world he could construct where there were none of the pressures that made real life challenging and stressful and painful. It was a world he could control. (Exactly how I feel about my miniature world, as well.)
He was quite talented, as you know – a true artist. And I often forget that his artistic talents extended to his model trains. Maybe because they were just there, a part of our everyday life.
When my parents moved up to northern Michigan, my dad went down to their much larger basement and built his most elaborate setup, one that meandered through more than a few rooms. It was amazing. I’m so grateful that Don got to see it. Just a couple of years after we met, we flew to Michigan to celebrate my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary. As with all guests, Don was escorted to the basement and he got to see that amazing and magical little world.
It’s all gone now, except for this train car. Dad sold everything when my parents moved to Florida. I know that was very hard for him. Hard to let go of the world he had created. But he had tremors in his hands and working with things that were that tiny became frustrating and there was no room in their condo for model trains.
You know, I must have mentioned dollhouses to him because I started working on Hummingbird Cottage several years before he passed away. But to be honest with you, I’m not sure if I did. I wish I could talk about it all with him now. I appreciated my dad’s hard work on his model trains, but I don’t think I really understood it in the way I do now. I don’t think I really got the level of detail and commitment that went into it. He could do anything; he could light buildings, he could figure out how to wire something, he just knew. As I stand in front of the Beacon Hill, which is already partially wired, and try to figure out this whole electrifying thing, my eyes glaze over. And it stops me from starting in on the house. But if my dad was here, he could figure it all out. Dad was always the guy who could figure things out.
I miss him. I’m sure proud to be a miniaturist’s daughter. I hope that he somehow knows that I’m carrying on that tradition.
Stay safe.
Happy Friday.
Wonderful to remember that connection!! Your houses are works of art and you seem to be building a community as your dad did.
Thank you, Nora.
Stay safe.
Great memories of your father…you are blessed.
Thank you, Brenda.
Stay safe.
Hello,
I agree with Nora your house is truly filled with wonderful works of art.
Take Care,
Kaye
Park City, UT
Thank you, Kaye!
Stay safe.
What a lovely tribute. You really had to have seen his train setup to have appreciated all of the details he included. He truly was talented in so many ways as are you. You also share his big heart.
Eileen
Oh, thank you, Eileen! Your words make me happy.
Stay safe.
My dad passed away last year. I miss him and my mom ( who left for heaven 3 months before him) so much. Often, as I’m doing something in the garden , figuring out colors for my quilt projects and especially when I’m chatting with strangers in the grocery store. I realize how much I am like him. It’s really a beautiful thing to feel close to them.
Your mini houses, gardens and home are beautiful. You have a wonderful, fulfilling career. Your parents would be very proud of all you have accomplished.
Keep on shining! xo
Thank you so much, Betsy.
Stay safe.
What a beautiful story. Thanks for sharing with us.
Thank you, April!
Stay safe.
Wonderful memories!! I love reading your blog. It always makes me think and this one today is no different! My dad was killed in a car accident when I was 12, one month before my 13th birthday. I will be 70 in a couple weeks and I still miss him. He was a carpenter and he loved gardening. While I am certainly not a carpenter, I do love gardening. We have many large gardens here, vegetable, herb and flower. We do lots of home canning and share with our daughters and their families and friends and neighbors. I look a lot like my dad and have been told many, many times that I have his personality. I take that as a compliment.
I love model railroads but have never had them myself. I do still have the Beacon Hill dollhouse that was a Christmas gift a couple of years ago. It is still in the box. I look at it often but so far that is all I have done. One of these days…….
Thanks again for taking the time to share your life through your blog. I don’t comment often but I read it every day! Now I need to get back outside to work. I am working in flower beds today and trying to get as much done as I can. It’s supposed to rain tomorrow. I fell while working outside the other day and am bruised, skinned and banged up but thankfully I can still get out there and work……just quite a bit slower.
Take care.
I’m sorry about that fall, Lorinda! But very happy you’re recovering.
Stay safe!
I just LOVE your post today. What an amazing story about your dad and you; this incredible artistic connection. I’ve always loved model trains and their ‘world’; can’t imagine how fun it would have been to see your father’s network of railroad track throughout actual whole rooms.
Once a year at Christmas, my small town has a display that’s put together by one of those fraternal lodges/service ‘clubs’. They sell tickets to see it and the proceeds go toward charitable efforts. I also recall seeing a great model-train setup at the Hallmark-brand’s HQ/Visitor’s Center in Kansas City, Missouri. Actually, I think I have that wrong; I think it’s more of a complex of venues called Crown Center, and Hallmark and the railroad station are two separate things, but it’s this place all together, as least it was 30 years ago; I had a good time!
