I love this photo a FB friend shared this morning. She had it labeled "Garden Room (Unknown)". I think it is the colors as much as the subject matter that I relate to. As soon as I saw it I thought, "Stillroom".
And I was immediately returned to 1984 and the first time I entered this house. It was empty, for sale, and in much worse shape than it was when this photo was taken thirty years later when it was for sale again in 2014.
The first room I entered after going through the enclosed back porch was a good sized pantry off the kitchen. And the thought that entered my mind when I saw it was: "This is going to be my stillroom." I envisoned herbs and flowers hanging to dry from the ceiling and preserves and canned goods filling the shelves.
The early definition of a stillroom (18th Century) was "a room in a house where a still was kept for the distillation of perfumes and cordials. It later came to mean a room used by the housekeeper for the storage of preserves, cakes and liqueurs and the preparation of tea and coffee.
I talked to my banker and he agreed to loan me the $10,000 to buy the house and ten acres. I called the owner, made my offer, and he accepted. I was beside myself in joy and disbelief. The next day the banker reneged on our agreement. I didn't get to buy the house and acreage. I still wonder what my life would have been like if I had purchased it.
I don't recall the reason(s) of how or why I learned of stillrooms, possibly from something I read or because they had become a popular fad.
But I'm pretty sure I had a copy of this book, Stillroom Cookery by Grace Firth. A copy of which is now listed for $45.00 on Etsy and described as "A rare find, (The) Cook Book Bible for Stillroom Cookery."
I have had a lot of unfulfilled dreams in my life. But doesn't everyone?
Painting by Viggo Johansen - "Kitchen Interior - The artist's wife arranging flowers".
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