Hi there! Well, it’s still in the ‘teens here in Northeast Ohio, but the inside of our house is shoutin’ spring. I’ve finished putting out all of my bunnies, nests, and flowering branches, and wanted to show you how my mantel turned out.
I went all-in with my favorite colors of green and blue this year and just went around gathering things from around the house that were in these colors so I didn’t have to buy anything. I love propping things in the corner of that empty blue frame–like this bird’s nest. And I still really like using my fabric-covered orbs. Most importantly, though, you may remember that the oil painting was a Goodwill score from a couple of weeks ago. Well, there was a sticker on the back with the name of the artist and the area he was from. I just had to Google it, of course, and this is what I found out. This painting was done by Herb Wood, a decorated World War II and Korean War veteran of De Soto, Kansas, who entered the military at age 16 because he wanted to serve (his mother helped him lie about his age). After coming home from his last tour, Wood helped start a local Boy Scout troop, which has gone on to become one of the most active in the area. Wood passed away in August 2013.
Since my grandfather was also a World War II vet, I am so glad to know the origins of my $2 score, and feel that–despite its meager price tag–this painting is priceless to me now. There were a number of achievements listed for Wood in the articles I read about him, but there were a couple of things that stuck out to me. First off, how in the world did a painting of his end up in a Goodwill store in Streetsboro, Ohio? Secondly, of all the things Wood must’ve seen overseas while fighting, he still had it in him to create things of beauty after returning home.
Knowing the origin of the things we find makes them more special, and I love how our homes can tell a story this way. What do you have in your home that has a history?
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