I'm back in the world of living. Well I've always been alive, I've just been acting like a zombie lately. Haven't had the "itch" to blog.
I thought that I'd have my Halloween decorating all done by now to share with you. But I've been too lazy. I just started decorating on Sunday, but all I've seem to accomplish is to make a huge mess in my family room. Ugh!
Hopefully I'll get it finished up this week so I can share photos. But since it's still kind of dark when I leave for work in the morning & kind of dark when I return home at the end of the day, taking decent photos is going to be a big hurdle. But we will give it the old college try. Even if I never did go to college.
Until then, I thought I would share photos of my trip to the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, CA.
I actually went last year in October.
But I was too lazy to post them then, so you are getting them now.
We happen to be in San Jose for my cousins wedding last October. Went with my hubby (guy in the blue jeans and brown jacket with his back to the camera), my brother (tall guy in the shorts and short sleeves) and my sister in law (the woman closest & with her back to the camera).
While in San Jose, we decided we must see the Winchester Mystery House.
They don't let you take photos inside the house (might spook the ghosts). But you can take all the photos you want outside. Which of course I did.
Warning, lots of photos to follow.
38 years
160 rooms
1 mystery
The gun that won the West made the Winchester family a fortune.
Was it blood money?
Sarah Winchesters family died.
Was she next?
Why did she move West to build the world's oddest mansion?
Why did carpenters work around the clock?
To whom was she speaking each night at midnight?
From what was she running?
You decide. Visit.
That is the promo you will find on the home page at
Winchester Mystery House website.
If you have never been, I highly recommend it. Who doesn't like a good mystery? Or a haunted house? Especially this time of year.
There are lots of things to see not only in the house, but on the property grounds as well.
Including fountains.
And statues.
I especially love this statue of Hebe. Brings back fond memories of when I was a kid. You see, we had a smaller version of this same statue that sat on our front porch for many years. My brother (the same one who went on this trip) used to tell a boy up the street that every time he came to our house, he would need to put money in Hebe's hand. If not, she would surely cast a curse on him. Then my brother would hide in the bathroom & speak through the window pretending to be the statue talking. It was hilarious. At least it seemed so at that time. Don't worry, my brother did finally come clean to the boy. They both had a good laugh. And the boy was happy to know that he wasn't going to be cursed.
I just love, love, love the Victorian architecture of this house.
And all the fabulous windows.
I just love, love, love these spider web windows.
Maybe I can get my hubby to make me some. Or at least one.
And speaking of hubby. Here are the two of us posing in front (OK, off to the side) of the Winchester Mystery House.
There are lots of fabulous stained & leaded glass windows throughout the house. These photos are actually from windows inside the Winchester gun museum on the property grounds.
Everyone knows that stained glass looks so much more fabulous with the light shining through them. You can only get that effect from inside the window. And as I told you, they don't allow photos while you are inside the house.
And if I remember correctly, all the windows are from Tiffany. Yes, that Tiffany. As in Tiffany stained glass and Tiffany jewelers aka: EXPENSIVE!
But then Sarah Winchester was a millionaire and had to spend her so called "blood money" on something to appease the spirits.
There are lots of out buildings on the property. This one is filled with junk.
My kind of junk!
Do you think they would notice a couple of missing corbels? Don't worry, I didn't take anything. I'm too honest. Plus they have cameras everywhere watching you. At least I'm pretty sure they do. I was too busy looking at all the fabulous junk.
Can you imagine having a storage room filled with all of this yummyness? My kind of hoarding for sure.
Loved this garden conservatory.
Love, love, love!
Inside the gift shop they have this small museum area. I can't remember if these are actual items from the house, or just from the same time period. I do remember that they said all the furniture in the house (the few rooms that have furniture) aren't actually from the house, but the era.
Sorry about the reflection in this photo. I had to use my flash as it was in a dark room. But it gives you an overhead view of the house & property. The house looks so much bigger from the sky. When you are next to it, it's hard to grasp the grandness of it.
Well I hope that you have enjoyed my little tour of the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, CA. If you are ever in the area of San Jose or San Francisco, you definitely need to stop by & check this house out for yourself. You might even spot yourself a ghost or two. Wish I had.
And don't forget to shut the gate on your way out.
Love this gate!!!! I need this gate!!!