Didn’t I read something about this lately, of model-train enthusiasts; is it the singer Rod Stewart who’s a model-train ‘fanatic’ (saying that in a good way), with trains and tracks weaving thru all the rooms of his home? These hobbyists/artists put so much detail into their railroad surroundings like tiny buildings and treescape/landscapes, etc. (as you’re saying was the case with your father). Yes, it’s completely like the detail you put into the dollhouses.
Terrific Friday post, Claudia; so poignant and so well-written as always. Thanks.
(I get to thinking about these things, prompted by your writing, looked a few things up quickly and there’s a bit on Wiki that says: “Like Rod Stewart, Eric Clapton, and Neil Young, [drummer/singer] Phil Collins is [also] a model railway enthusiast.”)
(An aside: The things one reads about celebs/pop culture; I had just been thinking-remembering something of how Phil Collins, a Brit, had one of the biggest collection of The Alamo [Texas, U.S.] artifacts. Is just sometimes curious what floats somebody else’s boat! Since I thought of it, I looked it up: “In the summer of 2014, Collins generously donated his priceless collection of Alamo and Texana artifacts to the Texas General Land Office, guardian of the Alamo, on behalf of the people of Texas. Collins built the collection over several decades, purchasing some items and even discovering some others just steps away from the Alamo itself. Collins fell in love with the Alamo’s inspiring story as a 5-year-old boy, when he saw the Disney production of Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier. When other children were out playing cops and robbers or other childhood games, Collins says that he was re-enacting the Battle of the Alamo. That love soon became his “passion” – collecting Alamo artifacts, weapons, relics and original documents.”)
Rest up and have a great weekend. We’re hot too here in Southern California; in a heatwave; even the beaches will be hot. Of course you’ve seen the Laguna fires on television/national news I’m sure; unfortunately, it’s just the beginning as our wildfires come earlier and earlier now, and very intense. We’ve still got green on my local hills and mountains but this heat will fade it fast. I’m just grateful that today I can be indoors with central air conditioning and filtered air as it’ll be 90 degrees before noon!
There is a model train museum in Balboa Park in San Diego (where the Old Globe is situated, as well.) I took my dad there when he visited and he was thrilled.
Thanks, Vicki.
Stay safe.
Oh…what happy memories you have of his model train collecting. And I’ll bet he had a wonderful time setting it all up, too. My dad also collected model trains, the tracks, and all the necessary equipment, but never took the time to put it all together. I never understood why. But now my youngest son has it all, and intends to get it running. I cannot wait!
Overdoing it in the gardens is kind of what we all do. I really hope your hydrangea comes back. I would be encouraged by the new growth. This spring has been hard…cold, then too hot..too much wind, then freezing temps. Mother Nature seems confused.
Enjoy your day of rest! ;)
How fun that your son is into those trains!
Thanks, Donnamae.
Stay safe.
What a lovely post! And it reminded me that my dad dabbled in trains too. Nothing nearly as elaborate as what your dad did … just a little set-up on a piece of plywood in his shop. A little hobby to share with my two nephews. I’ve actually purchased a few miniature supplies in the model train section on Amazon.
As have I!
Stay safe, Debbie.
I haven’t commented lately but, just couldn’t let this go without letting you know that this brought tears. Thank you!
Kelly
Thank you, Kelly.
Stay safe.
beautiful post, claudia. thank you for sharing such sweet details and memories.
and yes, please call yourself a miniaturist!
going out the door in a few minutes with seven paper grocery store bags full of papers to be shredded. i am so happy about that!
happy saturday. stay safe!
kathy
Good for you! Congrats!
Stay safe, Kathy.
It was so beautiful hearing about the memories you have of your Dad and his model trains. It was so lovely to read the first thing in the morning. Thank you.
You’re most welcome, Tana.
Stay safe.
You are most welcome, Tana.
Stay safe.
I’m glad you’re taking a day of rest. That’s loads of work (though I can see why you started in on the spirea/hydrangea. “I’m on a roll!” And we all know how that goes!
This might be one of my all-time favorite Claudia posts, partly because I got to see your beautiful miniatures again (so exquisite — I could live in those photos — you even have the library!) and partly (maybe mostly!) because of the wonderful story about your dad. You’re right — you are a miniaturist’s daughter. What a remarkable and creative man. I can imagine the railroad running through several rooms! And doing every feature, even the tracks and lighting. That’s truly amazing. You were absorbing all those years ago, that is for certain!
Oh, if we could all have our moms or dads back to have a talk. To ask questions. To share where we are on this journey of life! I can tell what you and your dad would be talking about. I suspect he’d want a railroad station added to your miniature mix!
You’re right! He would have done exactly that!
Thanks so much, Jeanie.
Stay safe.